Saint-Gilles, human settlement in France

Saint-Gilles is a seaside resort on the west coast of Réunion, in the commune of Saint-Paul. It lies south of the Baie de Saint-Paul, where the island's most frequented beaches are found. The built area follows the shore in a narrow band and climbs the lower slopes behind it, with small, densely packed pale buildings and scattered darker roofs. Near the centre-right, a small rectangular harbour basin is enclosed by a straight breakwater.

In 1907 the settlement burned down completely. The coastal area later became the island's main seaside resort, with the Roches Noires beach and the marina at its centre; the marina received the Blue Flag in 2006 and 2007. The Garden of Eden and the open-air Téat Plein Air date from this resort period.

The Roches Noires beach adjoins the marina, where the Réunion aquarium sits at the centre; the marina is managed by the Réunion chamber of commerce and industry. Surfing at Roches Noires is banned by prefectural decree following the shark crisis. North of the town, Boucan Canot beach has a natural pool in black lava rock that shelters bathers from the swell.

The black sand beaches come from lava sourced from nearby volcanic activity, giving the shoreline a distinctive appearance. This volcanic character sets the beaches apart visually from typical tropical coastlines elsewhere.