Saint-Gilles-les-Bains is Réunion’s main seaside resort, a cheerful town on the sunny west coast where the island’s mountains meet its coral lagoon. Part of the commune of Saint-Paul, it grew from a small fishing village into the place where Réunionnais and visitors alike come for the beach: white-sand bays such as Boucan Canot and Roches Noires, where netted, supervised swimming areas make it safe to swim in the ocean, and, just south, the calm, shallow lagoon of L’Hermitage, shaded by casuarina trees and alive with tropical fish. The marina is the departure point for boat trips to watch dolphins and, from about June to October, humpback whales, and for dives on the reefs outside the lagoon. Behind the town, the Ravine Saint-Gilles hides a chain of waterfalls and natural pools, and a winding road climbs to the Maïdo viewpoint, high above the cirque of Mafate. Saint-Gilles has the island’s widest choice of hotels, holiday rentals, restaurants and bars, a lively evening scene and spectacular sunsets over the Indian Ocean. It is also one of the driest places on Réunion, with sunshine for most of the year. Because of the shark risk, swimming is allowed only in the lagoon and in designated areas, so follow the lifeguards’ flags and signs. May to November is the most pleasant time to visit.
Right now in Saint-Gilles-les-Bains (Saint-Gilles)
- Wed 17–21°C 62–70°F 3 mm Rain
- Thu 17–22°C 62–71°F 7 mm Heavy rain
- Fri 17–21°C 63–71°F 8 mm Heavy showers
Weather: MET Norway (CC BY 4.0) · Sea temperature: NOAA CoastWatch
Top tours in Saint-Gilles-les-Bains
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Saint-Gilles-les-Bains at a glance
- Best months: May to November for dry, sunny weather and comfortable temperatures; June to October for whale watching. December to April is hot and humid, with a cyclone risk.
- Getting there: about 45 minutes to an hour by car from Roland Garros Airport near Saint-Denis, longer at rush hour; Car Jaune buses link Saint-Denis and the west coast.
- Where to stay: hotels and apartments around Saint-Gilles, Boucan Canot and L’Hermitage; guesthouses and villas in Saint-Gilles-les-Hauts.
- Time needed: three to five nights, or a week as a base for the west and the cirques.
- Costs (as of October 2026): a whale or dolphin boat trip costs about €45–70 (US$50–78); mid-range hotel doubles from about €110 (US$125) a night, plus the local tourist tax.
- Before you go: entry rules, money, the volcano and the cirques are covered in our Réunion travel guide.
Saint-Gilles-les-Bains’ areas and who each one suits
Saint-Gilles town and the marina
The town center, around the marina and the main street, has shops, cafés, restaurants, bars, dive centers and boat operators, and the beaches of Roches Noires and Les Brisants within walking distance. It is lively and convenient, especially for travelers without a car.
Boucan Canot
A small, upscale bay just north of town, with a beach of white sand below a promenade of restaurants and hotels. Its supervised swimming area is protected by a permanent shark net. It is popular for sunsets and swimming, and busy on weekends.
L’Hermitage and La Saline-les-Bains
South of town, L’Hermitage and La Saline-les-Bains line the island’s longest stretch of lagoon, with casuarina-shaded beaches, calm, shallow water and resort hotels, guesthouses and holiday rentals. They suit families and snorkelers, and are quieter in the evening, except for a few beach bars and clubs at L’Hermitage.
Saint-Gilles-les-Hauts
Up the hill, the “hauts” of Saint-Gilles are cooler and greener, with guesthouses, villas with views of the coast and the Villèle museum. You will need a car.
Top things to see in Saint-Gilles-les-Bains
The lagoon of L’Hermitage
The coral lagoon that stretches from Saint-Gilles to La Saline is the heart of Réunion’s national marine reserve. Protected by the reef, its shallow water is ideal for swimming, paddling and snorkeling among coral, parrotfish, butterflyfish and, sometimes, turtles. The water is shallow, often only waist-deep, so float rather than stand, and do not walk on the coral; reef shoes help. Swim only inside the lagoon, away from the reef passes, where currents can be strong. The beach is backed by casuarinas, with picnic areas and snack bars, and is crowded with families on Sundays.
Boucan Canot and Roches Noires beaches
According to the island’s tourism board, both beaches have had swimming areas equipped with permanent shark nets since 2019, watched by lifeguards and removed only in dangerous swell or cyclones. Boucan Canot is a pretty bay with fine sand and waves, while Roches Noires, next to the marina, has a white sand beach, a netted area and a natural sea pool. Both are among the few places on Réunion where you can swim in the open ocean; always stay inside the marked areas and follow the lifeguards’ flags.
