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Today, I’m taking my boyfriend on a city tour of La Rochelle. It’s his first time visiting the city, and that’s great because today, I’m feeling like a tour guide. La Rochelle, here we come!
The Market Halls of La Rochelle
First stop: the Market Halls. It’s Saturday,
Inside, fresh fish caught that morning, oysters, whelks, and other shellfish and crustaceans await us. That’s all it takes for us to give in to a dozen fresh oysters, which we enjoy at one of the cafes in the market square.
The Old Town
We then head towards the Natural History Museum; with its fascinating ethnographic collections and botanical garden, it takes us no less than two good hours to explore the place.
Now it’s time for a stroll; we wander through the streets of La Rochelle’s Old Town with its beautiful arcades and old timber-framed facades. The street names are evocative of the dynamism from the city’s past as a trading port: Rue des Merciers, Rue des Cloutiers, Rue du Minage.
The numerous boutiques lining the streets catch our eye, enticing us to interrupt our visit for a bit of shopping.
A few purchases later, we resume our tour.
A short break in front of Saint-Louis Cathedral, inspired by the one in Versailles. Behind the building are Rue Pernelle and Rue Aufrédy. I then tell my friend the story of this La Rochelle couple whose shipowner husband had squandered his fortune on a commercial expedition departing for Africa. The couple ended up in poverty before being taken in by nuns, and when the fortune was found seven years later upon the expedition’s return, he used this money for the construction of a hospice and dedicated himself to caring for the poor.
We then head towards the port, making a detour via the City Hall. It’s currently undergoing restoration after a fire, but we can still glimpse its flamboyant Gothic exterior. It’s one of the most visited buildings in the city, and we understand why!
The Old Port
We finally pass under the Great Clock, once designed to defend the city, and there we are: La Rochelle’s Old Port, with its three majestic towers, its marina, and its long promenade along the quays. A picture-perfect scene right before our eyes!
To our left, we spot the Gabut district and its colorful docks with a Nordic feel. It’s already the end of the day, the
What if we stayed a little longer? It would be an opportunity to take a
I turn to my boyfriend, visibly enchanted by the discovery of this magnificent city. Tomorrow, I’ll take him to discover the exotic and colorful fish at the La Rochelle Aquarium, then we’ll go relax on Port des Minimes beach.
