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TOP 10 REASONS
TOP 10 REASONS
TOP 10 REASONS
Why travel to La Rochelle: Find out the top 10 reasons to visit
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01
A SNEAK PEAK
A SNEAK PEAK
A SNEAK PEAK
A Sneak Peek into La Rochelle
- La Rochelle has the unmistakable character of an ancient port town, with its weather-beaten harbour and salty sea air.
- The village, which overlooks a magnificent port of the Atlantic Ocean and is enclosed by historic ramparts, is guarded by imposing defensive towers.
- La Rochelle offers a charming historic quarter with numerous historic buildings.
- A walk through the cobblestone streets transports you from the Middle Ages to the eighteenth century.
- This culturally rich city is home to an incredible number of museums.
- It's also an excellent spot for outdoor activities, including riding, sailing, nature treks, and relaxing by the water.
- The lovely island of Ré is only a few minutes away from the ideal beach retreat.
- Several more day trip alternatives are close by, including Rochefort, an impressive 17th-century naval base, and Esnandes, a charming farming village.
- Capital: La Rochelle
- International Airport: Aéroport La Rochelle (LRH)
- Population: 74 123
- Currency: Euro
- Time: UTC/GMT +1 hour
- Driving side: Right
- Main Electricity: 230 V
- Official Language: French
- Religion: Protestantism
02
HIGHLIGHTS
HIGHLIGHTS
HIGHLIGHTS
Top Tourist Attractions in La Rochelle
- The Aquarium de La Rochelle houses hundreds of species.
- The Natural History Museum is one of several museums in the town.
- Many travellers take boat journeys to adjacent islands from the harbour, including Ile de Ré, Ile d'Oleron, and Fort Boyard.
- La Rochelle's harbour area is the most vibrant portion of town.
03
SEASONS TO TRAVEL
SEASONS TO TRAVEL
SEASONS TO TRAVEL
Best Months to Visit La Rochelle
- The climate on France's west coast often surprises us, with brilliant summer sunshine lasting until late September or early October.
- In addition, the winters are pleasant.
- This makes La Rochelle an excellent choice for spring and autumn excursions, but remember to bundle up for the early morning and late evening cool.
- August is the holiday season in France, so avoid it if you can.
- Because La Rochelle hosts numerous annual festivals in July, including Les Francofolies, demand can often surpass supply.
04
WORTH A VISIT
WORTH A VISIT
WORTH A VISIT
The Best Places to Visit in La Rochelle
Old Harbour
- The harbour at La Rochelle is the first thing you see when you arrive, not only because it's beautiful, but because it reflects the city's long affinity with the sea.
- The classic view of the Tour Saint-Nicolas and Tour de la Chaîne, painted by various artists like Corot, Signac, and Vernet, can be enjoyed while strolling down Quai Duperré.
- Then, as the little sailboats come and go, have a seat under the awnings of one of the numerous quayside eateries and enjoy a fantastic seafood lunch.
- The illuminated towers reflected in the waves make it even more beautiful in the evening.
Tour Saint-Nicolas
- The higher of the two towers, Saint-Nicolas has been defending the harbour entrance for five centuries.
- The structure, named for the patron saint of sailors and anglers, is deceptively enormous, and at 42 metres tall, it's more of a fortress than a tower.
- It has a befuddling maze of interconnecting spiral stairways, created so that might utilise one for reinforcements if invaders blocked the others.
- You'll also come across several little niches, tunnels, rooms, and historical oddities, such as the original oak stakes used in the foundations.
Tour de la Lanterne
- The newest of La Rochelle's three towers is located just a few steps from the Tour de la Chaîne along Rue Sur les Mars.
- This is from the 15th century and was created to be both elegant and protective: A stunning octagonal spire crowns an earlier, more austere circular foundation.
- From the 17th to the 19th centuries, the tower's fourth level served as a prison, with more than 100 inmates.
- The graffiti that these Spanish, French, English, and Dutch inmates scratched onto the walls may still be seen today.
- A 38-meter-high outdoor gallery with panoramic views of the old town and harbour is located at the top.
