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.

When to visit La Rochelle

La Rochelle in January
Estimated hotel price
AED 337
1 night at 3-star hotel
La Rochelle in January
Estimated hotel price
AED 337
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.

Train

SNCF is the most popular train carrier serving La Rochelle, followed by Eurostar. The train journey from La Rochelle to Paris takes 2h 49m and costs around AED 103 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Toulouse, expect to pay about AED 129 for a 4h 52m 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 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 AED 103. From Bordeaux, the ticket costs about AED 114 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.

Train

SNCF is the most popular train carrier serving La Rochelle, followed by Eurostar. The train journey from La Rochelle to Paris takes 2h 49m and costs around AED 103 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Toulouse, expect to pay about AED 129 for a 4h 52m 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 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 AED 103. From Bordeaux, the ticket costs about AED 114 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 (4,662 reviews)
KLM
Good (858 reviews)
SWISS
Good (924 reviews)
British Airways
Good (4,488 reviews)
Delta
Good (4,600 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (2,302 reviews)
Air France
Good (981 reviews)
Iberia
Good (1,557 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (2,484 reviews)
Finnair
Good (880 reviews)
TAP Portugal
Good (1,166 reviews)
LOT
Good (682 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (916 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (832 reviews)
ITA Airways
Good (712 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (497 reviews)
Aer Lingus
Good (780 reviews)
easyJet
Good (1,451 reviews)
China Eastern
Good (54 reviews)
Thai Airways
Good (215 reviews)
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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 AED 378 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to AED 623 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)
AED 395+
Kyriad La Rochelle Centre - Les Minimes
3 stars
Excellent (8.1, Excellent reviews)
AED 270+
Appart'City Classic La Rochelle Centre
2 stars
Good (7.4, Good reviews)
AED 283+
Premiere Classe la Rochelle Sud - Aytre
1 star
Good (7, Good reviews)
AED 165+

Hiring a car in La Rochelle

Expect to pay AED 7.50 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 AED 89.91 and AED 119.88. The most frequently booked car type in La Rochelle is Intermediate (Nissan Qashqai or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact car hire (Class Compact SUV or similar) is, on average, 48% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Expect to pay AED 7.50 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 AED 89.91 and AED 119.88. The most frequently booked car type in La Rochelle is Intermediate (Nissan Qashqai or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact car hire (Class Compact SUV or similar) is, on average, 48% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.