Les Bassins: the waterfalls of the Ravine Saint-Gilles
Inland from the town, the Ravine Saint-Gilles drops through a series of waterfalls and pools: Bassin des Aigrettes, Bassin Bleu and Bassin des Cormorans, reached by short trails from the road or from the Saint-Gilles irrigation canal path. They are beautiful places for a dip, but the rocks are slippery, jumping can be dangerous, and flash floods can occur after heavy rain upstream; avoid them after rain, and cover cuts because of the risk of leptospirosis in fresh water.
Boat trips: dolphins and humpback whales
From the marina, boat operators run trips along the coast to see spinner and bottlenose dolphins, which live off the west coast all year, and, from about June to October, humpback whales, which come to Réunion’s waters to breed and give birth. Glass-bottom boats show the coral outside the lagoon. Choose licensed operators that follow the code of conduct for approaching marine mammals: keeping their distance, limiting time with the animals and never chasing them.
Musée de Villèle
In Saint-Gilles-les-Hauts, the Musée historique de Villèle occupies the former estate of Madame Desbassayns, a wealthy 19th-century plantation owner. The colonial house, the ruins of the sugar factory, the hospital for enslaved workers and the chapel tell the story of slavery and plantation life on Réunion. It is one of the island’s most important historical sites.
Jardin d’Eden
A botanical garden at L’Hermitage with tropical plants, medicinal and spice gardens, and sections on the plants of Réunion and their uses in Creole culture; a pleasant, shady visit.
Other things to do in Saint-Gilles-les-Bains
- Diving: dive clubs in the marina visit reefs, drop-offs and wrecks outside the lagoon, under the rules that apply to diving; check with the clubs for current conditions.
- Snorkeling: in the lagoon at L’Hermitage and La Saline, best at high tide on calm mornings.
- Paddleboarding and kayaking: in the lagoon, with transparent kayaks for viewing the coral.
- Aquarium: the Aquarium de La Réunion in the marina shows the fish of the island’s reefs and open ocean.
- Saint-Paul market: the seafront market in Saint-Paul on Friday and Saturday mornings sells fruit, vegetables, spices, samoussas and crafts.
- Paragliding: from Saint-Leu, 20 minutes south, tandem flights soar above the lagoon.
- Sunsets: Boucan Canot, Roches Noires and the L’Hermitage beach face west; on clear evenings, watch for the “green flash.”
- Nightlife: bars and beach clubs in Saint-Gilles and L’Hermitage, the island’s liveliest evening scene.
Food and drink
Saint-Gilles has the island’s best choice of restaurants, from beach snack bars and food trucks selling samoussas, bouchons and bonbons piment to seafood restaurants and French bistros. Try a carry of chicken, fish or octopus with rice, beans and rougail, or rougail saucisses; on Sundays, many Réunionnais picnic on the beach with carry cooked over wood fires. Drink a cold Dodo beer, a rhum arrangé infused with vanilla or fruit, or fresh juice. Supermarkets in town and at L’Hermitage stock everything for self-catering, and Saint-Paul’s market is the place for tropical fruit.
Day trips from Saint-Gilles-les-Bains
Maïdo and the rim of Mafate
About an hour’s drive up a winding road, the Maïdo viewpoint, at about 2,200 m (7,200 ft), looks straight down into the cirque of Mafate. Go at sunrise, before clouds rise; bring warm clothes. Trails lead along the rim and down into the cirque.
Saint-Leu and Kelonia
Twenty minutes south, Saint-Leu has a lagoon, a pretty town center, paragliding launches above the coast and Kelonia, a sea turtle observatory and care center.
Cilaos and the cirques
From the west coast, Cilaos is about two hours away by road, via Saint-Louis and the famous road with hundreds of bends. Salazie and Hell-Bourg are reached via Saint-André on the east coast. Both make long day trips; better, stay a night or two. See our Réunion travel guide.
Piton de la Fournaise
The volcano is about two hours away via the Plaine des Cafres and the Plaine des Sables. Leave early, as clouds often build by midday, and check the alert level and access rules before you go.
Nearby destinations
- Le Morne Brabant222 km
- Flic-en-Flac234 km
- Grand Baie267 km
Getting there and getting around
By air and road
Roland Garros Airport (RUN), near Saint-Denis on the north coast, has flights from Paris, Mauritius and other Indian Ocean islands. Saint-Gilles is about 45 minutes to an hour away by the coastal expressway, depending on traffic, which can be heavy at rush hour. Rental cars are available at the airport. Pierrefonds Airport (ZSE) in the south has a few regional flights and is about 50 minutes away.
Getting around
- By car: the easiest way to explore the west coast, the Bassins, Maïdo and the rest of the island. Driving is on the right; parking near the beaches fills up on weekends.
