La Rochelle and Ile de Re - A Little Bit Of Food Heaven Before Heaven

La Rochelle,( a little over 3 hours by TGV from Paris)  is a 10th-century fishing village that by the 13th century had evolved into the hub of France’s wine and salt trades, is an unspoilt gem of a town with an attractive dynamic of modern life layered on rich layers of history.

Still guarded by medieval twin towers (which you can visit, traversing the harbor on a “sea bus”), the Vieux Port is one of the most photographed harbors on France’s Atlantic coast. Once a row of fishermen’s huts, the vibrantly painted clapboard buildings now house alluring boutiques and quaint restaurants which overlook small-yacht traffic.

La Rochelle is rewarding to explore on foot; its cafés offer handy pit stops for a refreshing ice cream or citron pressé.

Known for its seafood, I always on arrival, before I head over the bridge to the Ile de Re, have lunch at my hangout seafood restaurant, Restaurant Andre  http://www.barandre.com/

There is also a 2 Star Michelin restaurant – Richard et Christopher Coutanceau right around the corner from Restaurant Andre. 

The old town of vaulted stone arcades and historic public buildings also features a floating Maritime Museum whose centerpieces include a weather ship, trawler and tug boat; several grand 17th- and 18th-century private mansions; the newly restored Natural History Museum; and a Fine Arts Museum.

Charming by day, the town is beautifully lit by night.

From La Rochelle, you cross a toll bridge to the small, flat Ile de Ré, celebrated by artists for the quality of its light and by  French celebrates ( looking for solitude) and families for its vast cycling trails, this is one of my favorite vacation spots in all of France or even a spot to relax for a weekend from Paris.