La Rochelle (French La Rochelle) is a port city in western France on the coast of the Bay of Biscay in the New Aquitaine region.
Geography
La Rochelle is the capital of the Charente-Maritime department and an important shopping center on the Atlantic coast of France. The distance to Paris is approximately 480 km.
Story
Old harbor of La Rochelle
La Rochelle was founded in the 10th century. In the 12th and 13th centuries it was an important city in the network of the Knights Templar, who built a large port in it. To this day, in La Rochelle there is a rue des Templiers, a street of the Templars. Until the 15th century, the city remained the largest port of France on the Atlantic coast. Trade was carried out primarily in wine and salt.
During the Renaissance, La Rochelle openly accepted the ideas of the Reformation and from 1568 became the center of the Huguenots, which gave the city a short period of prosperity and peace. In 1622, the Duke of Guise destroyed the La Rochelle fleet, which was under the command of Jean Guiton.
On September 10, 1627, a cannon duel occurred between the defenders of La Rochelle and the royal troops, which served as a reason for King Louis XIII to begin the siege of La Rochelle, which ended with its capture in 1628, as well as a new persecution of the Huguenots, highest point which was the repeal of the Edict of Nantes by Louis XIV. Many Huguenots fled the country and founded the city of Nouvelle Rochelle (New La Rochelle) in North America in 1689. During the era of colonialism, La Rochelle played an important role in trade between Africa, North America and Europe.
Naval Submarine Base
Submarine bunker La Pallice
During World War II, the Germans built a submarine bunker near La Rochelle, which remains to this day. Due to strong resistance from the invaders, La Rochelle became the last liberated city in France. The German commandant surrendered only at midnight on May 8, 1945.
Neighborhood La Rochelle (Ré Island)
The Ile de Re, located half an hour's drive west of La Rochelle, is a gently sloping, narrow strip of land, approximately 30 kilometers long, bordered by sandy beaches to the southwest and salt marshes and oyster beds to the northeast. plantations.
On the island itself you will see a motley mixture of small vineyards, growing asparagus and wheat fields. By law, all buildings on Re must be no more than two storeys high and must include typical local features, such as white plaster walls, semi-circular orange tiles and green-painted shutters, so the island villages always have the atmosphere of a southern resort.
As the season wears on, the island delights with its leisurely pace of life and misty charm; At this time, residents devote almost all their time to growing oysters and mussels. However, at the peak of the season, this place is filled to the brim with tourists: up to 400 thousand visitors gather here. Basically, this crowd is heading towards southern beaches, since the beaches in the northeast are covered with rocks and algae, and the shallow waters there are not suitable for swimming.
The island of Re is connected to La Pallice - a suburb of La Rochelle - by a 3-kilometer toll bridge built in 1988 (travel there by car - 8 €, back - free). La Pallis was once a major commercial port with large shipyards, but today, although it still serves as a naval base, times have changed. As you drive by, you'll notice the colossal, weather-beaten concrete hangars that are covered submarine docks built by the Germans to service their fleet of submarines in the Atlantic during World War II. Since they are too difficult to demolish, they are still used today.
St-Martin, the island's capital, is a fishing port on the north coast with a distinctive atmosphere: stucco houses cluster around the stone quays of a well-protected harbor, from where trawlers and oyster punts, filled to the brim with similar cages with devices for “growing” oysters.
Café Boucquingam on the waterfront will remind you of the military adventures of the Duke of Buckingham, who unsuccessfully attacked the island in 1627. To the east of the harbor you can walk through the almost completely preserved fortifications (after Buckingham's attack, they were rebuilt in the 17th century by Vauban) towards the citadel, which long served as a prison.
From 1860 to 1938 it remained the starting point for bagnards sentenced to hard labor in the penal colonies of French Guiana and New Caledonia. Most expected quick death and oblivion - but not Henri Charrière, nicknamed "The Moth", who sailed from Devil's Island on a bag of coconuts after 9 escape attempts and 13 years in the colonies, and later wrote a bestseller about it.
