Saint Giles, also known as Giles the Hermit, was a hermit or monk active in the lower Rhône most likely in the 7th century. Revered as a saint, his cult became widely diffused but his hagiography is mostly legendary. A town that bears his name grew up around the monastery he purportedly founded, which became a pilgrimage centre and a stop on the Way of Saint James. He is traditionally one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers.
Detail of Saint Giles and the Hind, by the Master of Saint Giles c. 1500
Saint-Gilles or Saint-Gilles-du-Gard is a commune in the Gard department in southern France.
West portal of the abbey church