La Rochelle is a seaside town in France. La Rochelle and Richelieu La Rochelle France cultural life

La Rochelle or La Rochelle (as is closer to the French pronunciation) is a small town located on the shores of the Bay of Biscay, known to us from The Three Musketeers and Fort Boyard, attracts thousands of tourists every year.

What to see in La Rochelle?

As we know from the novel by Alexandre Dumas, La Rochelle was a fortress city. There are many sights left here from those times.

Three main towers: San Nicolas And La Shen previously served for the defense of the city and were the entrance gate to the old port of La Rochelle, and the tower La Lanterne was used as a lighthouse. By the way, this is the last surviving large medieval lighthouse on the Atlantic. In our opinion, it looks a little strange, and looks more like a Gothic church than a familiar marine structure.

The most visited place in La Rochelle was the square in front of Gros Horloge(La Grosse Horloge) or the Big Clock. In addition to the attraction itself, you will find many bars, cafes and shops here.

Old Port- another attraction of the city. From here you can go on an ocean cruise, including to Fort Boyard. And you can have a good lunch or dinner in small traditional seafood restaurants.

Other attractions include city ​​hall(it is located in a 15th century castle), Church of San Sauveur, Henry IV's palace.

But as the Larochellians themselves say, in the center there are only 6 streets that converge at one point - the Big Clock. These streets are worth walking along. And everything else is residential areas. So, take a stroll through the old center and you will find all the attractions of La Rochelle!

What to do in La Rochelle?

Visit famous Fort Boyard. We have described how to do this below.

La Rochelle is home to one of the largest aquariums in Europe. If you come with children, be sure to visit it too.

A maritime museum has been opened at the base of a warship in La Rochelle. If you want to see how sailors and captains live, you are welcome here.

All kinds of sea vessels are available for rent in La Rochelle: yachts, catamarans, kayaks and much more. You can rent and steer yourself (if you have permission), or you can rent a boat with a captain who will take care of everything.

How to get from La Rochelle to Fort Boyard

Fort Boyard is to La Rochelle what the Eiffel Tower is to Paris. Everyone is going there! The fort itself is practically invisible from the city. It is 20 km from La Rochelle. Therefore, to visit it you need to take a 2-hour cruise from the Old Port. This pleasure costs approximately 19 euros per adult. They are not allowed into Fort Boyard itself. It seems that filming for different countries of the world is going on there around the clock. So you are unlikely to see Passport or tigers. The ship will sail around the former prison and return to the port.

Everyone says that you shouldn’t visit Fort Boyard, but how can you resist such temptation!

Where to stay in La Rochelle?

The town is quite small. No dangerous areas were observed in La Rochelle. Therefore, you can live almost anywhere in the city. Of course, the old town is the busiest and most beautiful part of the city. From here it is also close to the central beach. Choose a hotel in La Rochelle using this link.

How to get to La Rochelle?

La Rochelle is located 467 km from Paris. And the two most common ways: plane and train.

La Rochelle also has a convenient airport, La Rochelle / Ile de Ré. Many low-cost airlines land here. From Paris Orly Airport to La Rochelle it takes 55 minutes. Airplane tickets to La Rochelle

Weather in La Rochelle

The warmest months in La Rochelle are June, July, August and September. The average temperature in these months is close to +25 degrees. However, in June it can still be cold to swim. The rest of the year, there is a fairly mild maritime climate. But in winter, rain cannot be avoided; snow falls rarely and does not last long.

When is the best time to go to La Rochelle?

Of course, the most tourist time in La Rochelle is summer. More precisely July-August. You can swim to your heart's content and take a boat trip. And, in addition, at this time there is a film festival and a sailing regatta in La Rochelle, which you can also watch.

What to bring from La Rochelle?

La Rochelle is a port and sea city (even oceanic). Therefore, the topic here is appropriate. In addition to standard souvenirs, such as magnets, keychains, etc. you can bring purely sea souvenirs from here. For example, a French vest or bell.

This region produces its own high-quality wine, and Bordeaux is very close here, so it’s not a sin to bring it for yourself or as a gift.

How to get around La Rochelle?

The city has a very developed transport system. And in addition to the usual buses and bicycles in France, you can also use water buses as public transport. Ticket price: 1.30 euros. But the city is very small, you can safely travel around it on foot.

In the application you can download tourist maps of La Rochelle and the city center.