Photos of La Rochelle
Famous natives of La Rochelle
- Aimé Bonpland (1773-1858) - famous geographer and botanist;
- Adolphe William Bouguereau (1825-1905) - French painter of the Empire era, master of academic painting, the largest representative of salon academic painting, author of paintings on historical, mythological, biblical and allegorical subjects, performed wall paintings and portraits;
- Jean Duvigneau (1921-2007) - sociologist, anthropologist, playwright and journalist;
- Bernard Giraudeau (1947-2010) - actor and director;
- Guy Laroche (1921-1989) - fashion designer, founder of the company of the same name.
La Rochelle in art
- The city is known thanks to Alexandre Dumas's novel The Three Musketeers, whose heroes take part in the siege of La Rochelle (Chapter XI). In the Soviet film adaptation, the Khotyn Fortress, located in the city of Khotyn, Chernivtsi region of the Ukrainian SSR, was filmed in the role of La Rochelle.
- The port of La Rochelle served as the location for the filming of the films Das Boot by Wolfgang Petersen and Raiders of the Lost Ark by Steven Spielberg.
- The action of Georges Simenon's novel “And yet the hazel tree turns green” takes place in La Rochelle.
- One of the sieges of La Rochelle (not identical to the one described in The Three Musketeers) is described in Prosper Merimee's story “Chronicle of the Times of Charles IX”.
- In the game "Commandos 2: Men of Courage", the missions "Night of the Wolves" and "Silent Assassins" all took place at the German submarine base in La Rochelle.
French city of La Rochelle (Poitou-Charentes region)
La Rochelle is the most attractive and unspoiled seaside town in France. Thanks to the foresight of Mayor Michel Crépeau, the city center was cleared of developers and traffic in the 1970s to the delight of pedestrians.
The policy caused shock and horror at the time, but today it has become standard practice for the preservation of ancient centers throughout the country - proving far more successful than Crépeau's plan.
The French city of La Rochelle boasts a long history, as you would expect from such a fortified Atlantic port. In 1199, Eleanor of Aquitaine granted the city a charter freeing it from feudal duties, and it quickly became a major port, trading salt and wine and skillfully exploiting Anglo-French clashes.
However, the religious wars proved particularly destructive for La Rochelle. The city became Protestant and thanks to its strategic importance incurred the wrath of the ruthless Cardinal Richelieu, who laid siege to La Rochelle in 1627. To the great dismay of the townspeople, who argued that no one could organize an effective blockade of such experienced sailors as them, Richelieu managed to close all approaches to the harbor with the help of a dam.
The British sent the Duke of Buckingham to help, but his sleeping detachment was taken by surprise on the island of Re and smashed to smithereens. By the end of 1628, famine forced the townspeople to surrender to Richelieu. Of the population of 28 thousand before the siege, only 5,000 survived. The walls of the city were demolished and all privileges were taken away from it. La Rochelle later became the main port through which trade was carried out with the French colonies in the Antilles in the Caribbean and Canada. Moreover, many of the settlers (especially in Canada) came from this part of France.
Arrival and information about the city of La Rochelle
Getting around La Rochelle will not be difficult. Once you arrive at the ornate train station on Boulevard Joffre, cross onto Avenue de Gaulle opposite to enter the city centre.
As you approach the coastline, you will see on the left the tourist office (address: quai de Gabut; April-June and September), where you can buy excellent maps and a museum pass for €6.60, which includes the New World Museum, the Orbigny-Bernon Museum and Museum fine arts.
In addition, the CDIJ Youth Center (address: 2 rue des Gentilshommes) has an information service for young people. Most of attractions, which are worth looking at, are located behind coastline– that is, between the port and Verdun Square, where the bus station is located.
Transport in La Rochelle
Bus terminal (efficient system public transport) is also located on Place Verdun. Once you've stowed your luggage, you can use your bike to explore the city: two free municipal bike parks await you, a legacy of Michel Crépeau's original scheme, where no ID is required, there are no restrictions, and you can pick up or leave a bike anywhere.
One park is located on Place de Verdun (address: place de Verdun; open all year round) near the bus station, the second is on the Quai Valen (address: quai Valin; only May-September) near the travel agency. By handing over any semblance of ID, you can use the bike for free for two hours - time beyond that costs just €1 per hour. You can rent a bike at the train station or at the Motive Location, opposite the Maritime Museum.
