Photo : Chabe01 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
La Rochelle
La Rochelle, in Charente-Maritime, has about 79,900 inhabitants (2023) and is the most populous commune of the département. It is the most important coastal city between the Loire and Gironde estuaries. Facing it, the islands of Ré, Oléron and Aix protect it from Atlantic storms. Its port, active since the twelfth century, now comprises three ports: fishing, commercial and leisure.
The entrance to the Old Port is marked by three emblematic towers: Saint-Nicolas, the Chain Tower and the Lantern Tower, symbols of its maritime past. The town underwent a famous siege in 1627-1628, an important moment in French history. Its trade grew mainly in the classical era, and its arcades, more than 400 years old, have become a hallmark of its architecture.
The centre is visited on foot, from the Old Port to the arcaded streets, with an aquarium among the town's attractions.
