Mrs FD, Jnr FD (2 yr old), the inlaws, and myself are going to La Rochelle this coming weekend for a week.

What things would people recommend that we do and see whilst we are there?

Ta

ile de re is worth a visit, very nice relaxed feel to the place. I’d recommend stopping at either La Flotte or the larger Saint-Martin-de-Re. Both very pretty towns with good restaurants, Saint-Martin-de-Re has a tremendous ice cream shop on the harbour side which is worth the trip on its own.

To keep to the cycling theme. The island is criss crossed with well signposted, segregated cycle paths, bikes are available to hire from loads of places. It is mostly flat so is manageable for pretty much anyone and really is the best way to see the island.

If you’ve not got your own transport or don’t want to take a taxi you can take a bus from outside La Rochelle train station over to the island.

take a surf lesson.
“surfing’s the source. it’ll change your life, swear to god.”
🙂

As MW said, head to Ile de Re. We’ve spent about three weeks there in the last three years, and it’s a lovely chilled out place. All very traditional and not spoilt (yet) by tourism. St Martin-de-Re in beautiful. And it’s the perfect place for cycling everywhere – we’d cycle to the beach with tag-alongs and buggys, then bike to town for lunch etc, great chilled out way to spend time. We’ll probably go back next year too.
La Rochelle has a nice enough harbour and front, and the aquarium is superb if that floats your (and the kids) boat.
Enjoy.

The aquarium is indeed a good one.
Plenty of tourist trips via boat out of La Rochelle too.

I got propostioned by a pervy old man in the public toilets in La Rochelle harbour (by the kids fair)…..

There are some nice bits of old town in La Rochelle…

Not sure how much the toll bridge is across to Ile de Re these days but I recall being a little surprised last time I went (though it wasn’t extortionate). Certainly worth the money though.

Another vote for time on the Ile de Re, although the bridge toll is pricey. Centre of La Rochelle even kept the kids happy.

Heading down the coast south from La Rochelle is also worthwhile both beaches and towns. Didn’t think much of Rochefort but little places like Brouage were pleasant surprises. If you can be bothered going that far, Ile d’Oleron is worth a stop.

There’s a whole canal infrastructure just inland of Rochefort which can be used to link pleasant villages on the bike too.

I didn’t think La Rochelle was a real place.

Thought it was just made up for GCSE French text books? 😆

Thanks for the info.

We are staying slightly in land of La Rochelle itself, but will make the effort to go out to Ile de Re, sounds like our kind of place.

Will have to hope the weather improves a bit!

spent most of our time there cold chilling on the beach eating baguettes, drinking cans and watching the girls go by. class.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdpxR0SO7G4[/video]

It is a most excellent place LaRoch.. Sailings huge there, they love their bikes too. Seriously if you don’t have a good time then you’ve no heart.
Spectacular is an apt word to describe the area.
I’ve been loads (mainly sailing) and all comments above are spot bang on.
If it rains (it can, don’t worry if you are going to miss it) then just wrap up and get on with it.
Or hang around in a cafe’

“is jealous”

Oh meant to ask, any recommendations on sheltered beaches ie no big waves where a 2 year old can tootle around in safety

A LOT of the beaches on that stretch of coastline have difficult currents and strange tides. I’ve been going there for about 28 years and the number of people who you see having their legs taken out from under them and find themselves further offshore than they realised is quite significant.

Royan a bit further south is quite family friendly, and Fouras too (not quite as further south) and keep an eye out for the sections of the beach watched by the French police (pretty sure it’s the CRS) as obviously they’re even safer.

Depending where you’re staying, also consider going further north. There are some beaches along the stretch from L’Aiguillon sur Mer to up and past Les Sables d’Olonnes. The coast road used to be lovely but a lot got heavily damaged in the storms a couple of years back and I didn’t visit the family there last year so no idea how it’s recovered.

Basically, one of my favourite parts of France. Great weather, great food (Les Flots in La Rochelle is fantastic) and good wine (just don’t drink the stuff made in the area as the wine from there and Vendee is a bit shit).

All the above plus:
There’s as municipal swimming pool on La Rochelle which is good for the kids if the weather isn’t beach-friendly.

We camped behind the beach just South of La Rochelle – some nice cycle paths following the coast there for pootles.

Near the camp site was a bistro on the beach – sitting outside watching the sun set over the ocean, drinking wine and eating moules et frites was ace.