Car rental is provided by Ada (address: 19 avenue de Gaulle) and Rent-a-car (address: 29 avenue de Gaulle). The city also operates an ingenious taxi system with fixed rates for trips within La Rochelle with a 24-hour call system. The entire urban transport system is coordinated by the RTCR.
La Rochelle - maritime transport node: boat rides are waiting for you excursions around the city, as well as ferries to the island of Re, the island of Oleron, the island of Aix and Fort Boyar. Sea transportation is provided by transport companies Navipromer and Intereles. Trip costs and schedules vary depending on the season, weather conditions and currents, which sometimes also affect the functionality of the crossing.
Accommodation in La Rochelle
Accommodation in the city of La Rochelle can sometimes be a problem, so from May to mid-autumn, rooms (and even campsites) should be booked in advance. Although in the city center there are several inexpensive (often quite noisy) hotels In general, expect resort prices at most establishments, especially during peak season.
An alternative to hotels can be rented apartments, of which there are many here, especially in the Minimes area. The travel agency has a service for accommodation in rented apartments; there for a small fee for you book a hotel room .
La Rochelle Hotels
1). Hotel Le Bordeaux– Comfortable and welcoming hotel on a characteristic pedestrian street between railway station and port. Closed in December. Hotel address: 43 rue St-Nicholas;
2). Hotel Comfort St-Nicolas– A very attractive modernized hotel on a beautiful street, two minutes walk from the port. All rooms have air conditioning and TV. Hotel address: 13 rue Sardinerie;
3). Fasthotel– Small, quiet hotel consisting of modern bungalows, near the port of Minim and the beach. Hotel address: 20 rue Alfred-Kastler, Les Minimes;
4). Hotel De France-Angleterre et Champlain– Comfortable hotel located near a large park. The venerable old part is called Le Champlain, and the new Great Western extension is called France-Angleterre: both offer everything you'd expect from an old-fashioned, modern three-star establishment. Hotel address: 20 rue Rambaud;
5). Hotel François I– A well-organized hotel in an ancient building, with a courtyard surrounded by walls, comfortable rooms. Hotel address: 15 rue Bazoges;
6). Hotel Henri IV– An excellent and very popular hotel in the very center of the city, on Place de la Caille, a ten-minute walk from the coast with the port. Hotel address: 31 rue des Gentilhommes;
7). Hotel De l'Ocean– Comfortable two-star hotel with an enviable location and air conditioning in the rooms - many rooms have views of the port. Hotel address: 36 cours des Dames;
8). Hotel Le Printania– A pleasant, unpretentious establishment in the city center, on a quiet street. Hotel address: 9 rue Brave-Rondeau;
9). Le Tour de Nesle Hotel– Large, comfortable old hotel in the heart of La Rochelle. Hotel address: 2 quai Louis-Durand.
Hostel and campsites La Rochelle
1). Hi Hostel– Large, modern hostel overlooking the Port of Minim marina, 10 minutes' walk from the beach, shops and restaurants - and with a self-service dining area and bar. Take bus number 10 from Place Verdun to Les Minimes or walk there from the station following the signs on the left. Hostel address: Avenue des Minimes;
2). Camping municipal de Port-Neuf- In the northwestern part of the city. Well maintained campsite shaded by trees, about 40 minutes walk from the town centre. Take bus number 20 from Place Verdun, direction: Port-Neuf. Open all year round;
3). Camping Le Soleil– Very well located next to hostel and next to the beaches - it is often filled with young vacationers. Take bus number 10 from Place Verdun to Les Minimes. Closed from October to May. Camping address: Avenue Michel Crepeau.
Attractions La Rochelle
In general, the center of La Rochelle is considered to be the Old Port (Vieux Port), where pleasure yachts are moored in neat rows in front of two impressive towers guarding the entrance to the harbor. The Rue du Palais, leading north from the Porte de la Grosse Horloge, reaches the cathedral and several museums on the Rue Thiers.
Between the harbor and the Port des Minimes, a new marina, 2 kilometers south of the city center, there are several excellent children's museums and a large frigate (permanently moored), where you can learn a lot about La's seafaring past. Rochelle.
