The Most Attractive Port Along France's Atlantic Coast: La Rochelle by Mary Novakovich

La Rochelle usually wins hands down in any list of the most attractive ports along France’s Atlantic Coast. Its appeal is instant: the sight of two imposing 14th-century stone towers flanking the entrance to the harbour is enough to hook you in. Your attention is then drawn to the dozens of cafés and restaurants lining the square-shaped waterfront, before you realise that there is a warren of arcaded streets hiding behind the Porte de la Grosse Horloge, the immense Gothic gateway that divides the port from the old town.

Enduring Charm

Much of La Rochelle’s enduring charm comes from its refreshing lack of pretension; certainly it attracts tourists, but it’s a workaday town with a thriving port and fishing industry. It was also one of the first places in France to come up with the then revolutionary idea of pedestrianising the town centre. Add to that an alluring combination of superb architecture, excellent restaurants, good beaches, some offbeat cultural attractions and an overall agreeable atmosphere, and it is little wonder that it has become a popular place for a holiday – long or short.

Like most French towns, La Rochelle enjoys its festivals. Every year it hosts Les Francofolies, a six-day celebration of French music of all genres, as well as France’s second largest film festival (after Cannes). Then there’s the annual jazz festival, which brings in top performers from around the world, as well as another smaller one. I, meanwhile, had come to La Rochelle to see how the town makes the most of the Fête de la Musique, the enormous songfest that grips all of France each year to mark the longest day.

I wasn’t disappointed. Thousands came in from neighbouring villages to throng the streets until the early hours, enjoying the music that came from the dozens of stages crammed into every available space. The Rochelais certainly know how to put on a great party. But there’s enough to keep you entertained even without the extra merriment.

Most of La Rochelle’s sights are within an easy walk of the port. A good starting point is Quai Valin, about a 10-minute walk from La Rochelle’s wonderfully elaborate railway station. It’s also the setting for Le Yachtman, a comfortable, three-star Logis de France hotel that combines a great location with a real rarity in the town: a swimming pool. To your left is Le Gabut, a former fishermen’s quarter whose colourful wooden-clad buildings now house numerous restaurants and shops along the waterfront. At its furthest end is the Tour St-Nicolas, one of the two stone towers that act as guardians of the harbour entrance. It’s also one of three 14th-century military towers that are open to visitors who don’t mind a bit of a climb up winding staircases. The views of the town, the Atlantic and the surrounding islands are worth the effort.

Explore Further Beyond

If you want to explore further beyond Le Gabut, it’s a good idea to hire one of the bright yellow bikes on Quai Valin. They’re free for the first two hours, making it one of the more pleasurable ways of taking in some of the outlying attractions. Beyond Le Gabut is one of Europe’s largest aquariums, which will enchant grown-ups as much as children. Or soak up La Rochelle’s maritime history at the Musée Maritime, which includes the chance to explore the 76m frigate, France 1. And two of La Rochelle’s quirkiest sights are twin museums containing a magical display of automated puppets and a whole miniature world including scale models of the train station.

If you want to resume your stroll along the harbour, turn right on Quai Valin towards Quai Duperré, which soon changes its name to Cours des Dames. All along the waterfront are dozens of cafés and restaurants, whose outdoor tables invite you to stop for refreshment and admire the other tower at the end of the Cours, the Tour de la Chaîne, named after the massive chain that used to lock the port at night.

Just beside the tower are the remnants of La Rochelle’s medieval ramparts; a walk along here is peaceful, with the bustle of the harbour behind you. You immediately see the dramatic steeple of the Tour de la Lanterne, the third military tower and a former prison. There are still centuries-old graffiti scratched into the stone walls by prisoners who eventually were shipped off to Devil’s Island and other penal colonies. It’s a sobering and evocative sight.

This part of town has an attractive little jumble of streets, including the pedestrianised Rue Saint-Jean du Pérot where there are at least a dozen restaurants catering for most tastes. My favourite was L’Aunis at number 14, where the menu is inventive and mouth-watering. My salad of scallops and quails’ legs was delicious, and I was very tempted by the flash-fried foie gras and grilled gambas on the menu.

