Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie
Saint Gilles Croix de Life, afishing port which was once famous for its sardines, is now one of the main centres of the Vendée coast. Despite its success, it has managed to keep its soul, the soul of a warm and welcoming town, where a real gentle way of life prevails all year round. The fine sandy beaches, the old districts, the five weekly markets, the charming villas, the casino, the fishing ports and Marinas in the heart of the city… everything contributes to affirming the authentic and picturesque character of the city.
Saint Gilles is also theplace where you can take the boat to the beautiful Ieu Island ...
A bit of history…
The area of Saint-Gilles was first occupied by the Romans during Julius Caesar's conquest of Gaul. However, traces of Saint-Gilles' existence were only found in the 13th century. Over the following centuries, the population that settled at the mouth of the Vie river would experience significant expansion, particularly thanks to thriving commercial activity (salt and wheat) and a port. At the end of the 16th and the beginning of the 17th century, Croix de Vie emerged, becoming a parish in 1690.
The Vendée troubles of 1793 had little effect on the region. On the other hand, the second uprising of 1815 led to clashes between the Giras (republicans) and the Croix de Viots (loyal to the crown). Louis de la Rochejacquelin, Henri’s brother, disembarked at Croix de Vie and fell during the Battle of Les Mattes. In addition to this ideological division between the two places, there is also a natural division, namely the river « La Vie ».
Although connected by a «ford» and boats that facilitated rare exchanges between the two municipalities, a bridge was not built until 1836. The first transactions between the two municipalities took place in 1838, but it was not until 1967 that the two banks of the Vie merged to form Saint Gilles Croix de Vie.
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