Saint Gilles Croix de Vie is a small city on the Atlantic coast, in the Vendee department in the Pays de la Loire region in France. The city was formed in 1967 by merging two smaller communities on the sides of the Vie river, Saint-Gilles-sur-Vie and Croix-de-Vie. The city is an important fishing harbour and a tourist magnet, due to its picturesque setting along the coast and its attractive old town. In summer Saint Gilles Croix de Vie fills up with tourists.