Daily flights to La Rochelle are available from London Stansted.
La Rochelle Airport is quite close to both La Rochelle town center and the Île de Ré. Taxis can be found immediately outside the terminal building and it will cost approximately 15 Euro to reach the town center.
La Rochelle is linked to Paris by a high speed rail service (TGV). There are several trains a day. The shortest trip time is three hours. Ticket prices are greatly reduced with a youth discount card, a family discount pass or an old age pensioner's pass. The railway station (a splendid building, recently restored) is close to the town centre and a half hour walk from the Youth Hostel. Cars can be rented from agencies located opposite the station.
Rail links to ferry ports
* From the ferry port of [wiki=dd0f65d65b45fbbb41dfd23e35307f08]Caen[/wiki], La Rochelle is linked by rail services with interchanges at [wiki=a2cc484ce8fefe3d1f92c042e3b92fe3]Le Mans[/wiki] and [wiki=62ba359fa6b58bea641314e7a4635cf6]Nantes[/wiki].
* From the ferry port of [wiki=4a66f55b2c72452dfc9ec85aaf36b89b]St Malo[/wiki], La Rochelle can be reached via rail services with interchanges at [wiki=5f12cfc16406d156d3c4ed54f00556f9]Rennes[/wiki] and [wiki=62ba359fa6b58bea641314e7a4635cf6]Nantes[/wiki].
This is the oldest and also the most picturesque part of La Rochelle. Most of the town buildings are hundreds of years old and very well maintained. The narrow streets and pale stone buildings give the Old Port a distinctly mediterranean quality.
The Three Towers (Tour St. Nicolas, Tour de la Chaine & Tour de la Lanterne)
When visiting the Old Port you cannot fail to notice the the three defensive towers, which guard the harbour. They date back to medieval times when control of the city was contested by both French and English. They are well worth a visit although you will have to be in good health to climb the stairs. The staff are friendly and speak both English and French. All the signs to the various rooms and exhibits are also both in French and English. You'll also be given a returnable booklet containing lots of historical information about what is in each room. The cost of visiting each tower is 6,00 Euro.
La Rochelle Aquarium
Nature fans will enjoy the huge aquarium, which can be found within easy walking distance of the harbour. The whole tour takes approximately 2-3 hours to experience and is an excellent activity if the weather outside is poor. Audio devices for various languages are available but all educational notices for each exhibit are also translated into English. The cost is 16,00 Euro for adults and 12,00 Euro for children.
Port des Minimes
One of the biggest ports of pleasure boats in Europe. Be prepared to be blown away by the number of yachts in this enormous port. Also, visit the beach beside the port.
[wiki=237bd9dfa20faaa6daafad9b93c0bb06]fr:La_Rochelle[/wiki]