SAINT GILLES LES BAINS, Waterfront, Maison BALEINES by the Sea, 4 ****

BALEINES House

: The “Les Baleines” beach house is located in a tropical garden right on the beach. It is a two-story house measuring 97 m² with a large 30 m² terrace on the first floor and another 30 m² terrace upstairs. On the first floor, a 20 m² double bedroom with an en suite bathroom, a separate toilet, an open-concept kitchen, and a living room with a sea view allow you to enjoy life fully oriented toward the lagoon. Upstairs, there is a bedroom for two people—with either one double bed or two single beds—featuring a large private terrace with a sea view and a large sun lounger, which is also ideal for stargazing at night to admire the Milky Way, which is beautifully clear in Réunion. A large ground-floor terrace with a dining area and outdoor living space lets you enjoy lunch or dinner with a sea view while grilling fresh fish on the gas plancha. This house can be rented for 2 people but only on a last-minute basis. Feel free to ask us—we’ll send you a quote. It’s a simple yet very comfortable home—just the kind we love for a seaside vacation in the authentic Grand-Fond neighborhood of Saint Gilles les Bains.

Close your eyes and imagine: the sun is setting, you’ve made a ti punch or bought a ready-made one at the local supermarket—ice cubes included—this is what a real vacation feels like! Nothing stands between you and the sea....

RIGHT ON THE WATER: the beach is 30 m away, just beyond the gate, and the sea is 50 m from the terrace
The “Maison Baleine” is nearby, along with two other houses we also rent—one for 2 people and one for 5—allowing large families who want to vacation together to enjoy complete privacy (parking, garden). They’re completely independent and private; only a small shared gate provides access to the ocean.

The villa is in a very quiet neighborhood with direct access to the wild Grand Fond lagoon.

EVERY ROOM IN THE HOUSE HAS A VIEW OF THE INDIAN OCEAN

We’ve done everything necessary to ensure that all living areas have a view of the Indian Ocean and the wild Grand Fond lagoon. The lagoon isn’t very deep, but it’s teeming with small, colorful fish and coral; you can admire them as soon as you enter the water with a mask and snorkel—you’ll need lagoon shoes or fins. For a safe dip with children, there are also the “small sandy coves” at Z’Aigrettes Beach, a 3-minute walk along the beach, Finally, we’ll provide you with all the details about the island’s safe beaches, all of which are between 3 and 10 minutes by car from the house.

Now let’s talk about the practical details: For breakfast, with a traditional coffee maker or Nespresso machine, there’s everything you need to live completely independently (laundry facilities and a fully equipped kitchen in each house). Air-conditioned, cool, and refreshing atmosphere in the bedrooms with private bathrooms; additional fans in the common areas; a sun lounger that can be placed either in the warm sun or in partial shade; and a lush front garden that you’ll walk through after parking your car in the private parking lot assigned to your house.
Our house is perfect for a relaxed beachfront vacation with all the modern comforts.

A TRADITIONAL HOME WITH ALL MODERN COMFORTS

We built this house in 2013 using traditional Réunion craftsmanship, with lava stone walls, thatched roofs, and ventilation designed to maximize airflow from the natural trade winds. The floor plan is simple, and every room offers unobstructed views of the Indian Ocean.

DAILY AMENITIES WITHIN A 3-MINUTE WALK

You can start your day by taking a short walk (3 minutes) to pick up the famous geranium-flavored brioche from Casta Bakery—it’s excellent—along with the day’s newspaper or national publications at the small tobacco shop.

If you’re not much of a morning person, you can still do your shopping in the same neighborhood starting at 8:30 a.m. and buy your fish for lunch; the small grocery store has a wide selection; otherwise, you can also pick it up at the Saint-Gilles harbor, which receives fresh catches daily from deep-sea fishing boats and offers a catering service: the famous fish tartare with honey and ginger, tuna rillettes with saffron… All of this is fresh daily, and while you’re there, a produce vendor in downtown Saint-Gilles will offer you a fresh selection of exotic fruits