During our trip we went to both the Natural History Museum and the Maritime Museum. I simply didn’t have enough time for the rest since we were attending college classes. My friends made it to others, so I have an idea about the rest.

Well, La Rochelle is rich in museums. When I arrived in the city, I didn’t even realize how many of them there are here.

Natural History Museum

Let's start with one of the most interesting - the Natural History Museum of La Rochelle. It is very large, with many halls. First, you walk through the halls where stuffed animals from all over the world are exhibited.

Then begin the halls dedicated to the cultures of the peoples of Central Africa, Oceania and America.

I really liked the museum. Moreover, there is a very picturesque park nearby.

Ticket costs 6 EUR for adults. For children under 17 years old - free.

Schedule

The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday.

Opening hours

• from Tuesday to Friday - 09:00–18:00;
• Saturday, Sunday and holidays - 14:00–18:00;
• first Sunday of the month - 09:00–18:00 (from October 1 to June 30) and from Tuesday to Friday - 10:00–19:00;
• Saturday, Sunday and holidays - 14:00–19:00;
• first Saturday of the month - 14:00–21:00;
• first Sunday of the month - 10:00–19:00 (from July 1 to September 30).

Maritime Museum

Another museum I really enjoyed was the La Rochelle Maritime Museum. It is located on a ship and was used as a mobile meteorological station. It contains a collection of more than 8 ships.

The most interesting thing is that there you can go into almost all the compartments and cabins of the ship: from the captain’s cabin to the technical rooms.

Ticket price - 8 EUR. For children from 18 to 14 years old - 5 EUR. Free admission for students, disabled people and the unemployed.

Opening hours: Monday to Sunday - from 10:00 to 18:30.

Museum of Fine Arts

If you prefer painting, then welcome to the Museum of Fine Arts of La Rochelle. It features works by local artists as well as French and Italian artists.

Ticket price is 6 EUR, and 4 EUR for children under 18 years old.

Opening hours

• from October 1 to June 30 (Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays) 09:30–12:30 and 13:45–17:00;
• from July 1 to September 30 (same days) - 10:00–13:00 and 13:45–18:00;
• on Saturday, Sunday and holidays - 14:00–18:00;
• Tuesday is a day off.

New World Museum

There is also a New World Museum in the city. As a seaport, La Rochelle was closely linked by trade, including the slave trade, with the colonies in North America and then, after independence, with the United States. That is why such a museum was opened, in which you can see items from the everyday life of the Indians, as well as paintings with views of La Rochelle of that era.

Entrance fee is 6 EUR, and for children under 18 years old - 4 EUR.

Opening hours

• from Monday to Friday - 09:30–12:30 and 13:30–17:00, except Tuesday - day off;
• Saturday and Sunday - 14:00–18:00.

Bunker

Another unique museum is the La Rochelle Bunker. This museum tells the history of the city during its occupation by the Germans. It contains photographs, videos and other materials through which you can recognize this sad page in the history of La Rochelle.

Ticket price: 7.50 EUR for adults and 5.50 for children from 5 to 12 years old.

Opening hours: Monday to Sunday - from 10:00 to 19:00.

Museum of Protestantism

La Rochelle was once a purely Protestant city. A museum dedicated to Protestantism remains in the city. There, in particular, you can see several works by John Calvin.

Ticket price is 4 EUR, from 18 to 23 years old - 2 EUR, and under 18 years old - free.

Opening hours: Visits are only possible by appointment.

Automata Museum

In addition to them, you can go to the Automata Museum, where a collection of various machines from all over Europe is collected, dating back to 1900.

Entrance fee is 12 EUR and 8 EUR from 3 to 17 years old.

Opening hours

• school holidays - 10:00–12:30 and 14:00–19:00;
• the rest of the time - 14:00–19:00. July and August - 09:30–19:00.

Also, on the same street, there is Museum of the Reduced models or toys. Its rates and schedule are the same as those of the Automata Museum.

La Rochelle or La Rochelle (as is closer to the French pronunciation) is a small town located on the shores of the Bay of Biscay, known to us from The Three Musketeers and Fort Boyard, attracts thousands of tourists every year.

As we know from the novel by Alexandre Dumas, La Rochelle was a fortress city. There are many sights left here from those times.

The most visited place in La Rochelle was the square in front of Gros Horloge(La Grosse Horloge) or the Big Clock. In addition to the attraction itself, you will find many bars, cafes and shops here.