Above internal port towers the heavy Gothic gate of Gros Horloge (Porte de la Grosse Horloge) - the entrance to the Old Town. The embankments in front of them are filled with ships and therefore are not conducive to walking - for this it is better to walk along the shady courtyard of the Dames (cours des Dames) towards the Chain Tower (Tour de la Chaine) of the 14th century. The tower received its name in honor of the heavy chain with which it was once connected to the opposite tower of Saint-Nicolas (Tour St-Nicholas) to close the port at night.
Today, at night, the only people who invade the city are yachtsmen from the other side of the English Channel, whose boats are much more numerous here than the work ships, which are mainly brightly painted trawlers. The steps behind the tower lead up to rue Sur-le-Murs, which follows the top of the old breakwater to the third - the Lantern Tower (Tour de la Lanterne), or the Tower of the Four Sergeants.
It was named after the four sergeants imprisoned there and executed for refusing to accept the Restoration of the Monarchy in 1822 (same opening hours and costs as the Chain Tower). You can climb higher, to what remains of the city walls, planted with greenery. Beyond is the beach, with casinos, hot dog stands and entertainment pavilions in the background, along with a vast and truly beautiful park belt that stretches all the way to the western edge of the city center and along Avenue du Mail beyond the beach, where the first seaside village was built by wealthy Larochellians.
Palais Street and surroundings
The true charm of La Rochelle awaits you on the shopping-filled main street, the Palais, leading from the Old Port to Place Verdun. Mansions of the 18th century lined it: some are half-timbered, others are made of gray stone, with characteristic La Rochelle tiles in the shape of fish scales, and the facades shops located in the back behind covered passages on the first floors.
Among the most beautiful are: the Bourse (Hotel de la Bourse) - actually the Chamber of Commerce - and the Palace of Justice (Palais de Justice) with columns on the facade (both mansions are on the left side). After walking a few more meters, you will see on rue des Augustins another grandiose building, built for a wealthy La Rochelle resident in 1555 - the so-called Henry II's mansion(Maison Henri II) with a loggia, gallery and tiled turrets where the offices of the regional travel agency are located.
Place Verdun itself, with its boring, hunchbacked, classical 18th-century cathedral on the corner, is uninteresting. The only thing that captivates there: the wonderful, luxuriously decorated cafe De la Paix with a lot of mirrors, gilding and plush furniture, where wealthy La Rochelle ladies come to drink tea with lemon and gracefully shove a couple of sweet cakes into their mouths - next door there is also a tempting sausage shop shop and fish store.
West of the Rue Palais (especially on the Rue de l'Escale, paved with granite cobblestones that were imported from Canada as ballast on La Rochelle's cargo ships), you'll see the discreet residences of 18th-century shipowners and candle manufacturers who hid their wealth behind high walls and classically austere architecture.
A much less modest gentleman built his mansion on the corner of the rue Fromentin: this 17th-century doctor decorated the facade of his house with statues of famous doctors - Hippocrates, Galen and others. On Rue Saint-Côme, closer to the city walls, is the Musee d’Orbigny-Bernon with an extensive department dedicated to local history, significant collections of local earthenware, Chinese and Japanese porcelain and beautiful furniture.
East of the Rue Palais, starting from Place de Petits-Bancs, Rue du Temple will lead you to La Rochelle town hall(Hotel de Ville), protected by decorative, but seriously fortified walls. Its construction began around 1600, during the reign of Henry IV, whose initials, intertwined with those of Marie de Medici, are carved into the gallery on the ground floor. It is a fine example of Italian style modified to French taste: the building is decorated with niches, statues and coffered ceilings - all made of stone the color of ripe barley.
If you want to immerse yourself in silence in the atmosphere of those seemingly much more noble times, there is no better place than the Cafe de la Poste terrace (right next to the post office, on a small pedestrian square outside). Freer local architecture (almost as old) awaits you further, on Rue des Merciers, another area for shopping; walk along it until it is cramped and noisy market square, not far from which you will see the Museum of the New World (Musee Noveau Monde), the entrance to which is located on rue Fleuriau.