05
DISCOVER MORE
DISCOVER MORE
DISCOVER MORE
La Rochelle Off the Beaten Track
Old Quarter
- A stroll around the cobblestone streets behind the Old Port, worn down by decades of walking, is in order.
- After a fire, the 16th-century Renaissance Hôtel de Ville is still being renovated, although tours begin between 15:00 and 16:00.
- A statue of Jean Guiton, the Huguenot mayor of La Rochelle during Louis XIII's siege of the city in the 1620s, is in the square in front.
- If you go to the town hall, you'll notice a marble table chipped by his dagger.
- Rows of beautiful 17th-century homes with towers on the corners and broad arcades on the lower floors line the streets surrounding the town hall, such as Rue du Palais and Rue des Merciers.
Museum historic Naturelle de La Rochelle
- It's no surprise that La Rochelle has a world-class Natural History Museum, as navigators and explorers have returned from voyages with all kinds of unusual objects for hundreds of years.
- These items contributed to creating the Lafaille Cabinet of Curiosities in the 18th century, which is the oldest surviving natural history "cabinet" in France.
- The museum features significant ethnographic exhibitions collected from Africa, a zoo full of taxidermies, and some beautiful fossils in the basement of this graceful early-19th-century edifice.
06
CULTURE & TRADITIONS
CULTURE & TRADITIONS
CULTURE & TRADITIONS
La Rochelle Culture and Traditions
- The marina at La Rochelle is a must-see for seaside vacationers.
- It is one of the world's largest marinas, with four moorings.
- Visit the Aquarium to witness the 800 aquatic animals.
- The Lighthouse at the End of the World is a reproduction of the renowned lighthouse near Cape Horn that inspired Jules Verne to write his famous novel.
- It is located near Minimes Beach.
- If the weather prediction is favourable, sunbathers can relax on the beach.
- Many taverns serving Pineau or Cognac, hotels, and seafood restaurants serving freshly caught local items may be found directly across the Old Port.
- La Rochelle is currently one of France's best-served cities. To begin with, the airport has grown to become the largest in Poitou-Charentes. Second, it has a station with direct lines to Bordeaux, Nantes, Poitiers, Paris, and several other cities. Ideal for touring the area.
- It attracts an increasing number of tourists who are willing to travel long distances to see the charming city of La Rochelle.
- It is also a vibrant city that welcomes more than ten French and international students to its university, schools, and campuses.
- They are still the most important in the city, contributing significantly to France's global cultural influence.
07
FOOD FUN FASHION
FOOD FUN FASHION
FOOD FUN FASHION
La Rochelle: Food, Fun & Fashion Guide
Bistros, bars & brasseries
#Food
- If any little city in the UK had as many restaurants as La Rochelle, it would become a gastronomic pilgrimage destination.
- Bistro after bistro, brasseries, bars and many seafood specialists line the streets.
- Watford had suddenly sprouted as many restaurants as downtown London.
- There's something for everyone, from Michelin stars to converted boats serving fried seafood on the waterfront.
- Two imposing mediaeval towers, Tour Saint-Nicholas and Tour de la Chaîne dominate the most densely populated restaurant district, which is located near the Vieux Port.
Quayside seafood
#Food
- Two of the three quaysides appear to be solely for eating and drinking.
- While viewing the nautical life, we indulge in caramel ice cream flavoured with local salt.
- André is a kitsch Disneyland of a fish restaurant (if they can drape it with nets, anchors, and glass oats, they will), while Prao, a lovely small cooperative restaurant across the inlet on rue Saint-Nicolas, is more our speed.
- It's the closest La Rochelle gets to hipster, with its brick walls and beardy bartender.
Ile de Re Chocolats & Caramel
#Food
- With its extensive range of sweets, Ile de Re Chocolats & Caramels is a sweet tooth's dream.
- It sells elegantly formed chocolate in gift packaging and a variety of chocolates in bulk and locally created caramel.
- Despite the store's enormous popularity, the pricing always stays reasonable.
Le Gout de la Vie
#Fashion
- Go to Le Gout de la Vie for the most excellent local fare, distinguished by its stunning interior decor.