Old Port- another attraction of the city. From here you can go on an ocean cruise, including to Fort Boyard. And you can have a good lunch or dinner in small traditional seafood restaurants.

Other attractions include city ​​hall(it is located in a 15th century castle), Church of San Sauveur, Henry IV's palace.

But as the Larochellians themselves say, in the center there are only 6 streets that converge at one point - the Big Clock. These streets are worth walking along. And everything else is residential areas. So, take a stroll through the old center and you will find all the attractions of La Rochelle!

What to do in La Rochelle?

Visit famous Fort Boyard. We have described how to do this below.

La Rochelle is home to one of the largest aquariums in Europe. If you come with children, be sure to visit it too.

A maritime museum has been opened at the base of a warship in La Rochelle. If you want to see how sailors and captains live, you are welcome here.

All kinds of sea vessels are available for rent in La Rochelle: yachts, catamarans, kayaks and much more. You can rent and steer yourself (if you have permission), or you can rent a boat with a captain who will take care of everything.

How to get from La Rochelle to Fort Boyard

Fort Boyard is to La Rochelle what the Eiffel Tower is to Paris. Everyone is going there! The fort itself is practically invisible from the city. It is 20 km from La Rochelle. Therefore, to visit it you need to take a 2-hour cruise from the Old Port. This pleasure costs approximately 19 euros per adult. They are not allowed into Fort Boyard itself. It seems that filming for different countries of the world is going on there around the clock. So you are unlikely to see Passport or tigers. The ship will sail around the former prison and return to the port.

Everyone says that you shouldn’t visit Fort Boyard, but how can you resist such temptation!

Where to stay in La Rochelle?

The town is quite small. No dangerous areas were observed in La Rochelle. Therefore, you can live almost anywhere in the city. Of course, the old town is the busiest and most beautiful part of the city. From here it is also close to the central beach. Choose your hotel in La Rochelle using this link.

How to get to La Rochelle?

La Rochelle is located 467 km from Paris. And the two most common ways: plane and train.

By train, the journey from Paris to La Rochelle will take about 3 hours. A regular ticket will cost on average 50-60 euros one way. You can view train tickets on the website->>

La Rochelle also has a convenient airport, La Rochelle / Ile de Ré. Many low-cost airlines land here. From Paris Orly Airport to La Rochelle it takes 55 minutes. See plane tickets to La Rochelle here->>

Weather in La Rochelle

The warmest months in La Rochelle are June, July, August and September. The average temperature in these months is close to +25 degrees. However, in June it can still be cold to swim. The rest of the year, there is a fairly mild maritime climate. But in winter, rain cannot be avoided; snow falls rarely and does not last long.

When is the best time to go to La Rochelle?

Of course, the most tourist time in La Rochelle is summer. More precisely July-August. You can swim to your heart's content and take a boat trip. And, in addition, at this time there is a film festival and a sailing regatta in La Rochelle, which you can also watch.

What to bring from La Rochelle?

La Rochelle is a port and sea city (even oceanic). Therefore, the topic here is appropriate. In addition to standard souvenirs, such as magnets, keychains, etc. you can bring purely sea souvenirs from here. For example, a French vest or bell.

This region produces its own high-quality wine, and Bordeaux is very close here, so it’s not a sin to bring it for yourself or as a gift.

How to get around La Rochelle?

The city has a very developed transport system. And in addition to the usual buses and bicycles in France, you can also use water buses as public transport. Ticket price: 1.30 euros. But the city is very small, you can safely travel around it on foot.

In the application you can download tourist maps of La Rochelle and the city center.

Enjoy your trip to La Rochelle!

About 90 million tourists visit France every year. The state occupies the main territory of Western Europe. The capital is the city of Paris. The largest cities in France are: Lyon, Marseille, Toulouse, Nice, Paris. All cities in France are interesting and each has distinctive features and an interesting history. La Rochelle France is one of the most memorable excursion destinations.

All about La Rochelle

La Rochelle on the map of France is located in the western part of the country in the New Aquitaine region on the coast of the Bay of Biscay. The city is the capital of the Charente-Maritime department. La Rochelle is an important commercial center with a population of 77 thousand people and an area of ​​28.43 square meters. km. La Rochelle is located 480 km from Paris.

Additional Information! The time difference with Moscow is 1 hour.

