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.
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