- On lovely wooden shop windows, miniature jars of mustard and various types of vinegar, bottles of wine and biscuits, and popular national sweets are neatly placed.
- Every product in our store is made at a local factory.
- This shop has the resort's most extensive range of farm sausages and other meat specialities.
Le Comptoir Charentais
#Fashion
- Le Comptoir Charentais, one of the island's major souvenir shops, will delight guests with its diverse selection.
- You may buy fantastic wine from local wineries, delectable honey, and a variety of canned items here.
- They sell bright T-shirts with national insignia and good natural cosmetics from local manufacturers in addition to culinary souvenirs.
Aquarium at La Rochelle
#Fun
- A world-class aquarium (one of Europe's best) that provides a fascinating glimpse into the vegetation and animals of the ocean's dark depths.
- Just outside La Rochelle's city centre, yet easily accessible and well-marked whether arriving by vehicle (nearby parking) or foot/boat from the town.
- The tiny boat ride across the harbour is enjoyable. Allow at least 3 hours for your visit, and keep in mind that in July and August, the Aquarium is open until 11 p.m.
- The restaurant offers fantastic value if you want to break up your visit with a bite to eat.
- Get there early if you want to escape the lines in July and August.
- With so much to see, this is a fantastic spot for kids. It's challenging to pick out the highlights.
- Still, our kids loved the lagoon and the brightly coloured fish, the tropical greenhouse with wandering water turtles, and the elevator that brings you to the beginning of the exhibition and then drops you into a water 'tunnel.'
Château des Enigmes
#Fun
- This is essentially an annual outdoor Treasure Hunt with a different theme each year.
- The 'players' are taken around the park and gardens of the Château, as well as underground in the château itself, in 20 games with questions/problems to complete.
- The hints are available in English, and English-speaking professionals are on hand should the need arise.
- At the conclusion, the answers are self-checked on a computer, and if the final challenge is completed, certificates are provided.
- A few hundred metres south of the D732, on the southern outskirts of Pons, on a tiny road (D249).
- Great fun, with most of the action outside, so bring caps and sunscreen if it's hot outside.
- Although we have not personally visited another Chateau in Alsace that offers a comparable concept, we are aware of it.
- Children will like it, and because it is a secure facility, older children can go off on their own.
08
NATURE & SAFARI
NATURE & SAFARI
NATURE & SAFARI
La Rochelle: Natural Beauty & Safari Adventures
- The Mont Rochelle Nature Reserve, about an hour's drive from Cape Town, offers breathtaking vistas of the Franschhoek Valley and delightfully rich plant life, including fynbos.
- Hiking routes lead to Perdekop and DuToitskop, two of the highest peaks; hikes range from 2km (one hour, easy) to 13km (6–7 hours, moderate), so pick one that suits your fitness level.
- Mountain streams may be gushing in the winter, but most remain dry in the summer and autumn, except for a few pools fed by perpetual springs.
09
EVENTS & FIESTAS
EVENTS & FIESTAS
EVENTS & FIESTAS
La Rochelle Must-Attend Festivals and Events
- Francofolies is a musical journey that began in 1985 in La Rochelle.
- Hundreds of dedicated fans flock to La Rochelle for this contemporary music event every year.
- As the first festival to promote all types of French music, it has spawned generations of musicians and has grown into one of the summer's most important events.
- Every year, almost 130,000 festivalgoers descend on La Rochelle for five days of music, parties, and fun.
- Every year, about 100 concerts are held in various locations.
- The International Film Festival in La Rochelle is a love triangle between a town at the start of summer, a curious and eager public, and films sold worldwide.
- Over 10 days, the festival screens roughly 200 films at venues such as La Coursive, the CGR cinemas Le Dragon or l'Olympia, La Sirène, the Centre Intermondes, and the Media Centre, and Belle du Gabut.
- Every year, this must-see festival offers a diverse programme of fiction, documentaries, cartoons, French and international cinema, new and old, in various genres.
FAQs to Plan Your Best La Rochelle Holiday
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