La Rochelle in France

Story

The history of the city begins in the 10th century - that’s when it was founded. Already in the 12-13 centuries the city became an important economic center of the Templar Order. One of the streets is named in honor of the representatives of the order. They also built a port in La Rochelle, which until the 15th century was the largest on the Atlantic coast of France. The main items of trade in this port city were wine and salt.

From the mid-16th century, the city became the center of the Huguenots and accepted the ideas of the Reformation. This period in the history of La Rochelle is a time of prosperity.

During the Second World War, the Germans built a bunker for submarines in La Rochelle, which has survived to this day. The city became the last among the territories of France liberated from the invaders.

Port of La Rochelle in France

Climate

La Rochelle is a city with a temperate maritime climate. The average temperature in summer is 25 degrees, the maximum is 32 degrees Celsius. In winter, the thermometer shows 5-6 degrees above zero, on the coldest days 10-12 degrees. Most precipitation falls in late autumn and winter.

How to get there

There are several ways to get to La Rochelle from the airport:

• Railway. First you need to get from the airport to the capital of France - Paris. At the airport itself, trains stop at two stations, each serving different terminals. From the Paris station, trains leave for La Rochelle every hour. The journey will take 2.5-3 hours, a one-way ticket for one person will cost 60-65 euros*;
• airplane. La Rochelle has its own small airport. It accepts only domestic flights and low-cost airlines. You can get to the city by plane from Paris Orly Airport. The journey will take 55 minutes;
• Taxi;
• rent a car from the airport.

Excursion to La Rochelle

What to see

The main historical buildings are concentrated in the old port:

• Three city towers. Two of them, San Nicolas and La Chêne, previously served to defend the city and were the main entrance gates to the old port. The third tower, La Lanterne, which more closely resembles a church building, was the city's lighthouse. By the way, this is the last surviving lighthouse from the Middle Ages on the Atlantic.
• Big clock. The square in front of them contains many shops, bars and cafes.
• The Old Port is another place to visit when visiting La Rochelle. From here you can go on a boat trip. There are restaurants here where you can dine on delicious seafood.
• Another attraction is the city hall, which is located in a castle built in the 15th century.
• The famous Ford Boyard. This landmark is often compared in importance to the Eiffel Tower in Paris. It is located 20 km from the city and can be visited by taking a sea cruise. This journey lasts about 2 hours and costs 19 euros* per adult. Tourists are not allowed inside as the place has become a permanent film set. This excursion departs from the old port.
• The building of the old town hall. Its construction, which began at the end of the 16th century, lasted 11 years. This was originally the city government building. Not only the building has survived to this day, but also the defensive wall surrounding it. Now one of the most prestigious and expensive hotels in the city is located here.

It will be very convenient to purchase a La Rochelle guidebook in France, where all the sights of the city are marked on the map.

The famous Ford Boyard

Culture in the city

The city is home to one of the largest aquariums in Europe. A visit to this place will be especially interesting for children. The aquarium is divided into several halls, where the flora and fauna of the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Oceans and the Mediterranean are presented. The hall with the window facing directly into the ocean evokes the greatest interest and admiration among tourists. Here you can also visit the dolphinarium.

La Rochelle is home to many museums that are of great interest to tourists. The maritime museum, which is located in the open air, is interesting to visit. Here you can see ships and yachts from different times. In addition, the following are of interest:

• puppet museum;
• Museum of Fine Arts;
• the Natural History Museum, which is one of the oldest in France;
• art museum;
• perfume museum and many others.

There is a tour desk in the city where you can purchase any excursion you are interested in and book a sightseeing tour of the city. It is worth noting that it will be beneficial to purchase a single excursion ticket, which includes visits to several places at once. It is designed for different amounts of time from 1 to 7 days. To get into the spirit of the city and visit various interesting places, you should set aside at least 3-4 days for an excursion vacation.

Castle on the water

The city hosts various festivals that further diversify the trip:

• song festival;
• Film Festival;
• a week-long sailing festival;
• marine show, which is one of the largest in Europe;
• festival of marine painters and many other interesting events.

One of the brightest entertainments will be a visit to the park on the embankment. For lovers of active nightlife, numerous nightclubs will open their doors, where you can listen to live music and have fun at original parties.

Additional Information! There is also a lot of marine entertainment in this French city. Here you can rent a variety of sea vessels: yachts, catamarans. You can rent a boat with a captain and enjoy a sea voyage under his guidance. The new port of Minimum is interesting to visit. Marine regattas are held here.

