La Rochelle in 1, 2 or 3 days: the unmissables
So that you don't miss a thing during your stay, check out our selection of essentials in La Rochelle. For a day or a weekend, don't miss out on the must-see sights, activities and places to visit.
After lunch at a restaurant in the former fishermen's district, Rue St-Nicolas, or on a terrace of the intimate Place de la Fourche, head for La Rochelle Aquarium by electro-solar ferry. Recognised as one of the largest private aquariums in Europe, this space dedicated to marine creatures attracts anyone who’s curious or passionate about marine life. Allow a good 2 hours to visit La Rochelle Aquarium. To end your day and bring back a bit of La Rochelle in your suitcase, head for Quai des Artisans. Farol cutlery and Matlama bags and accessories are based there and open the doors of their workshop/boutique to you.
In summary:
- Stroll through the arcades of the old town and visit Rue de l'Escale
- Visit the market and have a drink around the 19th-century covered market
- Lunch in the St-Nicolas district on the intimate Place de La Solette
- Take the ferry across the Old Port
- Visit La Rochelle Aquarium
- Do some Made in La Rochelle shopping at Quai des Artisans
It’s just a few steps from the graffiti left by prisoners in the Lantern Tower to the modern graffiti of Gabut. Stroll through the surprising Gabut district with its colourful wooden houses with their Scandinavian inspiration, home of street art in La Rochelle. Along the Bassin des Chalutiers or the Bassin à Flot, lots of restaurant terraces invite you in to relax.
Climb aboard France 1, the unusual Maritime Museum afloat in Bassin des Chalutiers. Here, you can discover life aboard this meteorological frigate and the history of La Rochelle through its ports in spaces on land. To end the day, take your picnic basket for a quick dinner until sunset, in one of La Rochelle’s seaside parks.
In summary:
- Enjoy a coffee in front of the towers on the quays of the Old Port
- Climb to the top of La Rochelle’s towers
- Take a walk through the Gabut district
- Visit the Maritime Museum
- Picnic in the parks facing the sea until sunset
In the evening, be sure to take a stroll or reserve your table in the unmissable "restaurant street": Rue St-Jean-du-Pérot. Here, restaurants of all types rub shoulders with wine bars, rum and beer bars in a wonderful festive atmosphere.
In summary:
