35 minutes south of La Rochelle on the banks of the River Charente, Rochefort has always looked to the ocean, especially since the adventure of the frigate Hermione in the American War of Independence. And it was here in Rochefort that the vessel which carried General La Fayette to the New World in 1780 was publicly reconstructed. Any visit by the Arsenal des Mers is always an unmissable event.
But what else should you definitely see, do and eat when you visit Rochefort?
Here are just a few things that you absolutely shouldn’t miss.
What to see
- The Hermione (currently undergoing careening in the port of Bayonne)
- The transporter bridge
- The Corderie Royale rope-making museum
- The harbour
- The Place Colbert (featured in Les Demoiselles de Rochefort)
- The Church of Saint Louis
- The Les Halles market
What to do
- Visit the Maritime Museum
- Take a night-time tour
- Enjoy a show at the La Coupe d’Or theatre
- Play a round (or two) of golf
- Take a walk in the Jardin des Retours gardens
- Climb the ropes of the Accro-Mâts
- Tour the world at the Musée Hèbre
- ...and experience a 3D visit of Pierre Loti's house
- Travel through time at the Musées des Commerces d’Autrefois museum of retailing
- Visit the Naval Medical College
- Visit the aerospace and naval museum
- Visit the Conservatoire du Bégonia botanical garden
And nearby:
- Fort Boyard
- The Île Madame
- The Île d’Aix
- Fort Lupin
- Fort de la Pointe
- Fouras
What to eat & drink
- Charente melons
- Mogette white beans
- Salt marsh lamb
- Jonchée fresh cheese from the salt marshes
- Sea salt
- Samphire
- An éclade of mussels
- Grillon Charentais paté
- Grattons (dried and compressed pork, goose, chicken or duck fat)
- Farcis Charentais stuffing
- A chowder
- Eel bouilliture (stewed with red wine and prunes) or matelote (stewed with red or white wine and aromatic flavourings)
- Fried céteaux (wedge sole)
- A Douzane plaited brioche (on Palm Sunday)
- Broad bean soup
- Charentes-Poitou butter
- Caillebotte curd cheese
- Galette de Beurlay (galette charentaise) cake
What to bring back
- Biscuits
- Pineau des Charentes
- Cognac
- A cake
- Salt
- Chocolates Yves Thuriès (Meilleur Ouvrier de France)
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From the peaks of the Pyrenees to the Marais Poitevin canals via the wharfs of Bordeaux, the beaches of the Atlantic to the shores of Lake Vassivière near Limoges, Nouvelle-Aquitaine is full of fascinating, entertaining stories that will amuse one and all.