- By bus: the Car Jaune network and the Saint-Paul area’s local buses connect Saint-Gilles with Saint-Denis, Saint-Paul, L’Hermitage and Saint-Leu.
- On foot or by bicycle: a coastal path and roads link Saint-Gilles, Boucan Canot and L’Hermitage; cycling is easy on the flat coastal stretch.
- By taxi: available but expensive; ride-hailing apps are limited.
When to go and how long to stay
Saint-Gilles is on the leeward, western side of Réunion, sheltered from the trade winds by the mountains, and it is one of the driest and sunniest places on the island. The hot season, from about November to April, brings heat, humidity and most of the year’s rain, sometimes in tropical downpours, as well as the risk of tropical cyclones, mostly from January to March. The cool season, from about May to October, is dry and sunny, with warm days and pleasant evenings, and is the best time for whale watching and hiking.
The table shows Météo-France’s 1991–2020 normals for Pointe des Trois-Bassins, its coastal station about 6 km (4 miles) south of Saint-Gilles.
| Month | Average high | Average low | Rain | Rain days (≥1 mm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 32 °C (89 °F) | 25 °C (76 °F) | 109 mm (4.3 in) | 6.7 |
| Feb | 32 °C (89 °F) | 25 °C (76 °F) | 101 mm (4.0 in) | 6.9 |
| Mar | 31 °C (88 °F) | 24 °C (75 °F) | 84 mm (3.3 in) | 5.6 |
| Apr | 30 °C (87 °F) | 23 °C (74 °F) | 46 mm (1.8 in) | 3.4 |
| May | 28 °C (83 °F) | 21 °C (71 °F) | 22 mm (0.9 in) | 2.3 |
| Jun | 27 °C (80 °F) | 20 °C (67 °F) | 15 mm (0.6 in) | 1.4 |
| Jul | 26 °C (79 °F) | 19 °C (66 °F) | 8 mm (0.3 in) | 1.1 |
| Aug | 26 °C (79 °F) | 19 °C (66 °F) | 8 mm (0.3 in) | 1.1 |
| Sep | 27 °C (80 °F) | 19 °C (67 °F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) | 1 |
| Oct | 28 °C (82 °F) | 20 °C (69 °F) | 8 mm (0.3 in) | 1.3 |
| Nov | 29 °C (85 °F) | 22 °C (71 °F) | 18 mm (0.7 in) | 2.3 |
| Dec | 31 °C (88 °F) | 24 °C (74 °F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) | 4.3 |
| Year | 29 °C (84 °F) | 22 °C (71 °F) | 482 mm (19.0 in) | 37 |
From June to October, rain falls on only about one day a month. The sea ranges from about 22 °C (72 °F) in winter to 30 °C (86 °F) in summer, according to the tourism board.
Events worth planning around
- Whale season (about June to October): humpback whales off the west coast.
- French school holidays (July to August, Christmas, Easter): the busiest periods; book ahead.
- Grand Raid (October): the island’s famous ultra-trail race; accommodation fills up across the island.
- Fèt Kaf (December 20): the celebration of the abolition of slavery, with concerts and events, including in Saint-Paul.
- Sundays and public holidays: the beaches and picnic areas are packed with local families.
How long to stay: 3, 5 and 7 nights
- Three nights: the lagoon at L’Hermitage, a swim at Boucan Canot, a dolphin or whale trip and sunset on the beach.
- Five nights: add the Bassins waterfalls, the Villèle museum and sunrise at Maïdo.
- Seven nights: add day trips to the volcano and Saint-Leu, or move on to Cilaos or Salazie for a few nights.
Where to stay in Saint-Gilles-les-Bains
- Hotels in Saint-Gilles and Boucan Canot: from simple to boutique, close to the beaches and restaurants.
- Beach resorts at L’Hermitage and La Saline: on the lagoon, good for families.
- Holiday rentals and apartments: throughout the area, many with pools.
- Guesthouses (chambres d’hôtes): especially in Saint-Gilles-les-Hauts, with Creole breakfasts and dinners.
- Villas: with sea views in the hills, good for groups.
All accommodation adds the taxe de séjour (tourist tax) per adult per night, set by the local authority; children under 18 are exempt.
Typical costs in Saint-Gilles-les-Bains
| Item (as of October 2026) | Euros | About US dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Whale or dolphin boat trip | €45–70 | US$50–78 |
| Glass-bottom boat trip | €20–35 | US$22–39 |
| Single dive with equipment | €55–75 | US$62–84 |
| Transparent kayak or paddleboard rental, per hour | €15–25 | US$17–28 |
| Tandem paragliding flight from Saint-Leu | €90–150 | US$100–170 |
| Snack bar carry or sandwich | €7–12 | US$8–13 |
| Dinner main in a restaurant | €18–30 | US$20–34 |
| Guesthouse double with breakfast | €70–110 | US$78–125 |
| Mid-range hotel double | €110–200 | US$125–225 |
Prices are typical ranges, not official figures. Conversions use the European Central Bank’s rate of 5 October 2026, about US$1.12 per euro.
