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 68 °F, and the highest can go up to 73.4 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 39.2 °F, with an average temperature of 42.8 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in October, when precipitation is around 3.1″. In contrast, March is usually the driest month of the year in La Rochelle, with an average rainfall of 1.6″.
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 center. The shortest flight to La Rochelle from the United States departs from New York and takes around 18h 10m.
Train
SNCF is the only carrier operating train routes to La Rochelle. The train journey from La Rochelle to Nantes takes 1h 45m and costs around $16 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Paris, expect to pay about $39 for a 2h 49m trip. Located 1.0 mile from the city center, La Rochelle is the busiest station in La Rochelle. Another popular train station is La Rochelle Porte Dauphine, located 0.1 miles from the center.
Car
Another option to get to La Rochelle is to pick up a car rental from Bordeaux, which is about 96 miles from La Rochelle. You’ll find branches of Budget and Europcar, among others, in Bordeaux.
Bus
You can travel by bus to La Rochelle using FlixBus or BlaBlaBus. From Bordeaux, the bus ride to La Rochelle takes 125 miles and will cost you around $28. From Nantes, the ticket costs about $28 for a journey of 130 miles. La Rochelle’s bus station is located 0.4 miles from the city center.
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 Apart'hotel L'escale Marine, La Rochelle offers a range of accommodations for every taste. Average rates range from around $107 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $194 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
Renting a car in La Rochelle
Renting a car in La Rochelle costs $51 per day, on average, or $153 if you want to rent if for 3 days.
It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 3% cheaper than airport locations in La Rochelle.
Expect to pay $7.65 per gallon in La Rochelle (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $91.76 and $122.34. The most frequently booked car type in La Rochelle is Compact (Volkswagen T-ROC or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Luxury rental cars (Audi Q3 or similar) are, on average, 64% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.