If you are planning a trip to France, you may not be thinking about visiting La Rochelle, a small city on the Atlantic coast of France. However, after this post, I hope you reconsider your travel itinerary. After spending four months exploring La Rochelle in 2019, I can assure you that it is one of the most beautiful cities in the world!
Some History
La Rochelle played a vital role in French trade beginning in the 12th century and lasting until the end of the Seven Years’ War. Today, La Rochelle is a vibrant city with several historic sites and medieval buildings and is most known for its seafood and its two 14th century towers that guard the entrance to the old port (Vieux Port).
Vieux Port is the beating heart of La Rochelle. On any given day, you’ll see bikers riding down the old, cobbled streets, hear the sharp cling of boat masts in the ocean breeze, and hear the chatter of tourists and natives as they go about their lives. Sitting with my legs dangling off the port walls on a sunny day watching the city breathe was my favorite pastime. The city has a beautiful, honeyed glow to it, and the limestone shines so brilliantly that I had to shield my eyes on a bright day. Walking along Quai Duperre, the street alongside the port, you will find several delicious restaurants and small boutiques to enjoy. I highly recommend you dine outside while at La Rochelle, so long as the weather is nice. There is something so beautiful about watching the world go by as you enjoy your food with a gentle sea breeze.
Where to Stay?
On my most recent trip to La Rochelle, I chose to stay at the Hotel Saint Nicolas, which is a chic hotel just a two minute walk from Vieux Port. The hotel’s exterior blends in with the surrounding architecture; I hadn’t realized we were at the hotel until we passed it! They have an off-street parking option with electric car chargers, which you do have to pay a little extra for (but it is well worth it during their busy season). Beyond the reception desk and the dining area, they have a beautiful and open working space with several plugins and ample natural light from slanted windows. The rooms were cozy and had ample space for all our luggage, and the toilet was separate from the shower. The only downside was the shower in our room, which did not have a door, so make sure to book a two bed room if you want to avoid some awkward shower adventures. Overall, the Hotel Saint Nicolas offered a great price for our accommodations, and we were in a centralized location!
Things to Do
There are so many things to do in La Rochelle, but here is a list of highlights from my trips:
The La Rochelle Towers
While at Vieux Port, you absolutely must make time to visit the La Rochelle Towers. There are three towers here at the port: the Saint Nicolas Tower, the Chain Tower, and the Lantern Tower. The Saint Nicolas Tower and the Chain Tower are the two most recognizable towers as they guard the entrance to the port. All three date back to the medieval ages and have witnessed several historic events and even held prisoners during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The towers were made from limestone, and the prisoners were able to carve their names and stories on the walls of the towers using their chains. The views from atop the Saint Nicolas Tower are the best, however you should plan to visit all three to get a good picture of life in La Rochelle throughout the centuries.
The La Rochelle Aquarium
The La Rochelle Aquarium is a modern and rustic building by the La Rochelle convention center, a couple minutes’ walk from the Vieux Port. The aquarium is worth a visit for families and solo travelers, taking approximately one hour to experience. Visitors enter the “elevator,” a fun moving room where you are “transported” to the bottom of the ocean. From local fish species to more globally recognized undersea creatures, you will learn so much about what lives in our oceans and how each living creature supports the marine ecosystem. I recommend the audio guide for your visit as the audio goes into more depth about the fish and animals you will see. Don’t forget to stop at the gift shop before you leave; there are so many cute gifts, and plenty of small tokens to bring back to your friends and family!
Chat’Ren’Thé
One of my favorite things to do was to visit a small cat café in La Rochelle, the Chat’Ren’Thé. When you enter, you’ll see cats hanging out in their towers or running up to you to say hello. Order a drink and a light food item and enjoy the company of French cats. Be careful though, as some kitties love to eat your whipped cream!
The Maritime Museum of La Rochelle
The Musée Maritime de La Rochelle (The Maritime Museum of La Rochelle) is another fun outing. You get on different boats and learn about La Rochelle’s seafaring history and the importance of the ports of La Rochelle throughout history.
Museum of the New World
The Musée du Nouveau Monde (the Museum of the New World) is one of my favorite museums in La Rochelle. This museum details the important role of La Rochelle and the New World, or the Americas. As you walk through the 18th century mansion, you will find several rooms and artifacts from New France, the West Indies, and La Rochelle. This is definitely a must visit while you are in La Rochelle.
While you are at La Rochelle, there are several great excursions outside the city, like a day trip Île de Ré, Rochefort, and the many beaches, parks and museums in the surrounding towns and cities. Keep an eye out for a future blog post talking about the surrounding area!
Best Places to Eat at in La Rochelle
La Rochelle has many lovely eateries but unfortunately many of my favorite haunts have closed post-pandemic. While I can recommend some restaurants that are still in business, I would absolutely hunt around for more places while you are there!
L’Épi de Blé
One of my favorite restaurants in La Rochelle was just off the Vieux Port, a crêperie called l’Épi de Blé (ear of wheat in English). I used to go there after classes at the La Rochelle University with my study abroad friends. They have the most delicious hard cider (I would recommend the rose hard cider; it is to die for!) and a delicious selection of sweet and savory crêpes (savory crêpes are often referred to as galettes in France). My favorite crêpe is the La G’M, a salted chocolate filled crêpe that is doused in rum and then set ablaze at your table.
