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. La Rochelle deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.

When to visit La Rochelle

La Rochelle in January
Estimated hotel price
£73
1 night at 3-star hotel
La Rochelle in January
Estimated hotel price
£73
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 the United Kingdom departs from London and takes around 1h 35m.

Train

SNCF is the only carrier operating train routes to La Rochelle. 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 hire from Bordeaux, which is about 154 km from La Rochelle. You’ll find branches of Alamo and Goldcar Rental SP, 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 £15. From Bordeaux, the ticket costs about £15 for a journey of 201 km. La Rochelle’s bus station is located 0.6 km from the city centre.

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 the United Kingdom departs from London and takes around 1h 35m.

Train

SNCF is the only carrier operating train routes to La Rochelle. 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 hire from Bordeaux, which is about 154 km from La Rochelle. You’ll find branches of Alamo and Goldcar Rental SP, 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 £15. From Bordeaux, the ticket costs about £15 for a journey of 201 km. La Rochelle’s bus station is located 0.6 km from the city centre.

Airports near La Rochelle

Airlines serving La Rochelle

Lufthansa
Good (4,666 reviews)
KLM
Good (849 reviews)
SWISS
Good (940 reviews)
British Airways
Good (4,541 reviews)
Delta
Good (4,618 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (2,307 reviews)
Air France
Good (983 reviews)
Iberia
Good (1,584 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (2,467 reviews)
Finnair
Good (871 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (1,176 reviews)
LOT
Good (685 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (923 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (833 reviews)
ITA Airways
Good (716 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (502 reviews)
Aer Lingus
Good (773 reviews)
easyJet
Good (1,444 reviews)
Aeromexico
Good (811 reviews)
China Eastern
Good (54 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 £86 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to £142 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 Hotel Henri IV.

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)
£89+
Kyriad La Rochelle Centre - Les Minimes
3 stars
Excellent (8.1, Excellent reviews)
£57+
Hôtel de Ré, The Originals Boutique
3 stars
Good (7.9, Good reviews)
£65+
B&B HOTEL La Rochelle Angoulins Sur Mer
2 stars
Good (7.9, Good reviews)
£45+
Hotel Les Grenettes
3 stars
Good (7.9, Good reviews)
£86+
Appart'City Classic La Rochelle Centre
2 stars
Good (7.4, Good reviews)
£61+

Hiring a car in La Rochelle

Hiring a car in La Rochelle costs £35 per day, on average, or £70 if you want to hire it for 2 days.

It’s generally cheaper to hire your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 20% cheaper than airport locations in La Rochelle.

Expect to pay £1.62 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 £19.38 and £25.84. Mini (Peugeot 108 or similar) is the most popular car type to hire in La Rochelle, while also 69% cheaper than other types, on average.

Hiring a car in La Rochelle costs £35 per day, on average, or £70 if you want to hire it for 2 days.

It’s generally cheaper to hire your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 20% cheaper than airport locations in La Rochelle.

Expect to pay £1.62 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 £19.38 and £25.84. Mini (Peugeot 108 or similar) is the most popular car type to hire in La Rochelle, while also 69% cheaper than other types, on average.