Unusually, this museum is housed in the former residence of the Fleuriot family, wealthy merchants and shipowners who, like many other La Rochelle residents, made their fortune trading slaves, as well as sugar, spices and coffee from the Caribbean islands. A fine collection of prints, paintings and photographs of old West Indian plantations awaits you; maps of America of the 17th-18th centuries; photogravures of Indians (made around 1900) with amazing names like Piopio, Maxmax, Wallawalla and Lawyer Pierced Nose. An interesting exhibition of illustrations in aquatint technique for Marmontel’s novel “The Incas” - a striking mixture of sentimentality and tender voluptuousness.
On nearby rue Gargoulleau is the Museum of Fine Arts (Musee des Beaux-Arts), where most of the exhibition is centered around the works of several La Rochelle masters - it also traces the history of art, from the most primitive to the modern.
To return to the port again, having escaped the maze of pedestrian streets around the town hall, walk down the rue St-Sauveur with its large and gloomy church, through the quai Maubec and quai Louis-Durand to Rue Saint-Nicolas (St-Nicholas) and neighboring Place de la Fourche with a large shady tree and street cafe– both are pedestrian-only and boast several antique shops, second-hand bookstores and fashion boutiques. On both streets there is a flea (antique) market on Sundays.
Towards the port of Minim
On the eastern side of the old harbour, behind the Saint-Nicolas tower, is the quartier du Gabut, where fishermen once lived in wooden houses and sheds, and now there are many bars, shops and restaurants. Behind them is a large dock, a market and buildings to serve the old fishing port. Now an aquarium has been built there. Opposite the aquarium you will see the Maritime Museum, which includes an interesting collection of obsolete ships as well as land-based exhibits.
A ten-minute walk from here you will see the Automata Museum (Musee des Automates; address: rue de la Desiree) - an amazing collection of 300 automata puppets, where you will be transported to a wonderful fantasy world. Some of the dolls are interesting from a historical point of view; others (like the puppet that can spell the word "Pierrot") are curious in their technical design. A little lower on the same street you will find the Museum of Reduced Models (Musee des Modeles Reduits).
For families, the prices seem high (especially considering that the entire excursion takes no more than half an hour), but a visit to this museum can easily be combined with a visit to the neighboring Automata Museum. There are scale models of all types and eras on display here, from automobiles to imitation shipwrecks underwater to the La Rochelle train station.
Port des Minimes is a large modern harbor where thousands of yachts moor, about 2 kilometers south of the old port. You can get there by bus number 10 from Place Verdun, as well as by the much more interesting “sea bus” (bus de mer) - a small boat that runs from the old port to the port of Minim - or just take a walk along the coast (30 minutes). There are shops, restaurants, bars and residential apartments, and young men and women flock there on weekends and summer evenings to parade along the wonderful plage des Minimes.
Where to eat and drink in La Rochelle
For food in La Rochelle, try the Rue du Port and Rue St-Sauver area, close to the shore, or the attractive Rue St-Jean du Perot, where there is everything you want: from pancake houses and pizzerias to expensive restaurants for gourmets and several establishments of exotic cuisine (including Indian and Chinese).
The city of La Rochelle is also famous for its classical French cuisine. Particularly worth paying attention to are the city's many excellent fish restaurants. Both Ernest Le Glacier (15 rue du Port) and Olivier Glacier (21 rue St-Jean du Perot) serve excellent ice cream until late.
About La Rochelle, I, like many others, only knew that d’Artagnan and his musketeer friends took part in the siege of this city. True, I didn’t really delve into who exactly they were besieging there...
Rue Fleuriau
The city was founded in the 10th century. IN Renaissance La Rochelle openly accepted the ideas of the Reformation and from 1568 became the center of the Huguenots. King Henry IV, who himself was a Huguenot, is still popular here.
Rue Saint-Sauveur (RueSaint-Sauveur)
However, then Louis XIII became king of France, and the religious wars continued. In September 1627, royal troops besieged La Rochelle. The siege was personally commanded by Cardinal Richelieu. On October 28, 1628, the city capitulated.
Rue Dupaty
Thus, d'Artagnan and the musketeers fought on the side of their literary enemy Richelieu, but George Villiers (Duke of Buckingham), on the contrary, provided military assistance to La Rochelle. By the way, there is no evidence of a connection between the Duke and Queen Anne of Austria, but there is every reason believe that Buckingham was in a love relationship with the English king James I.