Brasserie La-Haut
Another lovely spot to eat and enjoy the views from the port is Brasserie La-Haut, the restaurant above the La Rochelle Aquarium’s gift shop. The views are quite lovely and it’s a great spot to grab some hot chocolate, tea, or coffee after touring the aquarium. They have some vegetarian options, although their dishes ironically focus on seafood.
Crêperie de Verdun
As a crêpe fanatic, I also must mention another restaurant a little more removed from the Vieux Port: The Crêperie de Verdun. Located by the Place de Verdun and right across the street from the Saint Louis Cathedrale in La Rochelle, this Crêperie is the perfect place to meet friends, grab a bite for breakfast or lunch, and sit outside on the bright stones of the square. Again, I would highly recommend getting hard cider here (and from every crêperie you visit), and do not miss out on the sweet crêpes!
Lunch and Breakfast Spots
Generally speaking, most hotels offer breakfast with your stay, which I recommend as you get several options for food and breakfast services is available everyday (also their teas, coffees and hot chocolates are delish!). If you want to have breakfast in La Rochelle, I would recommend going to any of the numerous cafes, or visiting a Boulangerie where you can find delicious baked goods! For lighter lunches or quick to-go options, I recommend Palem Café, Café Albert, French Coffee Shop, and Le Jardin du Marche. All feature healthy salad, sandwich and breakfast options, and are great for a quick pause before you continue your adventure.
Shopping
There are so many small and unique boutiques, thrift stores, chocolate and tea shops in La Rochelle, and that doesn’t even include the massive markets on Wednesdays and Saturdays, where you can buy local produce, cheeses, sweets and nonperishables. When I left La Rochelle to head back home after my study abroad semester, I made sure to stop by the following shops to bring back some goodies for my friends and family (and for myself)!
The Market
The Market at La Rochelle cannot be compared to any market I have been to in the U.S. The streets are closed off and cluttered with tables, produce, street food, vendors, and artisanal products from the surrounding area. It can be overwhelming (especially on a Sunday), but it is enchanting nonetheless to stroll through the market, watching as locals go about their daily lives. Pick up some fruit, try some food, buy some products to take home, or just enjoy the smells and sights.
If you are looking for a good spot to grab food during the market, you should go into the Marché du Centre Ville at the Place du Marché. There are crepes, sandwiches, and several other food vendors inside. If you spot a cheese vendor, grab some brebis cheese (I promise it’s amazing, like if parmesan had a baby with gouda). A cheese vendor inside the Marché du Centre Ville also sells a delicious cake called scofa, which is made by nuns from Niort. It is so light and delicious, and is perfect for a light snack after the market.
Maison Merling
Maison Merling is a gorgeous tea shop right by Place du Marché, the center of the market on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The interior is what every tea-lover dreams of: tall shelves of loose tea for sale; packaged biscuits, cookies, and candies to accompany un tasse de thé; tea cups, saucers, steep ware and teapots lining the back room walls; boho plates, scarves, and accessories scattered here and there; and, an assortment of tea collections, hot chocolate mixes, and amazing small gifts you can bring back for your friends and family. The bookshelf ladders that run along the big wooden shelves of tea and tea ware will give you the impression that you are walking onto the set of Beauty and the Beast!
My favorite part of Maison Merling, besides their delectable “Divine Rose” tea, a bag of which I smuggled back from my most recent trip, is their upstairs tearoom. The upstairs is open and bright thanks to the massive windows looking down on the street below. You can try any tea that you see downstairs, and it is the perfect spot for a pause in your day. Your tea is served in a teapot with a beautiful teacup and saucer along with some lumps of sugar and a packaged cookie. This was one of my favorite haunts during my time in La Rochelle, and I wish one was in my hometown!
L’Atelier du Chocolat
Extremely close to Place du Marché is L’Atelier du Chocolat, one of my favorite chocolatiers in all of France. I had the great pleasure of touring their chocolate museum in Bayonne, France to see the chocolatiers at work, learn more about the history of chocolate making, and sample some of the best chocolate I ever had. But I must save the rest of that story for another post! The interior of the chocolate shop is small but very light and clean, and they have several chocolatey temptations to please any sweet tooth.
One unique offering is a chocolate bouquet, where they wrap various and large pieces of chocolate like a bouquet. My personal favorite treats are their “Feuillants D’Or en Sachet”, or “gold leaves”, which are perfect, bite-sized chocolates rolled in crêpe dentelle (crispy crêpe pieces). They also sell chocolate squares carved with the two towers of La Rochelle, which make for a lovely gift!
Carré Vintage
Finally, I loved to shop at a vintage store right across the street from Maison Merling called Carré Vintage, where they sell a tasteful variety of French vintage (with some American biker jackets thrown in). I purchased two beautiful skirts and a fun lace shirt from their store in excellent condition, and at a very reasonable price.
I could talk about La Rochelle all day, can you tell? I just can’t recommend it enough. I hope that you learned something new about France and are inspired to visit areas beyond Paris. There is so much to see in this world, so don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Thank you so much for reading, and please enjoy some more random photos I took of La Rochelle!
Autumn Leaves 
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