La Rochelle

La Rochelle is a beautiful seaside town, well worth a full day's visit. Its old port and walled city streets are some of its greatest attractions.

How do I find a parking space in La Rochelle?

Mon conseil en haute saison

Si vous visitez La Rochelle en juillet ou en août, je vous conseille d’éviter le Parking de l’Encan, même s’il est idéalement situé à côté de l’Aquarium.

En pleine saison, il arrive fréquemment que le parking soit complet. Le problème est qu’une fois engagé à l’intérieur, il est impossible de faire demi-tour : vous devrez patienter jusqu’à ce qu’une place se libère, ce qui peut parfois prendre un certain temps.

Pour cette raison, je recommande plutôt le Parking Vieux Port Sud, qui constitue généralement une meilleure option pour rejoindre le centre-ville et le Vieux-Port tout en évitant cette situation.

The Aquarium of La Rochelle

Located on the Port des MinimesIt is one of the largest aquariums in Europe. Approximately 10,000 animals from all over the world share the 3,000 ^m3 of sea water spread over 65 tanks.

Website of the La Rochelle Aquarium: https://www.aquarium-larochelle.com/

In the city centre

Passing through the great gate of the Clock Toweryou enter a tangle of streets and alleys, full of shops, palaces and the traditional half-timbered houses. In the city centre, you can also visit the Saint-Louis cathedral, the town hall and the market place, the Saint-Sauveur church or the Bunker Museum of La Rochelle.

ILE DE RÉ: AN ISLAND FULL OF LIGHT AND FRENCH CHARM

And from La Rochelle, you can visit the Ile de Ré. You have to cross the large bridge on the Ile de Ré which connects the island to the mainland. It was built in 1988 - until then the island was only accessible by boat - and is almost 3 kilometres long. To cross the bridge and enter the island, you have to pay a toll, but only on the way out, nothing to pay on the way back.

The Ile de Ré was once an archipelago made up of three islands, which due to both sedimentation and human activity (salt fields) have come together. The island is 30 kilometres long and 5 kilometres wide, divided into 10 communes and has a population of just 15,000, although this figure increases tenfold in summer.

The island has 6 motorhome parks and an endless number of campsites. The Ile de Ré is also famous for its cycle paths; all the towns are linked by a network of over 100 kilometres.

Façades, Ile de Ré

Rivedoux-Plage

The first town that greets you after crossing the bridge is Rivedoux-Plage. It is a small village of white houses, a fishing port, and as the name suggests, beaches. Rivedoux is surrounded by two beaches on both sides of the island.

In addition to fishing, oyster farming is one of the main activities, not only of Rivedoux, but of the whole island. At low tide, one can see wide rows of raised tables, in the marnagecage area, where oysters are laid out at a stage of their growth. At high tide, these cages are hidden under the sea. It is impressive to see how the landscape changes with the tides.

Oyster farm, Rivedoux

The Fleet

Our second stop is in La Flotte, a town on the list of the most beautiful in France. You must visit its Port, full of pleasure boats and restaurants. At lunchtime it is usually very busy, but in the morning it is quieter.

In addition to the port, it is worth visiting the market, located in the Place de Vieux Marché. In summer they usually set up stalls every day, and it is a delight, both for the eyes and for the taste and smell. Getting lost in the streets of La Flotte can also be a great experience.

La Flotte, Ile de Ré

Near La Flotte, there are the ruins of theNotre-Dame-de-Ré abbeyNear La Flotte are the ruins of the Abbey of Notre-Dame-de-Ré, a former Cistercian abbey, as well as the fort of La Prée, which was occupied by the German army during the Second World War.

Saint Martin de Ré

Saint Martin de Ré, the capital of the island, is a port city that was fortified in the 17th century, forming a star-shaped structure 14 kilometres long.

Saint Martin de Ré

St Martin'sharbour is very lively and full of restaurants. You can visit the islet, which gives the harbour its circular shape. You can walk through the narrow streets, full of shops. Visit the church of San Martin, the Vauban fortification, the gate of Thoiras or the Republic square. There is also a large supermarket on the outskirts (you can go there by car or by bike).

The salt marshes

From La Couarde Sur Mer, through Loix and Ars, to Portes en Ré, it is a large area full of marshes and salt pans. Because salt production, along with fishing, has been one of the main economic activities of the island for years. Near Loix, you can visit the Marais Salant eco-museum, where you can discover the history of salt production in the Olive Islands and the know-how of the salt worker in many ways: eco-museum, guided tours, boat trips...

Salt marshes, Ile de Ré

Ars en Ré

Passing through the Martray isthmus (the narrowest place on the island, a few dozen metres), you will arrive in Ars en Ré, another beautiful town, also on the list of the most beautiful in France. Because of its proximity to the marshes, it was one of the most important ports on the island.

The church of St. Stephen attracts our attention from afar, thanks to its 40-metre high bell tower. One of the most remarkable buildings is also the Sénéchal (currently transformed into a hotel), because it preserves certain medieval elements such as its turrets. In front of the church, in the Place Carnot, you can have a drink on the terrace.

Although it's hot, you can take advantage of the visit to stroll around a bit, and even visit its covered market, which seems to be open every day during the summer.

Ars en Ré

The beaches

And what would be the point of an island holiday without beaches! Go to Portes en Ré, the furthest town from the entrance to the island, and one of the towns with the most beaches:

Plage de la Patache, Plage du Petit Bec, Plage du Lizay, Plage de Trousse-Chemise but also Plage du Gros Jonc, Plage du Marchais, Plage de la Loge, Plage de l'Anse du Fourneau, Plage de Gros Joncs, Plage de la Basse Benaie, Le Petit Bec, Plage des Grenettes, Conche des Baleines.