Located on the Vendée coast of France, Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie is a charming seaside where visitors can enjoy a wide range of activities. Whether you’re a foodie, love to surf, or just simply want to take in the picturesque surroundings, whatever you’re looking for, you’ll find it here.

A popular destination with many holidaymakers, the town has taken action and implemented several initiatives to preserve its welcoming charm and become more sustainable.

Site Remarquable du Goût

Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie is one of the largest fishing ports in France with over 2,000 tonnes of sardines caught every year and in 1998, they were awarded the Site Remarquable du Goût for their sardines. Today, they remain the only fishing port in France to have been awarded this label.

At the end of August each year, the village des saveurs & traditions is organised with the association of sites remarquables du goût, allowing people to discover local products from the area – including the famous sardines.

Saint-Gilles in Bloom

In addition to fishing, this picturesque seaside town has also won various awards in the national Villes et Villages Fleuris competition since 1997. This award recognizes the daily work carried out by municipal gardeners to maintain their green spaces. This is just one of the steps taken by the municipality to provide a welcoming environment for both residents and tourists. The council is continually taking steps to provide innovative solutions for the municipality and its public spaces.

Pesticide-Free Land

In 2018, Saint-Gilles was awarded the terre saine communes sans pesticides, by implementing a ban on the use of pesticides in green spaces over the course of several years.

The objectives of this award included:

• Raising awareness about public health issues
• Preserving biodiversity
• Recognising the work of elected officials

This label reinforces Saint-Gilles commitment to improving the quality of their public spaces as well as their commitment to sustainability.

On-the-go Recycling

The installation of our Bigbelly bins along this beautiful Vendée coast is helping contribute to the beautification of its urban spaces as the fully enclosed hopper will prevent wind-blown and over-flowing litter around the streets and marina. To further enhance the towns commitment to sustainability, Saint Gilles has also introduced a fleet of recycling stations, providing on-the-go recycling to the public. By segregating waste directly at the point of disposal, contamination levels are reduced and recycling rates are boosted.

By keeping waste out of site, tourists and locals are sure to encounter a pleasant and welcoming coastline and streetscape.

From sandy beaches to weekly markets and fishing, this charming town on the Vendée coast offers something for everyone. It is great to see this French commune take such measures to preserve its natural beauty and all it has to offer in order to be more sustainable, and we are proud to be one part of their innovative choices.

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