Rue du Temple
Under the leadership of the mayor Jean Guiton (1585-1654), the city defended itself for 14 months. During the siege, due to military losses, hunger and disease, the city's population decreased from 27,000 to 5,000 people.
Jean Guiton (Jean Guiton)
The construction of Saint-Louis Cathedral began in 1742 on the site of the destroyed St. Bartholomew's Cathedral. Construction was interrupted from time to time and was completed in 1857.
Cathedral of St. Louis (Cathédrale Saint-Louis)
However, the two side bell towers were never built.
Cathedral of St. Louis (Cathédrale Saint-Louis)
Stained glass windows were created at the end of the 19th century.
Cathedral of St. Louis (Cathédrale Saint-Louis)
Since it was not possible to build the towers, the bell tower of the cathedral is the one preserved from the 15th century. St. Bartholomew's Tower.
Bell Tower of St. Bartholomew ( Le clocher Saint-Barthélémy)
The city hall is of particular interest, because... it appeared here in 1298, and is thus the oldest active city hall in France.
Town Hall
The complex consists of several pavilions built in different eras and in different styles.
Town Hall
In recent years, active restoration of city hall buildings has been underway.
Town Hall
One of famous natives city - artist, representative of romanticism, Eugene Fromentin (1820-76). An Arab horseman was located next to the bust, because... the artist became famous for his paintings on the theme of Maghreb Fantasy.
Eugene Fromentin ( Eugene Fromentin)
The Old Port can be accessed through the Gros Horloge gate.
Big clock (Grosse Horloge)
These city gates appeared in the 12th century, and in 1478 a bell tower was added. In 1746 the entire upper part was rebuilt.
Big clock (Grosse Horloge)
Old Port - business card La Rochelle. Thanks to this port, the city gained its fame and significance during the Hundred Years' War, and further, during the era of the discovery of America.
Anchor
In the XVII-XVIII centuries. More than half of the colonial traffic to New France (North American possessions) passed through the Old Harbor of La Rochelle, and now this place attracts many tourists.
Wine Vault
In fact, it consists of 3 swimming pools with berths for yachts.
Old Port (Vieux-Port)
The entrance to the port is a very narrow place.
Yacht
The harbor is guarded by two large towers.
Tower of St. Nicholas (Tour Saint-Nicolas)
The first is the St. Nicholas Tower. It was built in 1345-76. In recent years, it has become an arena for extreme diving competitions.
Tower of St. Nicholas (Tour Saint-Nicolas)
And the second is the Chain Tower. It was built in 1382-90, and received its name from the chain that blocked the entrance to the harbor.
Chain Tower (Tour de la Chaine)
The fortress towers are not very similar to those we see in our classic film about the musketeers. Scenes of the siege of La Rochelle were filmed at the Khotyn fortress in Ukraine.
Tower of St. Nicholas (Tour Saint-Nicolas)
Various flags are hung on the fortress walls, the meaning of which is not entirely clear. Here, for example, is the flag of the province of Quebec.
Flag
A little to the side is the 55-meter Lantern Tower (1468), which served as a lighthouse. It is sometimes called the "tower of four sergeants" because... in 1822, 4 sergeants were imprisoned here, accused of attempting to overthrow the monarchy.
Lantern Tower (Tour de la Lanterne)
In 1990, the show “Fort Boyar” appeared in France, and already in 1992 it began to be shown on Russian television, and the program became very popular here. I used to think that the fort was located in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy, but it turned out that Boyard was located here, just south of La Rochelle. Mini-cruises are arranged from here.
Port
Along the perimeter of the Old Port there are numerous seafood restaurants.
The tallest building in the old city is the 42-meter bell tower of the Church of St. Savior. It has been preserved since the 15th century, while the church itself was rebuilt many times (the last one dates back to 1708-18).
Church of the Holy Savior (Église Saint-Sauveur)
In La Rochelle there is a monument to the soldiers and sailors of Charente who died for their homeland. Interestingly, it was staged even before the world wars in 1913.
Memorial to soldiers and sailors of Charente-Maritime ( Mémorial des soldats et marins de la Charente-Inférieure)
Now La Rochelle is part of the Poitou-Charentes region and is precisely the capital of Charente-Maritime. The population of the city is 75 thousand inhabitants.
