Whilst every effort is made to ensure accuracy, please confirm event/venue details in advance.
COUNTRY CODE:
Dial +33 for France
FROM THE AIRPORT
Car Hire :
Take advantage of the special easyJet inflight rates. Visit the Europcar desk on arrival or call +33 (0)5 4641 0908. Open from 10.40am-11.20am and 4.20pm-6.30pm Monday-Friday.
Airport Transfer :
Pre-book your door-to-door transfer with easyJet’s transfer partner, Holiday Taxis—from home to the airport and the airport to city or resort. Just log on to easyjet.holidaytaxis.com.
Taxi :
The fare to the centre is about €12-€15.
Bus :
Buses leave every 15 minutes from 7am-7pm for Place de Verdun bus station. Tickets: €1.20.
(46 Rue St-Nicolas. Tel. 05 4641 0534) Sample traditional Breton buckwheat crêpes with savoury and sweet fillings. Lunchtime specials include salad, dessert and a coffee or cider.
(1 Avenue de Colmar . Tel. 05 4641 1992) A family-run seafood restaurant. The Marennes oysters are some of the finest in France. If you're feeling adventurous, try the bulots (sea snails).
(49 Rue St-Jean-du-Perot . Tel. 05 4641 9564) Large, airy and bustling restaurant where diners are surrounded by ferns and potted palms. As ever, fish is on the menu, but if you fancy a change, try the magret de canard with peaches.
(22 Rue St-Jean-du-Perot . Tel. 05 4650 6260) Stylish restaurant where chef Gregory Coutanceau uses the best local produce and adds his own twist, a mix of old-world French and new-world fusion.
(Calle No 2 des Canards. Tel. 05 4630 1584) Cuban bar with mambo, merengue and of course, cocktails. Sip a Cuba libre in the Hemingway lounge. There's also salsa dancing on Thursdays.
(Port des Minimes, Avenue St-Lazare . Tel. 05 4652 2364 ) Bar that frequently hosts live reggae bands. Beneath the vaulted interior you'll find an artificial beach.
(Allée du Mail . Tel. 05 4634 1275) Elegant club that's anything but quaint and cosy—smart chandeliers and leather armchairs adorn the spacious interior. Expect an eclectic mixture of funk, dance and blues. Open Wednesday-Sunday from 11pm-5am.
On the ground
Shop
La Trinitaine is a local food store specialising in pineau (similar to cognac), Isle de Ré sea salt and hand-made sweets (6 Quai Duperre. Tel. 05 4641 8350).
Insider Tip
Hire a yellow bike at the Place de Verdun from Monday-Saturday, or all week at the Quai Valin. The first two hours are free, after which the cost is €1 per hour.
Key Area
The marina at Les Minimes is the one of largest in France and home to some 3,000 yachts and small craft. There's also an excellent sandy beach. Take a sea bus from the Old Port.
This month
Don't miss the Cavalcade, a procession of floats and bands through the town centre, organised by the Comité des Fêtes. There's also a fantastic funfair (24-25 May. Tel. 05 4634 5554).
Day Tripping
Rochefort
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Visit Louis XIV's dockyards at Rochefort where you can see the painstaking reconstruction of The Hermione, the ship that carried Lafayette to America in 1780. It's about 30 minutes from La Rochelle (Rue Toufaire. Tel. 05 4687 8140).
No way!
Shooting for Raiders of the Lost Ark began in La Rochelle with the U-boat sequence on 23 June 1980. A quarter of a century later, the fourth Indiana Jones movie is currently in production.
