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Les Cabines Creperie
For an elevated experience for enjoying traditional crepes and galettes with a spectacular oceanside view, look no further than Les Cabines Creperie. They are located just past the blue “cabines” on the remblais at La Grand Plage and is our favorite creperie in town. They have both indoor and outdoor dining, but when the weather is nice, sitting outside on the terrace with a view of the ocean cannot be beat! What I love most about Les Cabines are their inventive crepes and galettes! The fillings are always fantastic gourmet combinations and the galettes are served with a beautiful tossed green salad and depending upon the galette you order, a…
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A Visit to Île de Ré
Île de Ré is a beautiful island off the west coast of France known for its cobblestone streets, beautiful bike paths, and pristine beaches. It’s a pleasant 2-hour drive from Maison Coli and would make for a lovely weekend visit before or after your stay in Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie. Getting There: Île de Ré is an island connected by a bridge. So getting there by car is easy. Once you cross the bridge the landscape changes to wide open spaces with beautifully wild scenery You may even see a donkey or two! Donkeys are the island mascot because of the soap that is made from their milk. You’ll see many shops carrying…
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Bistrot Gautté
Bistrot Gautté is a charming little bistro with exceptional food, in the heart of Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie. It’s located right off the bridge that crosses La Vie River and faces the market square on Saint-Gilles market days. It is a wonderful place for lunch or dinner, and the best way to experience their seasonal menus is to order one of their prix-fixed menus. This includes an appetizer, the main plate, and one of their beautiful desserts. The Appetizers: One of their signature appetizers is a seafood platter for two. It includes a delicious assortment of little seafood nibbles, from seafood rillettes, house-smoked salmon with a delicious chive cream sauce, and accras, a…
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La Grande Plage
La Grande Plage of Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie is the most popular beach in town. It’s a 3 kilometer stretch of coastline that is known for its bustling “Remblais” a pedestrian boardwalk that stretches along the beach and is filled with restaurants, cafes, and lots of terraces with ocean views. Les Marées This part of Frane is known for its dramatic tides or “marées” and La Grande Plage is a great beach to see these extreme tides on display. Marée Basse During low tide or Marée Basse, the beach stretches out as far as the eye can see, making it a seaside paradise for kids. The water is traditionally warm in the summer,…
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Le Banc des Sardines
Le Banc des Sardines is a charming little food truck in the parking lot of the Port of Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie. It serves up fresh, local sardines grilled to perfection! How to Find It? Le Banc des Sardines is a bit off the beaten path which is why it’s mostly frequented by the locals who know where to find it! It’s accessible across the train tracks, via a parking lot reserved mostly for the fisherman. There are a few public spaces available to customers that don’t require a card to get in. How Le Banc des Sardines Started Le Banc des Sardines was started by Serge Doux, a fisherman who comes from…
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Entry
When you arrive at Maison Coli, you’ll enter through a small entryway that leads to the open kitchen and great room beyond. It’s a charming entryway that is also quite functional too! The Entry Chest Inside the chest is a book of brochures and pamphlets of fun things to do in the area. From Chateaux to visit to water parks for the kids, historic sites, and many other outdoor activities! As well as maps for biking and getting around. Please feel free to add your own brochures of places you’ve found that you think others would enjoy! The Bench and Baskets The baskets in the entry are for you…
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The Markets
Saint-Gilles-Croix-De-Vie was once two towns Sant Gilles and Croix de Vie, separated by La Vie river. In 1967 the two towns united to form one, and became known as Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie. Today they are connected by a bridge that connects the towns across the river. Evidence of the “two towns” still remains and can be seen in the “two churches” and the “two markets”, that Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie maintains. Market Days Markets days are plentiful in the summer and occur several times during the week on the Saint Gilles side and on the Croix de Vie side. For the most part, it’s the same sellers at each market, but each market has…
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Boisvinet Beach
The smaller beach in Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie is the Boisvinet Beach. It is located North of Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie, along the Corniche. It’s a charming local beach that is popular with families because the surf is mild and lifeguards are on duty. The Sailing + Surf School There is a surf and sailing school on Boisvinet Beach called Semvie Nautisime it offers classes in surf, sailing, windsurfing, and more for both kids and adults. The Swiming Basin A nice feature of the Boisvinet beach is the swimming basin. At low tide, the basin is revealed and is a nice place for kids and adults to swim in calmer waters without bumping into any boats…
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Logis de la Chabotterie
Less than an hour from Maison Coli, is the marvelous Logis de la Chabotterie; a rustic-style Chateau from the late 18th century, complete with period rooms and formal French gardens. The War of Vendée The Logis de la Chabotterie is located in the Vendée region, south of the Loire in Western France. The War of Vendée involved the “counter-revolutionaries” who were on the side of the King during the French Revolution. This is a very interesting time period that is brought to life via an interactive exhibit as the Logis which illustrates the historical events leading up to the war and its eventual conclusion which coincided with the capture…
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Pilours Restaurant
For a beautiful dinner with a seaside view, you can’t go wrong with Pilours Restaurant. It sits up high on a cliff overlooking the water’s edge and is a wonderful scenic restaurant for a special dinner or lunch. It’s located one town over, in Saint-Hilaire-de-Riez, but close enough to Saint-Gilles-Croix de Vie that you could walk for an invigorating stroll after dinner. A Spectacular View Pilours is also a great place to go for a drink as well. They have a lively pre-dinner scene out on their terrace with comfy low-slung chairs for relaxing and enjoying the view. In the summer months, you can often catch live music playing out…
