Lying midway along France’s Atlantic coast, this seaside town and a string of small islands nearby, are the jewel in the country’s holiday crown. Forget the Cote d’Azur and its crowds, high prices and surfeit of celebrities and journey instead to this unspoilt, breathtakingly beautiful capital of the Aunis region. It is ‘La Vraie France,’ the real France.
Formerly a Roman colony, La Rochelle is a town popular with artists and creative people. The writer and painter and art critic Eugene Fromentin lived and worked here and in his book ‘Dominique’ describes the light, skies and intriguingly varied landscapes of the area. Also associated with this maritime town are Jean-Paul Sartre, Voltaire, Corot, Laclos, Simenon and the impressionist painters Marquet, Vernet and Signac.
Fortresses and citadels here testify to La Rochelle’s historic position as an offshore guard post. Initially the invaders were Vikings, then during Napoleonic times it was incursions by the British Royal Navy. In 1199 Eleanor of Aquitaine gave the city a charter and it soon became a major port, trading in salt. Between the 15th and 19th centuries wealthy merchants built lavish limestone mansions that can still be seen in the old town.
Arcaded streets and café-lined quaysides are a big draw. Towering above the inner harbour of the Old Port is Porte de la Grosse horologe, a massive Gothic gate at the entrance to the old town. Opposite La Tour de La Chaine and Tour St Nicolas were once linked by a chain to keep out unwanted seaborne arrivals. The former now houses an exhibition of French immigration to Canada in the 17th century. If you walk along the sea wall you will find the 15th century Tour de la Lanterne. You can buy a ticket and climb the three towers for magnificent views – and the ticket price includes a ride on the electric ferry.
If La Rochelle has a most charming street, it has to be Rue du Palais which runs from the Old Port to Place de Verdun. Grey stone buildings, some half-timbered, line the street. Look out for Hotel de la Bourse and Palais de Justice. Westwards in Rue L’Escale are the homes of 18th century shipowners. The lively market which dates from the 19th century lies in Place du Marche. It serves up fresh fish and local salt along with artistic displays of artichokes and other vegetables plus fruit.
In and around Rue du Palais various museums are located within the townhouses.  The Musee des Beaux Arts, the fine arts museum, displays a collection of paintings from the 15 - 20th centuries.  It includes works by Dore, Corot and Chasseuriau. At the Musee du Nouveau Monde, La Rochelle’s role as a departure point for North America is interpreted.
Nearby between Rue Dupatty and Rue des Gendarmes the Hotel de Ville is worth visiting and there are guided tours daily at 1500 and 1600. A fine example of Franco Italian taste, the building was begun in 1600 by Henri IV and is flanked by a 15th century Flamboyant Gothic wall and a magnificent Renaissance-style courtyard.
Behind Tour St Nicolas lies Quartier Gabut, the former fishermen’s neighbourhood of wooden sheds and cabins, now converted into cafes and shops. Don’t miss the Aquarium right on the quayside with its impressive sharks, sea flora and tropical fish. Opposite is the Musee Maritime housed in two old ships, a trawler and a meteorological research vessel. Our last two museums ar Musee des Automates, a collection of three hundred automated puppets and Musee des Modeles Reduits which dislays miniature cars, naval battles and a model railway.
En route to the beach you will pass Port des Minimes, a low-key marina housing thousands of sailboats. Fine summer weather keeps the ice cream vendors busy and if you fancy a seaside meal a good choice for fish is La Plaisance. For mussels try La Moulinere or Andre back in town. Richard Coutanceau is the gastronomic restaurant in town, fabled for its seafood specialities. For a saddle of lamb with apricots and rosemary or prawns in coconut curry sauce with rice head for La Petite Auberge.
In the shopping department the 19th century covered market held every morning in Place du Marche sells fresh fish and local salt. La Rochelle’s long salt trading history is evident in the region’s souvenir shops where salt pots, spoons and bath salts-a-plenty can be found. For chic clothing boutiques visit Rue du Palais, Grand Rue des Merciers and Rue St Yon. And for secondhand bookshops, antiques and a Saturday flea market, head for Place de La Fourche.
