La Rochelle, France
OVERVIEW – On this page you can see information about La Rochelle and some suggestions of Things to Do. We reflect on our visits including a tour that took in a Chateau and the nearby town of Rochefort. It gives hints, tips and visitor information for La Rochelle itself together with a `taste’ of the town.
Video(s) of our visit(s) accompany at the foot of this page.
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ABOUT
La Rochelle is a coastal city in southwestern France and capital of the Charente-Maritime department. It’s been a centre for fishing and trade since the 12th century – a maritime tradition that is reflected in it’s Vieux Port (old harbour) and huge, modern Les Minimes marina.
The old town has half-timbered medieval houses and Renaissance architecture, including passageways covered by 17th-century arches.
Referred to as the Gateway to the French Atlantic, it is famous for great seafood beautiful scenery and of course the legendary Knights Templar who had a base at this port.
Population is approximately 76,000
Currency is the Euro
THINGS TO DO
La Rochelle is a beautiful city in its own right but it affords access to local towns, wineries and more.
Take a walk around the port with its two 14th Century towers; stroll through the little streets and marvel at the patisserie on display; visit the maritime museum; take a boat trip around the coastline; Visit the market and have a drink in the 19th Century covered market. Lunch in the St-Nicolas district on the intimate Place de La Solette.
The architecture is really interesting and the history of the town dates back many centuries. The Knights Templar had a significant presence in La Rochelle. Founded in the 12th Century to protect pilgrims travelling to the Holy Land these Christian knights helped to establish the port as a major centre for trade and commerce and were responsible for the fortification of the city. Some of the ramparts are available to walk along.
OUR FAVOURITE THINGS TO DO
You may think that we would just like to wander around the beautiful port but actually we went a little further afield.
Chateau de la Roche Courbon
We took a ship tour, our first stop being a visit the Chateau de la Roche Courbon. Built in the 1400s this tour had the makings of a fascinating insight into the building – unfortunately only 3 rooms are open to the public and no photography is allowed. It does however have an interesting past and was in fact abandoned for 100 years before it was bought and restored.
The gardens made up for the disappointment – and were quite stunning. They originate from the 17th Century but after construction they sank due to the marshy ground. In the 1930s the gardens were renovated but again suffered from sinkage. Between 1976 and 2000 a total of 2,500 13m long poles were driven into the ground and covered with an Oak floor – the garden was constructed on top of the floor. Amazing.
Rochefort
Our tour then took us to the nearby town of Rochefort. The town has a long and interesting history with maritime and the sea taking pride of place. Unfortunately we were there on a day when little was open. So the visit to the rope factory was purely a photo stop outside of this most impressive building pictured below. At over 370 metres long, for centuries it was the longest manufacturing building in the world. Other museums cover Naval Medicine, the National Navy Museum, churches and municipal buildings. Our stay was brief which was a real shame.
Exploring La Rochelle
La Rochelle itself is a lovely town with a great marina to walk around, cafes and bars to explore. On each occasion we have been there we have reached the town from the ship by shuttle – sometimes that is provided free of charge and sometimes not.
WORTH NOTING that, as with many French towns much is closed on a Sunday. Monday opening is from 2-7pm and the rest of the week is from 10am-7pm. However the town still bustles with local residents and visitors enjoying this beautiful town.
Shuttles arrive at the port and stop in a prominent place so that you can easily locate it for your return. On our last visit this was located at a car park adjacent to a local square. Conveniently this was situated adjacent to a park area which at this time had a merry-go-round in the centre.
From this point it was very straight forward to stroll through the streets to the old port area.
On a Sunday this area can be almost deserted during the morning. However later in the day local residents come out to shop at the food market or other market stalls – or just to enjoy the atmosphere of the town as we were.
Place du marché
Strolling through the town we saw lots of stalls and then came upon a covered market in the Rue Pas du Minage.
This is where all the local residents were heading to buy their fresh produce. It was lovely to walk around taking in the array of local produce. Stalls were selling fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, cheese and pastries. If you are passing it is worth a visit.
Harbour Area
Once you have prised yourself away from the food market it is just a short walk to the marina and harbour area. The harbour is guarded by 3 medieval maritime fortification towers:
Saint Nicholas Tower – built between 1340-1376 it stands 42m high with walls as this as 6m in places.
Chain Tower – built between 1382-1390 built to enable a heavy chain to stretch between the towers and block access.
Lantern Tower – last medieval lighthouse on the Atlantic coast and a former prison.
Visitor Information – there is a general admission charge to all three towers of €9.50 (in 2026) however there are also concessions available. Entry is generally from 2-5.30pm but this is extended in the summer.
Accessibility Note: Not suitable for strollers or visitors with reduced mobility due to numerous steep spiral staircases.
Tickets available from the Towers of La Rochelle official site.
Marina
Les Minimes (The Marina), is the largest marina in France for pleasure boats. It is located in the new part of the city together with a university campus, shops, restaurants and a cinema.
There is also a striking sculpture called Le Soleil Noir (The Black Sun) created in tribute to Michel Crepeau the long time mayor of La Rochelle.
Taste of the Town
If all that isn’t enough we have barely scratched the surface. The cafe, bar and restaurant culture is second to none. Whilst we didn’t stop for too long on our last visit, we did of course make sure to have a coffee and freshly baked croissant.
The streets are full of little patisseries and chocolatiers which are just waiting to be eaten. Whilst we forced ourself away, we did relent when we arrived at a cafe serving coffee and hot chocolate with lashings of cream on top. It was certainly worth the extra calorie intake!
Accompanying Video(s)
To check out our experiences in La Rochelle, just click the video below – and if you enjoy the content simply ‘Like’ and ‘Subscribe’ to see more (subscription is free).