Travel to La Rochelle, France – Episode 676

Hear about travel to La Rochelle, France as the Amateur Traveler talks to Jacob Kell from facilitateluxury.com about this beautiful medieval city. What things are there to do in La Rochelle.

Jacob studied in La Rochelle at the University of La Rochelle to learn French for a semester. It was there he learned the culture as well. It still today is one of his favorite cities. La Rochelle is a seaport on the Bay of Biscay on the Atlantic Coast of France. Jacob says, “I like to recommend La Rochelle to first-time visitors to France. I think it is the perfect city to provide and authentic cultural experience without some of the struggles we might find elsewhere in France.”

According to Jacob, La Rochelle is a great destination to combine with other nearby destinations like Bordeaux and the quaint village of Saint-Émilion.

Jacob starts us in the old port which is the heart of La Rochelle. There are a lot of restaurants where you can sit and people watch. The city still has 3 of its medieval towers which are iconic of the city: The Saint Nicolas Tower, The Chain Tower, and The Lantern Tower.

You should check out Rue St Jean du Pérot which is a dining and shopping street. Jacob encourages you to order the local oysters or mussels. You should also try Pineau des Charentes which is a local fortified wine. 

There are a few museums which Jacob recommends: the New World Museum  (Musee du Nouveau-Monde), the fine art museum (Musee des Beaux-Arts) and Le Bunker de La Rochelle (WWII museum).

We talk about side trips to Cognac and the Dordogne as well as a trips to Île de Ré (the island of the coast of La Rochelle), a visit to Rochefort where you can see a replica of the ship that brought Marquis de Lafayette to America,  and a longer trip down to the beach city of Biarritz.

Give this episode a listen and then pack your bags for this beautiful French city.

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Show Notes

facilitateluxury.com
The Three Musketeers
La Rochelle
Travel to Bordeaux, France – Amateur Traveler Episode 536
Saint-Émilion
Les 4 Sergents Restaurant
La Fleur de Sel
Aquitaine
Pineau des Charentes
Barriere Casino
Le Bunker de La Rochelle
Submarine pen
New World Museum (Musee du Nouveau-Monde)
Huguenots
Musee des Beaux-Arts
Grosse-Horloge
La Cave de la Guignette (student dive bar)
Ragazzi da Pepponne
Île de Ré
Saint-Martin-de-Ré
Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette
French frigate Hermione
Travel to the Dordogne Region of France – Episode 522
Sarlat-la-Canéda
Basque Spain – Episode 611
Cognac, France
Stepping Inside La Rochelle

Booking.com

Community

on Kansas Road Trip – Episode 675 we got this feedback:

Hey Chris,

It’s my turn for Seattle.  Leaving on Thursday.  Looks like rain!

I enjoyed listening to the latest podcast on Kansas (#675).  You covered a lot.  I spent a few weekends there this spring.

I know you can’t mention everything but thought I would add a couple things.

Speaking of centers, the Geographic Center of the 48 states is in Lebanon.  South of there on PRIVATE property is the Geodetic Center of North America.

You mention trail ruts.  Fort Larned has a detached part of the par which as Santa Fe trail ruts.  There’s also ruts and museum at Alcove Springs and Marysville area.  Also, want to mention Fort Riley.  Still an active military base which house the US Cavalry Musuem.  The original stables are still there.  Custer’s House on the base is also a historic site.

One NPS site not mentioned is Nicodemus NHS, north of Hays.  The only remaining western town established by African Americans during the Reconstruction Period.

Finally wanted to mention Emporia State University which has the National Memorial to Fallen Educators dedicated to teachers who have lost their lives while teaching.  It includes a one room schoolhouse.

Travel safe,

Jeff Ohlfs

Hi Chris!
Just wanted to reach out and say thanks for the podcast on Kansas. I’m actually from Missouri, so I guess I really should have said- “you must be reaching the bottom of the barrel if you’re covering Kansas” (just a little MO-Kan humor there, LOL). Anyway, I do appreciate that you’re covering one of our area fly-over states. So, thanks!

I should include a couple notes though- you should mention that the Truman Library is temporarily closed for major renovations. I believe they said it would be closed for a year. Castle Rock Badlands is a really neat place but it is on open, but private, land and if even slightly damp would require 4 wheel drive. Also, there are lovely fields of sunflowers in the state this time of year (although slightly tempered this year due to heavy rains). There are other things to see and do of course, but for the sake of brevity I’ll close for now.

Thanks for doing what you do and happy travels!
Shelley

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