La Rochelle
An elegant white-stone port on the Atlantic coast with three towers guarding its old harbour and arcaded streets; cross the bridge to the Île de Ré to cycle past salt marshes and lighthouses, or head south by boat to see Fort Boyard and visit the naval town of Rochefort.
La Rochelle is the prefecture of the Charente-Maritime department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region on France's Atlantic coast. Since the Middle Ages it has been an important trading port and Protestant stronghold, and it was a departure point for early settlers bound for Canada and Louisiana. The old town is known for its white limestone arcaded streets and the three towers of the Old Port, all easily explored on foot: the Saint-Nicolas Tower, the Chain Tower and the Lantern Tower guard the harbour; behind the Grosse Horloge gate lie the arcaded old streets, the town hall and the covered market; and south of the harbour is the Aquarium La Rochelle, one of the most popular in France. With La Rochelle as your base, cross the toll bridge to the Île de Ré to cycle around the World Heritage Vauban fortifications of Saint-Martin-de-Ré, the Phare des Baleines lighthouse and the salt marshes. To the south, take a boat to see Fort Boyard and land on the car-free Île d'Aix, visit the historic naval town of Rochefort (the Hermione, the Corderie Royale and the transporter bridge), and explore the Brouage citadel and the Île d'Oléron with its castle, colourful oyster huts and the Chassiron lighthouse. Getting there: the TGV from Paris Montparnasse takes about 3 hours, and La Rochelle Airport has European flights. Bike-share and water buses make getting around town easy; for the islands and surrounding area, rent a car or cycle. Jun–Sep is the liveliest time, with the Francofolies music festival in July — book hotels early; winters are windy but quiet. Plan on 3–4 days.
Top sights
- Vieux-Port of La Rochelle – The old harbor, guarded by two medieval towers and ringed by stone quays, sailboats and seafood restaurants, is the very soul of La Rochell…
- Aquarium La Rochelle – One of France's largest private aquariums, showcasing Atlantic, Mediterranean and tropical marine life. The shark tunnel and jellyfish hall…
- Saint-Martin-de-Ré & Vauban Fortifications – The capital of Île de Ré, where the star-shaped Vauban ramparts are a World Heritage Site. Harbor cottages, whitewashed walls with blue shu…
- Tour Saint-Nicolas – A 14th-century defensive tower on the east side of the Old Port entrance, with a maze-like interior of stairs and rooms, and a climb to the…
- Tour de la Chaîne – A round tower on the west side of the Old Port entrance. In medieval times an iron chain was strung between the two towers at night to clos…
- Tour de la Lanterne – One of the oldest surviving lighthouses on France's Atlantic coast, with a Gothic spire. Graffiti of ships and inscriptions carved by priso…
- Porte de la Grosse Horloge – A medieval city gate with a clock tower linking the Old Port and the old town. The clock face and dome, added in the 18th century, are the…
- Rue du Palais & Arcades – The main street of La Rochelle's old town, lined with stone arcades and Renaissance and classical mansions, ideal for leisurely strolling a…
- Hôtel de Ville de La Rochelle – A town hall built between the 15th and 17th centuries in the Gothic and Renaissance styles, with an elegant courtyard concealed behind batt…
- Musée Maritime de La Rochelle – A 'floating museum' moored in the harbour, where visitors can board the weather ship France 1, along with tugboats and fishing vessels.
- Natural History Museum of La Rochelle – One of the oldest natural history museums in France, famous for its taxidermied giraffe 'Zarafa', the first giraffe to arrive in France, an…
- Musée du Nouveau Monde – Housed in an 18th-century ship owner's mansion, this museum tells the story of La Rochelle's trade with the Americas and the Caribbean, inc…
- Port des Minimes – One of the largest yachting harbours on Europe's Atlantic coast, with thousands of masts rising over the water, a beach, a university and a…
- Marché Central – An indoor market beneath a 19th-century iron-framed roof, where you can buy oysters, seafood, cheese and Pineau des Charentes, and eat oyst…
- Plage de la Concurrence & Mail – A city beach close to the old town, backed by a wide grassy promenade called the Mail. It can be reached on foot from the Lantern Tower alo…
- Phare des Baleines – A lighthouse 57 metres tall at the western tip of Île de Ré. Climb 257 steps for a 360° view of the Atlantic, salt marshes and pine forests.
- Ars-en-Ré – One of the 'most beautiful villages in France' on Île de Ré. Its black-and-white spire church serves as a sailors' landmark, and hollyhocks…
- Île de Ré Salt Marshes & Écomusée – Extensive traditional salt marshes in the north of Île de Ré, crossed by cycling paths. The Écomusée du Marais Salant explains traditional…
- Abbaye des Châteliers – The Gothic ruins of a 12th-century Cistercian abbey on Île de Ré, standing alone in seaside fields, striking at sunset in silhouette.
- Fort Boyard – An oval-shaped Napoleonic-era fort standing on a sandbank in the sea, made famous in France by the TV game show of the same name.
- Île d'Aix – A crescent-shaped island where cars are banned, and the last place Napoleon lived in France. Cycling around the island reveals bays, fortif…
- Arsenal des Mers & Hermione, Rochefort – A naval arsenal established by Louis XIV in the 17th century. The reconstructed frigate Hermione, which carried Lafayette, is the highlight…
- Corderie Royale – A 374-metre-long 17th-century ropewalk that once produced cables for the French navy, now an exhibition centre with riverside gardens.
- Pont Transbordeur du Martrou – France's only surviving transporter bridge that still carries passengers. A suspended gondola ferries people across the Charente, making it…
- Brouage – A fully preserved 17th-century walled town with square ramparts, set amid salt marshes. It is the birthplace of Samuel de Champlain, founde…
- Fort Louvois – A horseshoe-shaped small fort in Marennes Bay, reachable on foot along a stone causeway at low tide and by small boat at high tide.
- Citadelle du Château-d'Oléron – A 17th-century bastioned fortress on the east coast of Île d'Oléron. The painted oyster huts in the harbour beside it have been converted i…
- Phare de Chassiron – A black-and-white striped lighthouse at the northern tip of Île d'Oléron. The top offers views over rocky shores and the 'World Garden' at…
- Châtelaillon-Plage – A Belle Époque seaside resort on the southern outskirts of La Rochelle, with a 3 km fine-sand beach that shelves gently, ideal for family p…
Where to eat
- Christopher Coutanceau – A three-star Michelin seafood restaurant in La Rochelle, where the chef is also a fisherman, advocating sustainable fis…
- Les Flots – A refined seafood restaurant next to the Chain Tower at the Old Port, helmed by Grégory Coutanceau and open daily year-…
- Bar André – An iconic seafood restaurant operating since 1947 at the Old Port, facing the twin towers and famous for its maze-like…
- Le Panier de Crabes – A cozy seafood bistro on a small square in the Saint-Nicolas district, featuring a quiet shaded terrace and generous, r…
- Annette – A modern bistro on a pedestrian street run by a chef couple, featuring a monthly changing menu, selected by the Micheli…
- Le Bistrot des Bonnes Femmes – A modern bistro in the old town, pairing seasonal local ingredients with natural wines, boasting a 9.6 rating on TheFor…
Itineraries
- Poitiers to Bordeaux Atlantic Family Trip – Head south from Futuroscope through the marshes, La Rochelle, Île de Ré and Cognac to Bordeaux.