Boulangerie Reine des Îles (Saint-Gilles)

Boulangerie Reine des Îles is a bakery and café on Rue du Général de Gaulle in Saint-Gilles-les-Bains, on the west coast of Réunion. It opens daily from 05:30 to 13:00, which makes it one of the earliest food stops in the resort town, and it is described as the best breakfast stop in Saint-Gilles. Prices are low, at about €1–€6 per item. The cuisine combines French bakery tradition with Creole pastries. Signature items include the tourment d'amour, a coconut-and-jam tartlet that is a common sight in Réunion bakeries; croissants au beurre; the pain brioché; and gâteau coco, a coconut cake. The bakery also works as a place to pick up sandwiches and baguettes for beach lunches, and the early opening suits surfers, divers and hikers who need to leave before the heat. The shop is compact and busy in the morning, with a steady queue of residents collecting bread, and the atmosphere is quick and practical rather than leisurely. Dress is whatever suits the beach. No reservations are taken and there is no table service in the formal sense. Drinks include coffee, hot chocolate and fruit juices. Visitors staying in apartments and villas around Saint-Gilles and nearby Boucan Canot often make it a daily stop. Because it closes at 13:00, it cannot be used for an afternoon snack, and the best selection of pastries is available in the first hours after opening. The bakery lies a short walk from the Saint-Gilles seafront and the harbour area, from which snorkelling and whale-watching trips depart in season.