Safety in Saint-Gilles-les-Bains
- Sharks and swimming: swimming, water sports and diving are banned within 300 m of the coast except in the lagoon and designated, supervised areas, according to the island’s tourism board; swim inside the netted areas at Boucan Canot and Roches Noires, or in the lagoon, and follow the lifeguards.
- The lagoon: currents are strong at the reef passes; stay near the shore and away from the channels, and wear reef shoes against sea urchins and stonefish.
- Waves and swell: big southern swells can make the beaches dangerous and lead to closures; respect red flags.
- The Bassins: avoid them after rain because of flash floods, do not jump from the rocks, and cover cuts because of leptospirosis.
- Cyclones (November to April): follow Météo-France La Réunion’s alerts; under a red alert, stay indoors.
- Theft: do not leave valuables in cars or on the beach.
- Health: use repellent against dengue and chikungunya. The nearest hospital emergency department is in Saint-Paul.
- Emergencies: call 15 for medical emergencies, 17 for police, 18 for fire or 112 from any phone.
Practical tips for Saint-Gilles-les-Bains
- Arrive early on weekends: beach parking fills up by mid-morning on Saturdays and Sundays.
- Check the tides: snorkeling in the lagoon is best at high tide, when the water is deeper over the coral.
- Book whale trips early: in July and August, trips fill quickly.
- Respect the marine reserve: do not take shells, coral or fish, and do not feed fish.
- Sunday closures: many shops close on Sunday afternoon; supermarkets open on Sunday mornings.
What to pack for Saint-Gilles-les-Bains
Swimwear, a rash vest, water shoes, a mask and snorkel, reef-safe sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses, insect repellent, a warm layer for sunrise at Maïdo, hiking shoes for the Bassins and mountain trails, and a European plug adapter.
Saint-Gilles-les-Bains travel FAQ
Can you swim at Saint-Gilles-les-Bains?
Yes, in the lagoon at L’Hermitage and La Saline and in the netted, supervised swimming areas at Boucan Canot and Roches Noires. Elsewhere, swimming is banned within 300 m of the coast because of the shark risk.
Are there shark nets in Saint-Gilles?
Yes. According to the tourism board, the swimming areas at Boucan Canot and Roches Noires have had permanent shark nets since 2019, removed only in dangerous swell or cyclones.
What is the best beach in Saint-Gilles?
L’Hermitage for the lagoon and snorkeling, Boucan Canot for a pretty bay with netted ocean swimming, and Roches Noires for a central beach near the marina.
When can you see whales in Réunion?
From about June to October, when humpback whales come to the west coast; boat trips leave from Saint-Gilles marina.
How far is Saint-Gilles from the airport?
About 45 minutes to an hour by car from Roland Garros Airport near Saint-Denis, depending on traffic.
What is the weather like in Saint-Gilles?
Sunny and dry for most of the year. Highs are about 26 °C (79 °F) in winter and 32 °C (89 °F) in summer, and most rain falls from December to March.
Is Saint-Gilles a good base for exploring Réunion?
Yes, for the west coast, Maïdo and day trips to the volcano. Stay a few nights in a cirque as well.
Are the Bassins safe to swim in?
In dry weather, many people swim there, but the rocks are slippery, jumping is dangerous and flash floods can occur after rain. Avoid them after rain.
Is there nightlife in Saint-Gilles?
Yes. Saint-Gilles and L’Hermitage have bars and beach clubs, the liveliest evening scene on the island.
Do I need a car in Saint-Gilles?
Not for the beaches, which are linked by buses and coastal paths, but a car is best for Maïdo, the volcano and the cirques.
Sources and last review
Researched and last reviewed on 5 October 2026. Climate: Météo-France’s 1991–2020 normals for Pointe des Trois-Bassins; cyclone alerts: Météo-France La Réunion; the 300 m swimming ban, the netted areas at Boucan Canot and Roches Noires since 2019 and sea temperatures: Île de la Réunion Tourisme, the official tourism board; the euro–dollar rate: the European Central Bank; coordinates: Wikidata. The prefectoral swimming order (not readable from here), descriptions of the beaches, the Bassins, Villèle, boat trips, whale seasons, events, travel times, emergency numbers and all prices are general references or estimates and should be checked locally. For entry rules, the volcano and the cirques, see our Réunion travel guide.
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