Eat · L'Hermitage lagoon
L'Hermitage beach kiosk
A beach kiosk or paillote for a fish plate, salad or samoussas on the sand between swims; eat by 14:00, before the afternoon storm in summer.
- Fish plate on the sand
- Salads and samoussas
- Eat by 14:00
- Order: Grilled fish or a salad on the sand
- Table seating
- Walk-in window: 11:30–13:30
- Queue risk: after 15:00
- Vegetarian options
Highlights come from Voykit's own data and desk notes, not from reviews. Hover a tag to see its source.
Rules in force · 12Nine African countries on this site have no trip line bec…Swim only inside the lagoon or in supervised zones and ob…Sand, kerbs and heat
- Africa ↗When a route touches a yellow-fever country — even a transit of 12 hours or more — keep the original yellow card (ICVP) in your hand luggage; health desks and airlines can refuse boarding or entry without it.
- Africa ↗Nine African countries on this site have no trip line because governments advise against travel; several others have no-go regions. Read your government's advice for every country on the route before paying deposits.
- African islands ↗Sleep on the island you fly home from the night before your long-haul departure; inter-island flights and ferries in this region are cancelled or rescheduled often enough to break a same-day connection.
- African islands ↗In the Indian Ocean islands book flexible rates for December to March: a cyclone warning can shut airports, ferries and roads for two or three days.
- Réunion ↗Réunion is French and in the EU but outside the Schengen area: a Schengen visa does not automatically cover it. Check the French government's entry rules for Réunion for your passport.
- Réunion ↗Swimming and surfing are restricted on much of the coast because of shark risk; swim only in the lagoon and supervised zones.
- Réunion ↗Access to Piton de la Fournaise closes during eruptions and alerts; check the prefecture's current status before you go.
- West coast ↗Swim only in the lagoon and supervised zones; shark-risk bans are enforced along the coast.
- Saint-Gilles ↗Swim only inside the lagoon or in supervised zones and obey the flags and local bans: shark risk restricts swimming and surfing on most of the coast.
- Saint-Gilles ↗Sand, kerbs and heat: large suitcases go from the car to the door, never on a walk.
- Saint-Gilles ↗A hire car is how most visitors reach anything beyond the coast strip: book it before you fly and confirm the desk stays open for your flight. Public buses exist but timetables are not assumed here.
- Saint-Gilles ↗Cyclone season runs roughly December to March: alerts can close roads, trails and flights; follow the prefecture and Météo-France.
More
Map & directions
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Plan
Open now, when you can walk in, what to order
Go now?
Open?
Usually 10:00–17:00Usually 10:00 AM–5:00 PM
Typical hours: check on the day.
Busy this hour
Estimate by hour below
Easiest walk-in
11:30–13:30
Reservations
Walk-in, no reservation
Paying
Cards taken
Per person
€12–25 (≈ US$14–30)2026 estimate · check
Walk-in windows
Tip
Format
A walk-in lunch is only planned as primary when your arrival lands outside the “impossible” window.
Your first order
- Grilled fish of the day with ricePoisson du jour, rizAsk what it is; eat it hot.€15–25≈ US$18–30
Menus and prices change; the board on the day wins.
Not checked in the last 12 months (no check date on file).
On the ground
How to order, tip and pay, allergies, and booking
How to order
- Choose a table in the shade and wave for the server.
- Ask for the plat du jour and the fish of the day.
Tipping
Rounding up is enough: far less than the 15–20% you would leave in the US.
Allergies and diets
- YesVegetarian · Salads, fries and vegetable samoussas; ask about stock. · say: “Je suis végétarien.”
- AskVegan · Salads and fruit; check dressing and oil (check).
- AskHalal · Grilled fish and chicken; no certification is assumed (check). · say: “Pas de porc, s'il vous plaît.”
- AskGluten-free · Grilled fish, rice and salads are easy; samoussas and bread contain wheat.
- AskNut allergy · Ask about desserts and sauces.
- Not on fileAllergy · Show a written card. · say: “J'ai une allergie à ___.”
Paying
Cards taken
- Pay at the counter or when the bill comes.
- Service is included; leave €1–3 for good service.
- Cards work at most; keep €10 in small notes.