Additional Information

Shopping lovers are unlikely to be satisfied with the local conditions: there are no large shopping centers and boutiques in the city. The main shopping area here is Palais Street. It extends from the old port to Place Verdun. There are many shops concentrated here. Parallel to it is Mercier Street, where active trade is also carried out.

The city has a developed public transport system. To get around La Rochelle, you can choose a bus, bicycle, taxi, or water bus.

Additional Information! The cost of a waterbus ride is 1.30 euros*.

There are no beaches within the city. The closest one is located 3 km from the city center - Les Minimes beach. The island of Re has earned the greatest popularity among beach lovers. It is located 9 km from the city. The road from La Rochelle to the island takes about half an hour. It has everything you need for a comfortable beach holiday: sandy beaches, health centers, sea activities.

This small town is of considerable interest to tourists. Arriving here, you can feel the spirit of the Middle Ages, wandering through the narrow streets with ancient buildings. First of all, the La Rochelle France tour is of excursion interest: there is something to see. But beach lovers can also visit this port city and sunbathe on the sandy beaches located near La Rochelle.

*Prices are current as of September 2018.

On this day we visited as many as 4 cities: Vannes, Nantes, La Rochelle and Rochefort. The last time, however, we arrived late in the evening, so we almost immediately went to the hotel. Basically. this was originally planned, since there is nothing particularly interesting in Rochefort.
But Vannes (South Brittany) is worthy of special attention, it’s absolutely beautiful! Ancient streets, half-timbered houses, fortress walls... Everything you need! The city is small, about 50 thousand people live here, but this only makes it more comfortable and nicer. If you're in Brittany, don't miss it! This is one of the most beautiful cities of our entire trip. What can I say, see for yourself!

Hermine Castle (Château de l’Hermine). Isn't it a miracle?

The old town is surrounded by a fortress wall, which has been well preserved since the Middle Ages

Despite its small size, there are quite a lot of tourists here.

The woman opened her mouth from such beauty.

How I love these old half-timbered houses!

And now I will personally introduce you to Monsieur Vannes and his wife... There they are, on the facade of the house... now let’s come closer...

The sculpture is made of granite and painted; experts attribute it to the 16th century. It's just a pity that the hands weren't preserved. Of course, in fact, this couple does not bear the surname Vann at all; that’s what romantic residents of the city called them 300 years later.

We have a busy itinerary planned for this day, so unfortunately we are forced to leave Vannes and move on. And how I wanted to walk around it for at least a couple more hours! But our busy schedule doesn’t allow it, and we move to Nantes, which is about 110 km from Vannes. The city is also interesting, there is where to walk and what to see, although after Vannes it looked a little pale. This is a fairly large city, the sixth largest in France, the former capital of Brittany, but formally no longer part of it.

Probably the most interesting attraction in Nantes is the castle of the Dukes of Breton (Chateau des Ducs de Bretagne), built by the last two rulers of independent Brittany, Francis II and his daughter, Duchess Anne, who was born here in 1477.

As it should be, in the heart of the city is a Gothic cathedral, which houses the tomb of the Dukes of Breton. Against this background is our rental car, in which we drove more than 2000 km across France, Fiat 500L. By the way, I unexpectedly really liked the handling and dynamics (I had never driven a turbodiesel before)

On the way to the hotel, we stop for a couple of hours in La Rochelle, which before that I associated exclusively with Dumas’ novel...
In the distant past there was a fairly large fishing village here, but due to its favorable location it will soon turn into a port city. Its heyday dates back to the 11th century, when it received the title of the largest trading center on the Atlantic coast.
Currently, the city has managed to maintain its port status.

In the Old Port, three towers of the fortress wall, built in the 14th century, are preserved, and are now recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. There used to be a chain between the two towers in the photo, which could be used to block the entrance to the port for unwanted guests.

The embankment in the Starm Port of La Rochelle is a walking area, there are many cafes and restaurants where you can have a delicious lunch.

We had booked a hotel in the town of Rochefort, neighboring La Rochelle (30 km), where we are going for the night. An equally busy day awaits us tomorrow!

