Museums and tourist attractions

Rebuilt in the 18th century on the site of the former Courthouse erected by Henry IV, it was completed at the beginning of the Revolution which, after scraping away the fleur-de-lys, inscribed the still visible inscription on the façade: "Temple of Justice under the reign of Liberty and Equality, year II of the French...

Nestled between the Marais Poitevin and the Bay of Aiguillon, the Maison de la Baie du Marais Poitevin provides many different ways to discover the marsh area: mussel farming museum, Pointe St Clément, and the fortified church. Open during school holidays in February and april and from 01/06 to 30/09/2018

Since the 13th century, the port of La Rochelle has occupied this location. It is likely that from the beginning it was fortified. The remaining towers date from the 14th and 15th centuries. They survived the destruction of the enclosure after the siege of 1628. On either side of the entrance are the Saint-Nicolas Tower, the...

La Rochelle was one of the main ports for trade and emigration towards the New World: In the prestigious Fleuriau hotel, a former 18th century town house, the museum will take you on a journey through paintings, engravings, drawings, sculptures, old maps and objects of decorative art from the West Indies to New France, and you...

Built from 1910 to 1922 by the architect Esquier, it is the last great monumental station that French State Railways had built. At the time, the project was surprisingly large for a city with a population of just under 30 000 inhabitants. The exterior decoration displays a maritime inspiration: shellfish, fish and crustaceans.

After the Siege of 1628, the Catholics saw fit to make the former Protestant stronghold the head of a diocese. So it needed a cathedral. Jacques Gabriel drew up the plans but died just before the first stone was laid in 1742. His son and successor, Jacques-Ange Gabriel, directed the construction from afar, helped in 1773 by the...

Headquarters of the Chamber of Commerce from 1760 to 2002. Building of the purest 18th century with two wings joined by a gallery with columns marking out a courtyard where the compass rose on the ground and bas-reliefs on the façade (trophies, anchors, oars, sextants) are tributes to maritime traffic, the source of La...

Saint Nicolas Tower : This military building facing the ocean symbolises the power and wealth of La Rochelle. Both a true keep, 42 metres high, and a residence, it was constructed around a labyrinth of staircases and corridors built within its walls. Chain Tower : From this Tower, entry to the old port, movement of ships was...

Corner of Rue Pernelle and Rue Aufrédy. Gothic bell tower from the 15th century. It belonged to the Church of Saint-Barthélemy, which was destroyed in 1568 during the Wars of Religion. It was here that the election of the Mayor of La Rochelle was held every year, at the Quasimodo.

On 28 June 2013 at 1.55pm, a serious fire broke out in the Town Hall building in La Rochelle. Behind its high Gothic wall topped by a belfry tower, this iconic building of the city held many souvenirs, including those relating to the Siege, the Aldermen's Hall, the Great Festival Hall and the Jean Guiton Office with its...