"Sant Lluís" Sant Lluís by ranger49

The windmill is now an iconic feature of this pretty little white town; it was built in 1752 - before the French began their brief period of Occupation of the Island and built the town in 1761 - only a year before the British resumed control after the Treaty of Paris.

Laid out in classical grid-style, interspersed by squares the town was originally intended to house the occupying French troops.
The British housed their troops in the Barrack built at Es Castell then known as Georgetown after the King .
Today the proximity of the town to the Capital, Maó, means that it is a popular commuting town, and a holiday destination with some evidence of a small ex-pat British community of second home owners or permanent residences.

The old town has plenty of small shops for everyday essentials and larger shops and businees can be found in the newer deveopments around the perimeter.Perhaps because of the Island's status as a Biosphere Reserve planning restrictions have prevented the kind of over development that could have completely destroyed a little gem like St Llouís.

It is a hard climb to the top and you ahve to crane your neck a bit but there are some good views over the town from the top of the windmill. We could hear the voices of children in the play ground of the nearby school and an occasional car or motorbike. All else was silence not even a wind.
And certainly not like the fierce Tramuntana that blew and blew in a fierce storm on the 12 th January 1949 and destroyed the sails of the windmill, by then 187 years old.
But more of that to come in a Tip....

This is the street leading down from the windmill back to the carpark.
It is typical of town where even the main street, on which the Town Hall, Parish Church and the shops are situated, had a quiet and laid back atmosphere on the early afternoon of our visit.

• Pros:An historical, unspoillt village close to a beach.
• Cons:None as far as we could see
• In a nutshell:Well worth a visit with plenty to fill full half day.