The ship stops not near the city itself, but about 10 kilometers from it.
There is a free shuttle from the ship to the city. I still don’t understand who provides and pays for these shuttles, i.e. in some ports they cost $15 per day, and in others they are free. So here, in La Rochelle, although these buses were free, everything was organized much better than in other places! Well, just wonderfully organized!
Firstly, all the girls - guides who help both when boarding the ship and in the city - wore a uniform - it was obvious who to ask for a map of the city or the bus departure time. And they even spoke English))). In the city, there was always one of the buses near the shuttle parking lot - i.e. While you’re waiting, you can sit instead of standing (there are a lot of elderly people on the ship, not to mention the fact that everyone feels tired after walking around the city for many hours). Well, they left one after another - so there was essentially no need to wait. Then, when the ship sailed, all these girl guides, there were about 10-12 of them, stood on the pier and waved their handkerchiefs)))...
By the way, I wouldn’t be surprised if the city pays for this service - cruise tourists are considered very beneficial for the city’s economy)))

And now - the city.

The city left a very, very pleasant impression.
Well, firstly, it seemed to me somehow real, not packed to capacity with tourists. No, it was not empty, not at all - there were a lot of people in restaurants and shops, but they were clearly of French origin, which is very pleasing)))...
I also liked the local streets - so clean and cozy - there are many restaurants everywhere, which really brightens up the life of our brother-tourist - you can sit here, then there)))...

The city of La Rochelle has quite an interesting history.
This time I didn’t read almost anything at all without traveling, although I found some information and even printed it out. But I just read it now - this is how it happens...

This citadel, consisting of two towers, once blocked the entrance (for ships) to the city, to its inner harbor.
The Saint-Nicolas Tower has a characteristic slope. The reason for this is in the pile supports on which this structure rests: over the past centuries they have sagged a little, which slightly knocked the tower down. The massive octagonal Chain Tower housed a drawbridge that allowed the chain to be extended from the Saint-Nicolas Tower, blocking the entrance to the port. They say that it was with these chains that Gargantua was kept in the cradle. On the ground floor of the La Chene tower there is now a small exhibition introducing the history of the local Protestant community, and there is an observation deck on the roof.

The city was the main Atlantic port of France for quite a long time - this was facilitated by its favorable geographical location - in particular, protection from the westerly winds by the island of Re.
Ships with salt and wine departed from here. Salt was probably mainly mined on the island of Re.
At least there is a lot of it in local shops...

And from there (from the island of Re) a lot of expensive potatoes are sold.
At first I couldn’t understand what kind of prices they had for potatoes, but then I remembered that the potatoes there were somehow special and very valuable. Somehow, I still doubt that I personally could feel the difference, hmm... Well, potatoes and potatoes)))...

So.
Let's go back to history).
Those. I’ll just post a few quotes here).
«... one of the largest residences of the Templars was located in La Rochelle, and seven “Templar roads” converging in the port city led here from all corners of the country, providing quick and convenient access in case of sudden need. The main road leading from Paris was properly protected and equipped with special points for the quick change of horses. ... When Philip the Fair began a hunt for the knights of the Order on October 13, 1308, it was here, in La Rochelle, that the Templars managed to transport their treasures. Here ships were already waiting for them, ready at any moment to set sail from the inhospitable shores of France. What happened very soon.»

And further...
“La Rochelle is one of the first places in France where the ideas of the Reformation penetrated: by openly accepting the ideas, the city became the citadel of the Huguenots, the “Atlantic Geneva.” In 1570, at the end of the third religious war, the city (one of four in the country) received the status of a fortress in which Protestants were allowed to settle. Here they were guaranteed freedom of religion, which gave the city a short period of prosperity and peace. After St. Bartholomew's Night in 1572, La Rochelle became a center of Protestant resistance. In 1573, the Duke of Anjou besieged the city, but failed to take it, since the English fleet under the command of Montgomery captured Belle-Ile. In the end, La Rochelle surrendered honorably.
The signing of the Edict of Nantes brought several decades of peaceful life to La Rochelle. However, the townspeople's commitment to Protestantism, close trade and cultural ties with the British (the Duke of Buckingham set up a fortified camp on the island of Re) and after the soldiers of La Rochelle marched in battle against the royal French troops on September 10, 1627, King Louis XIII ordered a siege La Rochelle. Cardinal Richelieu personally supervised the operation.
The city was placed in a blockade ring, for which fortifications 12 km long were erected along all its land borders, and a dam was built into the sea (architect Meteso), blocking the entrance to the port. Fifteen months of painful famine forced the city to submit. Richelieu entered La Rochelle on October 30, 1628, and two days later Louis XIII appeared there. 23,000 people died during the siege. 5,000 survivors were spared, although rebel leaders, including Mayor Jean Guiton, were forced to leave the city for several months. The trade of the port was destroyed and the fortifications were razed.

