La Rochelle Hotels

Set in south-west France on the Bay of Biscay, the town's history is interesting to say the least. It's been a military base in almost every major war throughout history, an important harbour since medieval times, and it was even one of the Knight's Templars' strongholds back in the Middle Ages.

Discovering La Rochelle

For a lazy afternoon, take a walk around the Old Harbour and soak up the atmosphere, dropping in on cafés and boutiques along the way as you wander down to the quaint old town. And make sure to look out for the great big, medieval La Rochelle Towers on the gateway to the Atlantic Ocean. They're hard to miss and they're a great photo opportunity.

If history's your thing, there are more places to visit than you can imagine. Just two top picks include the Natural History Museum and The Bunker, an eerily accurately reconstructed World War II shelter.

For a bit of light entertainment, why not head down to the Theatre Comedie one evening or pop to the Aquarium La Rochelle one afternoon.

Popular hotels and restaurants

There's something to suit every taste and budget in La Rochelle when it comes to finding a place to stay and eating out.

La Rochelle hotels vary from the upmarket Residence de France, BEST WESTERN Masqhotel and La Monnaie Art & Spa Hotel, to the budget Accostage Hotel, Hotel de la Paix and Hotel Francois 1er, so take your time looking for your perfect match.

Eating out is a really fun experience too. La Cave de la Guignette is a characterful place for a drink and well worth visiting while the Christopher Coutanceau restaurant is a TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice winner, L'Amaranthe serves French food and La Boca is a favourite for tapas. So get out and see as much of La Rochelle as you can for the perfect break.