We’ve been in La Rochelle for a week now, and what a lovely sea-side town it is. With its modern conveniences blended into the old town architecture it has a really nice, easy-going feel to it. While it’s been a bit rainy and generally cloudy, and a bit cold at 11°C during the day, we’ve managed to get out every day to explore.
By the 12th century La Rochelle was an established trading port, having grown in size and wealth thanks to its many maritime activities. Today, it still has a thriving marine industry with many French boat builders using it for commissioning and launching.
La Rochelle has three towers which are the remains of the fortifications built surrounding the town. Facing out across the Atlantic Ocean, they are a symbol of its historical maritime power. The Tour Saint-Nicolas and Tour de la Chaîne act as the gateway to the old port. They guaranteed its defence and controlled ships’ entry. A place of residence for captains, they were also used as a prison from the l 6th century.
The third tower, the Tour de la Lanterne, with its glass lantern is a rare example of a lighthouse dating from the late Middle Ages. It provided a navigational signal for the trading ships to identify the entrance to the port and has long since been replaced by a pair of leading lights to mark the long channel from the Bay of Biscay into the old harbour. It was used as a prison from the 16th century.
While waiting for our boat to be finished, we’ve rented an AirBnb apartment which is located right on the waterfront of the old town, overlooking the old harbour. We’ll stay here until the end of April.
Sailing Songa 