New persecution of the Huguenots began, culminating in the repeal of the Edict of Nantes by Louis XIV. Many Huguenots fled the country and founded the city of New Rochelle in North America in 1689.
Like any ancient port city, La Rochelle is famous for its captains, explorers and pioneers. In the 15th century, ships with colonists sailed from here to Canada, and Jean de Betancourt set off to discover the Canary Islands. A native of La Rochelle, Delasalle became in 1681 the first European to walk from the headwaters of the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico. R. Gallier, the first European to return alive from Timbuktu, also lived here.
Shipowners from La Rochelle made large profits trading with Canada and Louisiana, and most of all with the West Indies. They made their fortune from a three-way trade that included selling cloth and buying slaves in West Africa, transporting and selling slaves to the Americas, and profitably returning home with large cargoes of colonial goods.
In 1890, a new deep-water port was built in La Pallisa, the operation of which did not depend on the level of tides.”

Honestly, I don’t even remember where I got the quotes from, so I can’t give a link, but I don’t attribute the authorship to myself either)))...

So, as you can see, it’s not exactly a simple town - there are also interesting moments in its history.

By the way, regarding the last statement - that the port was made “deeper”... Hmm...
There are some incredible ebbs and flows there. We noticed this on the island of Re, and here too.
Moreover, in a fairly short time, the water either disappears or appears again.
Look here.
First this photo.
Full of so-so water...

There are even fish swimming...

Now look here!

And the difference in the photo is only a couple of hours...
And you know. I was very interested in one question - where do the fish go during low tides??? The fact is that we watched the tide on the island of Re and saw fish swarming in the shallow water there, and it felt like they were “climbing out of the mud.” Well, you couldn’t see them floating along with the water!!! I don’t even know what to think - maybe there are some special fish there?
And all sorts of mussels, oysters, and snails were also stuck on the walls there... They also somehow adapted and do not die without water...

And about oysters and other reptiles)))...
We went to the local market there.
Here are their prices, maybe someone is interested (or relevant).

Look how nice the prices are here))).

And more from the market...

I saw an interesting flower there - it looks a lot like a rose, but it’s not a rose...

But this, it seems, is the Great Clock Tower.
“It once served as the city gate and was part of the fortress wall separating the Old Port from the city. The tower was originally built at the beginning of the 12th century - at the same time that the medieval city was surrounded by the first fortress wall. Then it was called Parro or Perro, since behind it there was a quarter with that name. In the Middle Ages, the tower gate consisted of two arched openings: the larger one was intended for the passage of carts and carriages, and the smaller one for pedestrians. Already in the second half of the 17th century they were combined into one large arch, which we can see now.

In 1478, a bell tower with a clock was added to the tower, inside which there was a bell that rang every hour. This bell tower lasted for several centuries and was replaced in 1746 by the present elegant structure in the Louis XV style, decorated with pilasters, vignettes and draperies that support putti. The bell now in the tower is one of the heaviest bells in the region, weighing more than two tons.”

Passing under the tower gates, you find yourself on rue de Palais - the main shopping street of La Rochelle. There are many interesting medieval houses here and in the neighboring streets. You can really feel from them that the city had a rich past - the pavements are still in perfect order, only polished over the years to a shine...

And a lot of arches!
These are great guys - in the heat you can walk under them in the shade, and in bad weather you can escape the rain!!!
Why aren't they building this in all cities???!!!

We went to different shops there - there are some interesting ones, by the way)...
There was delicious nougat here (although it seemed a little expensive, but we bought it anyway).

I also bought myself some amazing sparkling soap there with a pleasant sea scent!
(I usually don’t buy such nonsense)))))

We were surprised, for the umpteenth time, it was theirs, French!!! addiction to canned sardines!
And the prices for them, of course, are some kind of delicacy, hee hee...
Well, where have you seen such specialized stores with canned fish???
I personally - ANYWHERE else!)))

And even these stores come across - I will never understand this, who buys in these stores? This Danish mastodon has already spread in all cities and countries and their trade, by the way, is very flourishing! The crisis had a special impact in this case - people apparently began to buy things cheaper... And they don’t care about quality (((...

And another one of the towers closer...