La Rochelle is a town and commune of western France, and a seaport on the Atlantic Ocean (population 76,584 in 1999). It is the préfecture (capital) of the Charente-Maritime département(17). The city is connected to the Île de Ré (island) by a 2.9 km bridge, completed in 1988. Its harbour opens into a protected strait, the Pertuis d'Antioche.

History: La Rochelle was founded during the 10th century, and became an important harbour from the 12th century. In 1137, Guillaume X, Duke of Aquitaine essentially made La Rochelle a free port. Fifty years later, and for the first time in France, a city mayor was named for La Rochelle, Guillaume de Montmirail. Until the 15th century, La Rochelle was to be the largest French harbour on the Atlantic coast, dealing mainly in wine and salt.

The Siege of La Rochelle: During the Renaissance, La Rochelle adopted Protestant ideas, and from 1568 became a centre for the Huguenots, initiating a period of freedom and prosperity until the 1620s. The city finally entered in conflict with the central authority of the King Louis XIII, when cannon shots were exchanged on September 10th 1627 with Royal troops. This resulted into the Siege of La Rochelle in which Cardinal Richelieu blockaded the city for 14 months, until the city surrendered and lost its mayor and its privileges. The growing persecution of the Huguenots culminated with the revocation of the Edict of Nantes by Louis XIV. Many Huguenots emigrated, founding such cities as New Rochelle in the vicinity of today's New York in 1689.

La Rochelle and the New World: The following period was a prosperous one, marked by intense exchanges with the New World (Nouvelle France in Canada, and the Antilles). La Rochelle became very active in triangular trade with the New World, dealing in the slave trade with Africa, sugar trade with plantations of the Antilles, and fur trade with Canada. This was a period of high artistic, cultural and architectural achievements for the city.
The city eventually lost its trade and prominence during the decades spanning the Seven Years' War, the French revolution and the Napoleonic Wars. During that period France lost many of the territorial possessions it had in the new World, and also saw a strong decrease in its sea power in the continuing conflicts with Britain, ultimately diminishing the role of such harbours as La Rochelle.

19th century: In 1864, the harbour of La Rochelle (area of the "Bassin à flot" behind the water locks), was the site for the maiden dive experiments of the first mechanically-powered submarine in the World, Plongeur, commanded by Marie-Joseph-Camille Doré, a native of La Rochelle.

Today: The city has beautifully maintained its past architecture, making it one of the most picturesque and historically rich cities on the Atlantic coast. This helped develop a strong tourism industry. From the harbour, boating trips can be taken to the Île d'Aix and Fort Boyard. Nearby Île de Ré is a short drive to the North. The countryside of the surrounding Charente-Maritime is very rural and full of history. To the North is Venise Verte, a marshy area of country, criss-crossed with tiny canals and a popular resort for inland boating. Inland is the country of Cognac and Pineau.
The industrial harbour of La Pallice, as seen from the bridge to Ile de Ré.
La Rochelle possesses a commercial harbour in deep water, named La Pallice. The large submarine bunker built during WWII still stands there, although it is not being used. La Pallice is equipped with oil unloading equipment, and mainly handles tropical wood. It is also the location of the fishing fleet, which was moved from the old harbour at the center of the city during the 1980s.
La Rochelle also maintains strong links with the sea by harbouring the largest marina for pleasure boats in Europe at Les Minimes, and a rather rich boat-building industry.
The Calypso, the ship used by Jacques-Yves Cousteau as a mobile laboratory for oceanography, and which was sunk after a collision in the port of Singapore (1996) is now displayed (sadly rotting) at the Maritime Museum of La Rochelle.
One of the biggest music festivals in France, "FrancoFolies," takes place each summer in La Rochelle, where Francophone musicians come together for a week of concerts and celebration. 2004 marked the 20th anniversary of this event.
La Rochelle is the setting for the best-selling series of French language textbooks in the UK, titled Tricolore. The central character, Martine Domme, lives with her family at the fictional address of 12, Rue de la République.

La Rochelle is still permanently innovating; the presence of many electric vehicles within the city is one of the many examples of the will of the inhabitants not to go against this tradition of modernity.


Clocher St Barthelemy: Gothic bell tower dating from the 15th century belonging to St Barthélémy Church where the election of the mayor used to take place every year. The church was destroyed in 1568 during the religious wars.

Tour de la Chaine: Constructed between 1382 and 1390 the Chain from which the it takes its name still lies preserved at the foot of the tower. It was stretched from a smaller tower which was destroyed in 1824 to enlarge the entrance of the port. The captain of the tower resided there and was charged with its maintenance.

Tour St Nicolas: A true stately keep. Concentrating on the sea this 42 m high military building consists in a maze of steps and corridors built into the thickness of the walls. The walkway and the lookout post, 28 m and 37 m high each, offer a spectacular view over the old port.

Tour de la Lanterne dite des 4 Sergents: 70 metres tall, crowned with an octagonal gothic spire, the Lantern tower served throughout its history as a lighthouse and a prison. Around 600 fascinating graffiti left by Dutch, British and Spanish corsaires can be seen daubing the walls. In 1822 two of the four 'Carbonari sergeants' were incarcerated here before their execution in Paris. From the second circular walkway at 50 metres, a splendid view of the islands, the bay and the town is afforded.


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