Booking
- Booking
- Walk-in, no reservation
- Reservations
- Not taken
- Note
- Walk-in; a call ahead for 6+ (confirm locally).
Not checked in the last 12 months (no check date on file).
Map and nearby
Where this place is, how to get there, and what is around it
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Nearby places
Eat nearby
More detail
Everything else we know about this place
How to order here, in full
How to order here
The order of play at the counter or table, what to say, how much to order and how to pay.
- 1Choose a table in the shade and wave for the server.
- 2Ask for the plat du jour and the fish of the day.
No shared language? Tap dishes in the order builder below and show the waiter the full-screen list in the local script. For a printed menu, translate a photo of it.
What to say
| In English | Say or show | Sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| Good evening | Bonsoir | bon-swahr |
| The bill, please | L'addition, s'il vous plaît | la-dee-syon seel voo pleh |
| Not too spicy | Pas trop piquant | pah troh pee-kahn |
| I would like a cari with rice | Je voudrais un cari avec du riz | zhuh voo-dray uhn ka-ree ah-vek doo ree |
| How much is it? | Combien ça coûte ? | kom-byen sah koot |
| Hello | Bonjour | bon-zhoor |
| Goodbye | Au revoir | oh ruh-vwahr |
Extras, condiments and what costs extra
- Ask for less chilli if you want it mild.
- Sunbeds: Some kiosks rent them for €10–20 (≈ US$12–25) — Ask before you sit on one.
- Ask for less chilli (pas trop piquant) the first time; the relish on the side is the heat.
Paying and tipping
Rounding up is enough: far less than the 15–20% you would leave in the US.
- Pay at the counter or when the bill comes.
- Service is included; leave €1–3 (≈ US$2–4) for good service.
- Cards work at most; keep €10 (≈ US$12) in small notes.
- Tipping: Service is included in French prices. Rounding up or leaving €1–3 (≈ US$2–4) for good service is common; 5–10% in a nicer restaurant is generous.
At the table
- Lunch is 12:00–14:00 and dinner from about 19:00; kitchens close early, so arrive by 20:30. The bill is not brought until you ask (l'addition, s'il vous plaît).Lunch is 12:00 PM–2:00 PM and dinner from about 7:00 PM; kitchens close early, so arrive by 8:30 PM. The bill is not brought until you ask (l'addition, s'il vous plaît).
- Lunch is the main meal: kitchens serve about 12:00–14:00 and many small places close between lunch and dinner. Dinner starts about 19:00 and the last order is often 21:00 or 21:30.Lunch is the main meal: kitchens serve about 12:00 PM–2:00 PM and many small places close between lunch and dinner. Dinner starts about 7:00 PM and the last order is often 9:00 PM or 9:30 PM.
- Look for the dish of the day (plat du jour) written on a board and a short menu; a menu with every dish under the sun is a tourist kitchen.
- Service is included in the price. Round up a euro or two for good service.
Price and paying
- Typical spend
- €12–25 (≈ US$14–30) per person
Paying, diet and allergies
Paying
Always accepted; keep small notes for parking and tips.
Visa and Mastercard work at nearly all sit-down places; a minimum of a few euro may apply at small counters.
Not a thing in France.
Apple Pay and Google Pay work with contactless terminals (check).
Diet and allergies
Yes means there is something for you; ask means possible with care; no means go elsewhere.
- Vegetarianyes
Salads, fries and vegetable samoussas; ask about stock.
Show: Je suis végétarien.
- Veganask
Salads and fruit; check dressing and oil (check).
- Halalask
Grilled fish and chicken; no certification is assumed (check).
Show: Pas de porc, s'il vous plaît.
- Gluten-freeask
Grilled fish, rice and salads are easy; samoussas and bread contain wheat.
- Nut allergyask
Ask about desserts and sauces.
- Allergynot on file
Show a written card.
Show: J'ai une allergie à ___.
What is in the dishes
- Grilled fish of the day with ricePoisson du jour, rizfish
- Ice cream or sorbetGlace, sorbetdairy
Read from the menu names and notes; recipes vary and cross-contact is not tested. Check with the kitchen.
Who it suits, booking and the kitchen
Who it suits, booking, closures
- How to book
- Walk in; call ahead for large groups.