Heart of the Old Town

Once you’ve had enough of the sea air, head back towards Cours des Dames and the Porte de la Grosse Horloge to discover the heart of the old town. One of the most flamboyant structures you’re likely to come across in La Rochelle is the Hôtel de Ville, a wonderful Renaissance confection hiding behind a Gothic exterior wall. Step inside the courtyard to catch a glimpse of the elaborate façade with its fluted columns and stone balustrades. 

Many of the streets here are arcaded – a clever idea if you want to avoid too much sun or rain – and lined with half-timbered buildings, some of which date from the 15th century. This is where the best shopping can be found, particularly in Rue des Merciers, at the end of which is the large covered market. The 19th-century Halles is open every morning, and twice a week the market spills out into the Place du Marché. As you would expect in a coastal town, the seafood on offer in the market is astounding, but the rest of the produce is just as excellent. Both in the market and in the nearby shops you’ll notice a few of the region’s specialities, particularly sea salt, cognac and Pineau des Charentes, the local liqueur.

One of the town’s most enjoyable experiences is a stroll (or bike ride) through the Parc Charruyer, 350 hectares of delightful green space that includes forests, scented gardens, streams and a small animal park. Just the place for a picnic of goodies bought from the market. Or take a walk to the southernmost tip and reach the Plage de la Concurrence. It’s a small beach and the tide goes out quite a distance, which is why locals prefer the much prettier Plage des Minimes beyond the pleasure port of Minimes, a couple of kilometres south of the old port. There’s a little shuttle boat that goes from the harbour to Minimes, which also has a good selection of shops and restaurants.

Serious Relaxation

For serious relaxation, though, it’s hard not to pass up a chance to visit Ile de Ré, one of France’s favourite islands. Since a connecting bridge was built in 1987, French city dwellers have been rushing to buy one of the single-storey, green-shuttered holiday homes on this 30km by 5km sliver of land, and it can get extremely busy in the summer. But if you avoid peak seasons, you can enjoy a few days out in this enchanting place, whose micro-climate is more reminiscent of the Riviera than the Atlantic.

Life immediately slows to a leisurely pace once you cross the connecting bridge from La Rochelle. Bicycles replace cars as the preferred mode of transport; indeed, it’s hard to find a more bike-friendly place. Whole families, from babies to grandparents, can be seen making use of a well-organised network of (mercifully flat) cycle paths, and every village has bike hire shops. It’s the most pleasurable way of exploring the island’s charming villages, pine forests, vineyards, nature reserves, shellfish beds and tracks along the salt marshes that produce the region’s famous sea salt.

Saint-Martin-de-Ré is the island’s capital and largest village, and its lively quayside, bustling market and shops, restaurants, coastal parks and cobblestone streets make it a popular base. (You might want to forgo the bicycle on the cobbles, though. Bit bumpy otherwise.) About two minutes’ walk from the tiny harbour is probably one of France’s most restful hotels, the four-star Le Clos Saint-Martin. Built in the single-storey rétais style, Le Clos is serene, luxurious and elegant: Zen meets the seaside. It also has two pools (one for adults only) and this year plans to open a restaurant and spa to add to its many attractions.

Rewarded With Views

Further along the coast is La Flotte, a smaller version of Saint-Martin with a particularly attractive market and a couple of beaches. The best swimming, however, is on the southern coast, where wide sandy beaches stretch for about 15km. To the north of the island is the Phare des Baleines, a 19th-century lighthouse that is open to members of the public who don’t mind climbing the 257 steps to the gallery. But once you’re there, you’re rewarded with views of the Vendée coast and neighbouring islands such as Ile d’Oléron.

While the magic and tranquillity of Ile de Ré have brought visitors and second-homers in droves, it remains an exclusive place, due mainly to the bridge’s high toll charge, although in the future, this will technically cease to exist, as the costs of the bridge will have been paid off. What that will do to the island’s way of life – let alone its delicate ecosystem – remains to be seen. Let’s hope there won’t be trouble in paradise.

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