La Rochelle travel guide

La Rochelle Tourism | La Rochelle Guide

You're Going to Love La Rochelle

With a population of 76,810, La Rochelle is a must-see destination in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France. It is one of the most popular cities to visit in the country. Consider staying at least one whole day in La Rochelle to see all of its attractions.

When to visit La Rochelle

La Rochelle in January
Estimated hotel price
C$ 126
1 night at 3-star hotel
La Rochelle in January
Estimated hotel price
C$ 126
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to La Rochelle in July, when the average temperature is 20 °C, and the highest can go up to 23 °C. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 4 °C, with an average temperature of 6 °C. You’re likely to see more rain in October, when precipitation is around 80 mm. In contrast, March is usually the driest month of the year in La Rochelle, with an average rainfall of 40 mm.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to La Rochelle

Plane

When flying to La Rochelle, you’ll arrive at La Rochelle Laleu (LRH), which is located 4 km from the city centre The shortest flight to La Rochelle from Canada departs from Toronto and takes around 11h 40m.

Train

SNCF is the most popular train carrier serving La Rochelle, followed by Eurostar. The train journey from La Rochelle to Nantes takes 1h 46m and costs around C$ 33 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Paris, expect to pay about C$ 29 for a 2h 49m trip. Located 1.6 km from the city centre, La Rochelle is the busiest station in La Rochelle. Another popular train station is La Rochelle Porte Dauphine, located 0.2 km from the centre.

Car

Another option to get to La Rochelle is to pick up a car rental from Bordeaux, which is about 154 km from La Rochelle. You’ll find branches of Goldcar Rental SP and Rentscape, among others, in Bordeaux.

Bus

You can travel by bus to La Rochelle using FlixBus or BlaBlaBus. From Nantes, the bus ride to La Rochelle takes 185 km and will cost you around C$ 30. From Bordeaux, the ticket costs about C$ 44 for a journey of 201 km. La Rochelle’s bus station is located 0.6 km from the downtown.

Plane

When flying to La Rochelle, you’ll arrive at La Rochelle Laleu (LRH), which is located 4 km from the city centre The shortest flight to La Rochelle from Canada departs from Toronto and takes around 11h 40m.

Train

SNCF is the most popular train carrier serving La Rochelle, followed by Eurostar. The train journey from La Rochelle to Nantes takes 1h 46m and costs around C$ 33 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Paris, expect to pay about C$ 29 for a 2h 49m trip. Located 1.6 km from the city centre, La Rochelle is the busiest station in La Rochelle. Another popular train station is La Rochelle Porte Dauphine, located 0.2 km from the centre.

Car

Another option to get to La Rochelle is to pick up a car rental from Bordeaux, which is about 154 km from La Rochelle. You’ll find branches of Goldcar Rental SP and Rentscape, among others, in Bordeaux.

Bus

You can travel by bus to La Rochelle using FlixBus or BlaBlaBus. From Nantes, the bus ride to La Rochelle takes 185 km and will cost you around C$ 30. From Bordeaux, the ticket costs about C$ 44 for a journey of 201 km. La Rochelle’s bus station is located 0.6 km from the downtown.

Airports near La Rochelle

Airlines serving La Rochelle

Lufthansa
Good (4,636 reviews)
KLM
Good (849 reviews)
SWISS
Good (926 reviews)
British Airways
Good (4,465 reviews)
Delta
Good (4,604 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (2,296 reviews)
Air France
Good (982 reviews)
Iberia
Good (1,554 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (2,481 reviews)
Finnair
Good (876 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (1,165 reviews)
LOT
Good (682 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (913 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (832 reviews)
ITA Airways
Good (710 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (494 reviews)
Aer Lingus
Good (780 reviews)
easyJet
Good (1,446 reviews)
China Eastern
Good (51 reviews)
Thai Airways
Good (215 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in La Rochelle

From 5-star hotels such as the Maison des Ambassadeurs to great affordable options like the Lagrange Apart'hotel L'escale Marine, La Rochelle offers a range of accommodations for every taste. Average rates range from around C$ 140 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to C$ 223 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Premiere Classe La Rochelle Centre - Les Minimes and Appart'City Classic La Rochelle Centre.

Where to stay in popular areas of La Rochelle

Most booked hotels in La Rochelle

ibis La Rochelle Vieux-Port
3 stars
Excellent (8.2, Excellent reviews)
C$ 147+
Kyriad La Rochelle Centre - Les Minimes
3 stars
Excellent (8.1, Excellent reviews)
C$ 101+
Appart'City Classic La Rochelle Centre
2 stars
Good (7.4, Good reviews)
C$ 101+
Premiere Classe la Rochelle Sud - Aytre
1 star
Good (7, Good reviews)
C$ 62+

Renting a car in La Rochelle

Expect to pay C$ 2.80 per litre in La Rochelle (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between C$ 33.55 and C$ 44.74. Mini (Renault Twingo or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in La Rochelle, while also 65% cheaper than other types, on average.

Expect to pay C$ 2.80 per litre in La Rochelle (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between C$ 33.55 and C$ 44.74. Mini (Renault Twingo or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in La Rochelle, while also 65% cheaper than other types, on average.