Accommodation in La Rochelle is in short supply, so be sure to book in advance. Top end hotels include Masq hotel, Hotel du Chateau and La Monnaie Art & Spa hotel. Fasthotel, La Marine and Terminus Vieux Port are in the mid-range. There’s no such thing as a budget hotel here. If you have difficulty finding somewhere to stay take the short train ride to Rochefort, where there is more choice. Situated down by the River Charente in the grounds of the former royal ropeworks, La Corderie Royale is a real upmarket treat and has a swimming pool set in pretty gardens.
Part of the building (which is the longest in France) is dedicated to a museum of the royal ropeworks. It is a splendid example of 17th century industrial architecture and until the Revolution supplied the French Navy with rope. An interior exhibition describes the building’s history and nearby – through pretty gardens – is a beautifully restored Arsenal. In the area there is also a shipyard with a rebuilt Hermione. This frigate departed from here in 1780 to help the Americans gain independence from the British. In the yard you can watch craftsmen at work. Other hotels in town include the mid-range La Fayette and Caravelle. And budget travellers can opt to stay at the centrally-located Youth Hostel. Dining out is enjoyable...well this is France after all. Many restaurants have alfresco terraces in the warmer months. You can enjoy fine dining beside the river at La Corderie Royale, or sample the plat du jour at Le Galion opposite the Arsenal. Over at Fouras, some 20 miles south of La Rochelle try the crevettes (shrimp). Fouras also has two mid-range hotels, Le Commerce de Courreau and La Rosarane.
Next stop on our Atlantic itinerary is Brouage, a former military base where there is a memorial to Samuel de Champlain, a local boy made good. It was he who founded the French colony of Quebec in Canada in 1608. A few miles away Marennes is the centre of the oyster production area that supplies some sixty per cent of France’s supply. For details of how to visit the oyster beds by boat or on foot ask at the tourist office at Place Chasseloup-Laubat.
Lying at the mouth of the River Gironde, the town of Royan was a fashionable resort before World War II. In the 1950s it was rebuilt in the style of the post-war era with planned boulevards, shopping centres, car parks and greenery. And the beaches, especially at Pontaillac, are enticingly beautiful. As accommodation in Royan is expensive, it is worth noting that that the place can be visited on a day trip from Rochefort.
Time now to explore the offshore islands. Ile de Noirmoutier is only a part-time island. You can get to this club-shaped island, which is cut off twice daily by the tide, via a bridge or Passage du Gois. The latter is a paved sandbank covered by waves at high tide, so be sure to read the schedule before you go. Noirmoutier-en-Ile is the main township, a pretty harbour town which is home to a fairytale 14th century chateau. Within is a small but interesting museum of local history. For the children Sealand Aquarium, home to some 200 species, is a must.
France’s second largest island after Corsica, Ile d’Oleron is often called “La Lumineuse” owing to its regular sunshine. To the north and west the coastline is dramatic and rocky and to the east are sandy beaches. Best-known for its delectable Marennes-Oleron oysters, the island is reached via a road bridge from the mainland near La Rochelle. To sample the oysters and other delectable fish dishes such as roast sea bass with pesto sauce, stop at Les Jardins d’Allenor for lunch.
An imposing, forbidding citadel, built by Vaubin in the 17th century, was used as a prison during the Revolution. Today the administrative centre is St Pierre d’Oleron. A small island between here and the mainland – Ile d’Aix – is home to a Napoleonic Museum.
Next up is the Ile de Re. This flat island lies just northwest of La Rochelle and is devoted to salt production and bivalve farming. It is linked to the mainland by a two mile bridge, the longest in France. Check out the restaurants beside the yachts at St Martin-en-Re, the island’s fortified capital. In town be sure to dine at Bo - and go for fish – or Les Embruns. And don’t miss the amazing 360 degree views from the lighthouse on the northwest tip of the island.
Our last island Ile d’Yeu lies about 12 miles off the sandy coast. Here the population is just 5,000 and the economy entirely based on fishing and tourism. The capital, Port Joinville, lies on the north coast and has accommodation at the Atlantic hotel and Hostellerie des Clunes. Things to do include cycling along signposted paths through the changing landscape, visiting the romantic 14th century CE castle and relaxing on unspoilt beaches. Best time to go is June – September, although August is a busy time as this is when the French take their summer holiday.

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