- How far ahead
- Not needed on weekdays; a day ahead for weekends in season.
- No-show / cancel fee
- Not applicable
- Dress code
- Beachwear is fine; put a shirt on and wear sandals.
| When | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|
| One weekday and bad weather | check before you go | Kiosks close on a wet day or a cyclone alert. |
| After 17:00After 5:00 PM | check before you go | Many close in the late afternoon. |
Show the kitchen
Tap a need to get a large screen you can hold up to staff. The wording is the guide’s; a helper who reads the language should confirm it if your allergy is serious.
Hour by hour, with queue times
Quietest listed hour: 10:00 (quiet).
- 10:00quietlittle or no wait
- 11:00lightlittle or no wait
- 12:00heavyexpect a lineLunch rush
- 13:00heavyexpect a line
- 14:00busya short wait is possible
- 15:00lightlittle or no wait
- 16:00quietlittle or no wait
Desk estimate for a dry-season weekday; weekends and holidays run higher. Not live data. No line length is on file, so waits are in words.
Comfort, facts and cons
Hygiene and comfort
- Restrooms
- Restroom on site · accessible restroom: check
- Seating
- Chairs at tables
- Kids
- kids' menu: sometimes · stroller: caution · Fries and grilled fish; take a sun hat and a wet towel
- Access
- step-free: partial · Tables near the paved path are easiest; sand tables are heavy for wheels
Hygiene
- Choose a kiosk with a busy lunch and hot food; skip anything lukewarm.
- Keep sunscreen off your hands before you eat.
- Bottled water is safest at a beach kiosk.
Facts
- Reservations
- Not taken — Walk-in; a call ahead for 6+ (confirm locally).
- Capabilities
- food · seated_rest · toilet
- Getting there
- L'Hermitage beach, back-beach path · ~3 min walk
Cons
- Weekend and holiday crowds; long waits at 12:30.Weekend and holiday crowds; long waits at 12:30 PM.
- Prices are higher than the snacks and bakeries.
- Kiosks close by late afternoon or on a wet day.
Dish glossary
| On the menu | What it is | Order it how |
|---|---|---|
| Paillote | A beach hut or thatched-roof kiosk. | A beach lunch. |
| Poisson du jour | The fish of the day. | Ask what it is and the price. |
| Salade de palmiste | A heart of palm salad. | A light starter. |
Price check
- locals pay
- A plat du jour is €12–18 (≈ US$14–25); a salad €10–14 (≈ US$12–17).
- tourist price
- Front-row beach tables charge €3–8 (≈ US$4–10) more for the same plate.
- rule
- Service is included; leave €1–3 (≈ US$2–4) for good service.
| Extra on the table | Typical charge | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Sunbeds | Some kiosks rent them for €10–20 (≈ US$12–25) | Ask before you sit on one. |
Deep dive
Questions, alternatives, and where our facts come from
Questions and answers
Questions and answers
Which kiosk should I choose?
One with shade, a busy lunch and a short menu; confirm locally because kiosks change.
Checked 2026-09-29 · Voykit desk
Is there a toilet?
Beach toilets near the lifeguard post and at the kiosks.
Checked 2026-09-29 · Voykit desk
Is there food at L'Hermitage beach?
Yes, beach kiosks and hotel bars serve fish, salads, samoussas and drinks. Hours vary; check on the day.
How much is lunch?
About €12–25 (≈ US$14–30) per person (2026 estimate).
When should I eat?
11:30–13:30, before the afternoon storm in summer.11:30 AM–1:30 PM, before the afternoon storm in summer.
Do they take cards?
Most do; keep small notes for snacks.
Can I bring my own picnic?
Yes, on the back-beach picnic area; take rubbish with you.
If it is closed or full
Nearby alternatives
If it is closed or the line is too long
All places to eat in Saint-Gilles, with filters →
Used as a seated rest node in Saint-Gilles in 4 days.
Sources
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Source: Price per person
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
Prices are 2026 estimates from the menu or the price line on file. Check on the day.
Source: Opening hours
Source: Best time
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
No official source is recorded for this figure.
The easiest walk-in window or the quietest hour in this guide. Crowd levels are desk estimates, not counts.