Lorient is a village quarter, more local and less touristy than Saint Jean, five minutes away by car.
The reef shelters the bay: the water is calm at one end and good for snorkeling, while the other takes the swell and works as a surf break, with competitions and a surf shop on site.
There is a bakery, two small grocery stores and somewhere to have lunch without booking.
Two things to know: there are no public restrooms, and the beach shrinks a great deal at high tide.
Villas here often offer better value than Saint Jean without giving up the location, a few of them at the water's edge.
A villa rental in Lorient suits guests who want to live the island rather than visit it.