Quai Duperre
City buses have an original design. Their wheels are so hidden that it’s hard to tell from the photo whether it’s a bus or a tram.
Bus
La Rochelle (France) - the most detailed information about the city with photos. The main attractions of La Rochelle with descriptions, guides and maps.
City of La Rochelle (France)
La Rochelle is a city in western France in the New Aquitaine region. It is an old port with a picturesque harbor that is still surrounded by medieval fortifications and imposing towers. La Rochelle is beautiful old City, soaked in salty sea air. It has a charming historic center full of old buildings. A walk through the old streets of La Rochelle is a journey through different historical eras, from the Middle Ages to the Modern Age.
Geography and climate
La Rochelle is located on the Bay of Biscay Atlantic Ocean. The city is located in the center of the French Atlantic in the southwestern part of the country. La Rochelle has a temperate maritime (oceanic) climate with cool summers and mild winters.
Practical information
- Population - 75.7 thousand people.
- Area - 28.43 km².
- Currency - euro.
- Language - French.
- Visa - Schengen.
- Time is Central European UTC +1.
- La Rochelle's gastronomy is famous for its excellent fish and seafood dishes. In the vicinity of the old port (Vieux Port) there are many fish restaurants where you can try local cuisine (for example, mussels in white wine and creamy onion sauce).
- In bars and restaurants in La Rochelle you can try an interesting cocktail - white wine with fruit syrup.
Story
La Rochelle was founded in the 10th century. In the 12th and 13th centuries, the city was the base of the Templars, who built a large port here. Until the 15th century, La Rochelle was largest port French kingdom. During the Reformation, the city supported the Huguenots. A brief period of prosperity lasted half a century. The local fleet was then destroyed by Charles I of Lorraine. In 1628, La Rochelle was taken by royal troops and the Huguenots had to leave it.
La Rochelle was an important port during the colonial era. During World War II, a German naval base was built here.
Attractions
La Rochelle has a charming Old city, which has preserved many magnificent ancient buildings, dating from the Middle Ages to the Modern Age. In heart historical center there is a town hall founded in the 13th century. Its building is a striking example of Gothic and Renaissance architecture. La Rochelle Town Hall is one of the oldest in France. The current building was built between the 15th and 19th centuries.
Not far from the town hall, on the small street Bis Rue des Augustins, there is a luxurious 16th-century mansion open to the public.
A little further north is the beautiful old street Grand Rue des Merciers, where you can see medieval half-timbered houses.
Old port. On the right is the tower of St. Nicholas, on the left - Chain Tower The Old Port is the oldest and most picturesque part of the city. Most of the buildings and structures here are hundreds of years old, but they are still in very good condition. Narrow streets and light stone houses give this place a Mediterranean charm.
The old port was founded in the 13th century. The surviving towers date back to the 14th and 15th centuries. The tallest is the tower of St. Nicholas. It was designed as a defensive fort. The powerful and round tower is called the Chain Tower. In the Middle Ages, a chain was attached to this tower, which blocked the mouth of the harbor.
The lighthouse tower (Tour de la Lanternay) is located slightly away from the entrance to the harbor. It was built in the 15th century and is a magnificent medieval structure with a high spire, on top of which a massive torch was placed. During the Reformation, the tower was used as a prison for the Huguenots. In the 17th century, pirates (corsairs) were imprisoned here. Until the beginning of the 20th century, the tower was used as a garrison prison. Now it is a historical monument.
An interesting place for the curious is the Aquarium, which contains about 600 species of various creatures from the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans, as well as the Mediterranean and Caribbean seas
The clock tower (Great Clock) is a gate that separated the old port from the city. They were built in the 12th century during the construction of the first medieval walls. Initially, this structure had two arcades for the passage of pedestrians and carts, but in 1672 they were combined into one. In the 15th century the gate was topped with a bell tower. This design acquired its current form after 1746.
A 15th-century Gothic bell tower that belonged to St. Bartholomew's Church, where elections for the city's mayor were held every year. The church was destroyed in 1568 during the religious wars.
Notre-Dame-de-Cougnes - Catholic Church with a high Gothic bell tower. It was founded in the 12th century as a small chapel. During the Reformation, the church was destroyed and rebuilt in 1653.
