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. We recommend you stay at least 3 days in order to fully appreciate everything La Rochelle has to offer.
When to visit La Rochelle
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.
How to Get to La Rochelle
Plane
When flying to La Rochelle, you’ll arrive at La Rochelle Laleu (LRH), which is located 2 miles from the city centre. The shortest flight to La Rochelle from Ireland departs from Dublin and takes around 47h 35m.
Train
SNCF is the only carrier operating train routes to La Rochelle. The train journey from La Rochelle to Nantes takes 1h 44m and costs around €13 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Paris, expect to pay about €69 for a 2h 53m trip. Located 1.0 mile from the city centre, La Rochelle is the busiest station in La Rochelle. Another popular train station is La Rochelle Porte Dauphine, located 0.1 miles from the centre.
Car
Another option to get to La Rochelle is to pick up a car hire from Bordeaux, which is about 96 miles from La Rochelle. You’ll find branches of LOCA MALIN 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 130 miles and will cost you around €8. From Bordeaux, the ticket costs about €14 for a journey of 135 miles. La Rochelle’s bus station is located 0.4 miles from the city centre.
Airlines serving La Rochelle
Where to stay in La Rochelle
From 5-star hotels such as the Maison des Ambassadeurs to great affordable options like the Lagrange Appart'hotel Lescale Marine, La Rochelle offers a range of accommodations for every taste. Average rates range from around €85 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to €115 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
Hiring a car in La Rochelle
Hiring a car in La Rochelle costs €59 per day, on average, or €176 if you want to hire it for 3 days.
You’re likely to save money by hiring your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 19% more expensive than at La Rochelle Laleu.
Expect to pay €1.69 per litre in La Rochelle (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between €20.28 and €27.03. The most frequently booked car type in La Rochelle is Mini (Fiat 500 or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact car hire (Class Compact Crossover or similar) is, on average, 48% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.