There’s a bike shop on Ile de Re (by the lighhouse I think) which rents out penny farthings. They’ll let you have a play up and down the road for 1 euro in the tin, got to be done!

If you go into Tour de la Chaine on the harbour don’t sit under cracks in the ceiling. It hurts when the loose plaster hits your head while chilling out to Jazz!
Beware the ice cream specials with Marc and Grappa in them I am missing an evening from my holiday because of them.

My parents lived 10 mins drive from La Rochelle for 7-10 years or so, place called Chaille-les-Marais. I’ll email them for recommendations of restaurants etc. There’s a really superb seafood restaurant they loved (not expensive either), but i can’t recall name or location, I’ll find out.

Don’t know if it’s still there but there was a parrot (type) bird sanctuary on the Ile de Re that was run by a Jean Micheal Jarre type character ,he seems as mad as a box of frogs and you have to sit through a performance but he’s pretty good. non of the animals are in cages they like it so much there they stay.

be prepared for mixed weather even in august we were once there in july and yachts were been washed up on the beaches as the weather/seas was so bad..
nice friendly folk can cost a penny or two eating out is essential every evening.. les francais like to dine later 8 pm plus.. book the nice restaurants ( even the poor ones) to get a table, the cidre form further north is to die for and you ll be eating moules and crepes till they come out of your ears.. you and the kids will love it..

This is edited info from my parents, so might be a bit jumbled, have a nice hol:
La Rochelle
The main shopping streets are very attractive and have stone archways.
Towards the port is a large Archway with the large clock (Port de la grosse horloge) and that’s a good route to the port area.

The Hotel du ville (Town hall) is interesting and a lovely building and there is a plaque outside in memory of the mayor Léonce Vieljeux who was relieved of his office of mayor, and expelled from the city by the Germans in 1941. After returning to the city he was sent to the Schirmeck concentration camp near to Strasbourg. He remained there until September 1st 1944 when he was taken to the Struthof concentration camp.
In his 80th year, he was shot together with 300 men and 92 women.
Obviously there are lots of other interesting places in LR including the WW2 submarine pens.
Also, Les Bouchoeurs, which is just south of La chatelaillion, is a nice place with a very good and inexpensive restaurant Called Mirko. You just walk south along the shore pathway until you come to it but it is shown on Google maps
If it’s raining the Aquarium is fantastic.
Apart from LR I suggest two other places as must go to’s.
The first is the Isle de Re. Lovely place although the bridge toll is expensive at about €16 return. It goes from €9 in the winter to the higher price in the summer! Go to Saint Martin de Re but drive there via La Flotte. At Saint Martin we liked the Bistro Marine which is across the harbour facing south.

The other place we suggest is the Venice Verte area and particularly to Damvix, Arcais and Coulon. look at e.g a Google map of the area they will see that it consists of hundreds of canals. The drive from Arcais to Coulon is particularly attractive.

Restaurants in La Rochelle.
cafe de la Paix great 1930’s style and decent food or coffee.

Bistro de Meme (Grandmas Bistro) It is run by 2 gay guys great fun and great deco.

Les 4 Sergents

Les Flot it looks like a wooden hut just before you walk between the 2 towers on the right.

Le comptoir des Vogages. The second 2 are owned by the same guy Gregory Coutanceau a big name in good food.

His father has a fantastic place but very expensive.

All good value at lunch time. Menus sometimes available in english.

Another nice place to visit is Surgeres pretty village. Also Sainte is great with all its roman ruins.

Hope this makes sense and is helpful. Forgot to say the Bistro Marine at St Martin on the ile de re closes on a thursday. They do great entrecote steaks and old fashioned chips.
Chatelaillon Plage south of La rochelle is a really pretty little town, very scenic, a real old fashioned seaside town with a fab beach.
Chatelaillon has a nice market Tuesday and Friday in the street. La Rochelle market is Saturday all through the streets in the centre near the covered market that is open most mornings.
Fouras is a pretty little village south of Chatelaillon Plage.

Theddy Moules at Charron is the fantastic fish place it is a wooden building with big plastic awnings on the side. The moules are always good and fresh.

great surf and nudie bits on the beaches down towards royan – not all fat ugly ones either G
for what its worth I like that area only prob its a bit flat inland

Surely you’ll make straight for the U Boat base? It was where parts of Das Boot was shot, what more do you want?!

+1 Il de Re.

La Flotte and St Martin as others have said. Stay if you can, hire bikes, ride around!