Cathedral Saint Louis is the main Catholic church of the city of La Rochelle. It is an impressive building in the style of classicism architecture. Construction of the church began in 1752 and was completed only 115 years later.
The Church of Saint-Sauveur is an imposing religious structure in the style of Louis XIII architecture, built in the late 17th century on the foundations of medieval churches.
- The Natural History Museum is a fascinating museum built in the 18th century. Is one of best places in France, where you can get acquainted with the world of natural history. On an area of 2300 sq. m. presents an amazing collection of almost 10,000 objects found by naturalists and ethnographers from around the world.
- The New World Museum, housed in an 18th-century mansion. Contains magnificent exhibitions revealing the world of shipowners and their enormous wealth.
- Museum of Fine Arts, which displays about 900 paintings and drawings from the 15th to 20th centuries.
- Maritime Museum at the docks. It features a fleet of eight ships that visitors can tour.
- The Protestant Museum - a rich collection of historical information about the Huguenot struggles dating back to the period of the Reformation.
La Rochelle is a small ancient city located in the French region of Poitou-Charentes, in the west of the country, off the coast of the Bay of Biscay. The settlement, home to about 80,000 people, is separated from Paris by 470 kilometers.
The founding of La Rochelle dates back to the 10th century, and in the 11th-12th centuries it was already an important center of the Knights Templar, who built a large port here. Until the 15th century, the city had the largest sea gate in France on the Atlantic coast. During the Renaissance, the inhabitants of La Rochelle accepted the ideas of the reformers and from the end of the 16th century the settlement became a refuge for the Huguenots, which contributed to a short period of its heyday. In 1628, after an open confrontation with the royal troops, the city lost its political privileges for a long time. It was possible to achieve the previous level of prosperity only in the 17th-18th centuries, with increased volumes of maritime trade with the Antilles and Canada. The revolution of 1789 again brought La Rochelle into decline, and another revival began with the creation of a deep-water port in the 19th century.
- Area: 28 km²;
- Time zone: UTC+1, summer UTC+2;
- Population: 75,200.
Currently, the city has retained its port status and, in addition, is considered the core cultural life France and one of most popular resorts Europe, in the vicinity of which there are magnificent sandy beaches. Due to the large influx of tourists in summer season, it is worth booking a hotel in La Rochelle in advance. 
3 kilometers from the city there is international Airport, from where there are regular flights to major settlements Europe. From Paris you can get to La Rochelle by train, spending about 3 hours.
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Climatic features
The climate in the region is classified as temperate maritime with a pronounced influence of the warm Gulf Stream Current. The best weather in La Rochelle is in the summer - the air warms up to +25...+28⁰C, there is little precipitation, and the sea breeze ensures that there is no extreme heat. The rainy season begins in October and continues until January. Winters are mild and frosts are rare. 
What to see
The main attraction and symbol of modern La Rochelle is the famous fortress - Fort Bayard, famous thanks to the TV show of the same name. The history of this ancient citadel is very complicated: its construction took about 60 years - work on laying the foundation on the Bayar sand spit began in 1804, and the finished object was commissioned only in 1866. Since 1966, the fort has become a film set closed to the public. You can get to the fortress by catamaran, but tourists can only view the building from the outside. Near the fort is the island of Re, connected to the mainland by a 3-kilometer bridge. Travelers can visit this area of land, as well as swim in the waters of the Bay of Biscay. 
The local port is worthy of attention, distinguished by three towers located along the embankment. The tallest is the closed watchtower of Saint-Nicolas. The neighboring fortress of La Chêne is open to tourists and equipped observation deck, by climbing which you can do a lot beautiful photos. With the help of the fortress wall, La Chene is connected to the Lantern Tower, which once served as a prison. 
After visiting the port excursion routes lie to main square city - Dam, with a lot of cafes, restaurants and shops. Here you can also find the most beautiful medieval buildings of half-timbered architecture, mansions of wealthy shipowners and merchants with stone facades of the 16th-17th centuries, decorated with sculptural carvings. 
In addition to historical attractions, the city is home to one of the largest aquariums in Europe, a visit to which both children and adults will be delighted.
Services for tourists that will allow you to save or get more for the same money:
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