La Rochelle
A 30-minute drive from the hotel
During your stay with us at La Maison Douce, why not enjoy a trip to La Rochelle, just 30 minutes from the hotel and Saint-Martin-de-Ré.
A picture postcard location, La Rochelle’s Vieux Port protected by its towers is such a powerful icon that it’s easy to forget just how many other treasures can be found within the city.
A thousand-year old city with a rich historical and urban history and a major port since the 12th century, La Rochelle has an outward-looking perspective born from its seafront location and the mix of cultures stemming from its history of maritime commerce. You’ll be reminded of this heritage from the architecture, inspired by distant places. A fortified city, La Rochelle boasts numerous defence monuments, such as the towers of the Vieux Port, guardians of the entry to the city by sea.
Things to see and do include the pedestrianised district around the Saint-Sauveur church, where you can go shopping under the city’s iconic stone arcades while admiring the grand townhouses that once belonged to shipbuilders. There’s also the quaint Saint-Nicolas area, the former fishermen’s neighbourhood characterised by its cobbled streets and its charming square built around a shady tree. Also don’t miss the Tour de la Chaîne, the Tour de la Lanterne, the Grosse Horloge city gate, the richly ornamented Hôtel de Ville, the Saint-Louis cathedral, the Maison Henri II, and the aquarium (one of the largest private aquariums in Europe).