Central Market
about 60 minThe covered market hall, open every morning all year, with oysters, cheese and local products.
The covered market hall is open every morning all year until 1:30 pm, says the city's page; around it a street market runs on Wednesday and Saturday mornings from 7 am, and a food market on Friday afternoons around place de Verdun. The listing gives 8 am to 1:30 pm daily, which is published. Reviewers mention oysters, a seafood shop, cheese and local products.
What to do there- Browse the covered hall (open every morning)
- Wander the street stalls on Wednesday and Saturday mornings
- Shop the Friday afternoon food market
- Taste oysters and buy local cheese
Le Pérot and La Trompette17000 La RochelleBest: early morning, morning, late morningOn the map ›Something wrong?
Hours unverified: they come from its listing and may have changed.
Ernest Glacier
about 25 minAn ice-cream parlour on rue du Port with many flavours, canelé ice cream and homemade cones.
Ernest Glacier, at 16 rue du Port, is what the listing calls a parlour offering specialty ice cream, chocolates and frozen macaroons, plus gourmet desserts. Reviews mention a choice of flavours, canelé, sorbets and homemade cones. The listing gives 1 pm to 7 pm every day.
What to do there- Choose from the many flavours
- Try the canelé ice cream
- Order a homemade cone
Le Pérot and La Trompette16 Rue du Port, 17000 La RochelleBest: afternoon, golden hourOn the map ›Something wrong?
Hours unverified: they come from its listing and may have changed.
Great Clock Gate
about 15 minThe Gothic city gate and clock tower where the Old Port quay meets the old streets.
The Grosse Horloge is a former city gate that took a bell and a clock in 1478 and became the town belfry, says French Wikipedia; it is a listed monument. English Wikivoyage calls it the Gothic great gate and clock tower connecting the quays to the old streets. You walk through it. Its Google listing mixes in another business's hours and a foreign phone number, so no opening hours are published and no phone number is given.
What to do there- Walk through the gate from the quay into the old streets
- Look up at the clock that has hung here since 1478
Le Pérot and La Trompette7-1 Rue de la Grosse Horloge, 17000 La RochelleBest: morning, afternoon, golden hourOn the map ›Something wrong?
Hours unverified: they come from its listing and may have changed.
Le Bunker
about 75 minA Second World War museum inside an underground bunker built in 1941, with a riddle trail.
Le Bunker is a museum in an underground bunker built in 1941, with military artefacts and Second World War memorabilia, says its Google listing. Its own site gives every day from 10 am to 5 pm (last admissions) from 1 October 2026 and says the museum is open on 1 and 11 November 2026. Reviewers mention riddles and a paper chase, explanatory panels and mannequins.
What to do there- See the military artefacts and WWII memorabilia
- Solve the riddles on the paper chase
- Read the explanatory panels on the history of the bunker
Le Pérot and La Trompette8 Rue des Dames, 17000 La RochelleBest: morning, late morning, afternoonWebsite ›On the map ›Something wrong?
Hours unverified: they come from its listing and may have changed.
Le Comptoir de Walter
about 70 minA buffet-style restaurant in the Saint-Nicolas quarter with vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options.
Le Comptoir de Walter, at 45 rue Saint-Nicolas, is a buffet-style restaurant; the listing says it focuses on locally sourced seafood dishes with vegetarian options. Its own site calls it a vegetable restaurant with home-made dishes and vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options. The listing gives lunch Monday to Saturday and dinner on Friday and Saturday; the site says dinner every day except Wednesday and Sunday, so check. Closed Sunday.
What to do there- Try the home-made dishes
- Choose the vegetarian lasagna
- Finish with a tart
Le Pérot and La Trompette45 Rue Saint-Nicolas, 17000 La RochelleBest: lunch, dinnerOn the map ›Something wrong?
Hours unverified: they come from its listing and may have changed.
New World Museum
about 75 minAn 18th-century mansion telling La Rochelle's links with the Americas, including the slave trade.
The museum is in the Hôtel Fleuriau, and French Wikipedia calls it the first museum in a French port to address the slave trade. Term-time hours: Monday, Wednesday to Friday and Sunday 10 am to 12:30 pm and 1:30 to 5:30 pm, Saturday 1:30 to 5:30 pm, closed Tuesday; in school holidays 10 am to 6 pm. Closed 1 January, 1 May, 14 July, 1 and 11 November and 25 December.
What to do there- Learn how the Atlantic slave trade ran through La Rochelle
- See the Toussaint Louverture sculpture by Ousmane Sow
- See the old maps, prints and paintings
- Walk through the 18th-century mansion
Le Pérot and La Trompette10 Rue Fleuriau, 17000 La RochelleBest: morning, late morning, afternoonWebsite ›On the map ›Something wrong?
Hours unverified: they come from its listing and may have changed.
Saint-Louis Cathedral
about 25 minThe neo-classical cathedral on Place de Verdun, built from 1742, with paintings in the cupola.
The cathedral on Place de Verdun was begun in 1742 and opened for worship in 1784, says French Wikipedia; the cathedral and its bell tower have been listed monuments since 1906. English Wikivoyage calls it neo-classical, mostly plain, with paintings in the cupola, and says it incorporates the 12th-century bell tower of its predecessor. The listing gives 9 am to 7 pm every day.
What to do there- Look up at the paintings in the cupola
- Spot the 12th-century bell tower of the earlier church
- Look for the ceiling frescoes
Le Pérot and La TrompettePl. de Verdun, 17000 La RochelleBest: morning, late morning, afternoonOn the map ›Something wrong?
Hours unverified: they come from its listing and may have changed.
Café de la Paix
about 45 minA historic café-brasserie with a retro setting that English Wikivoyage links to Simenon; closed Sunday.
Café de la Paix, at 54 rue Chaudrier, is a historic café; English Wikivoyage says people come for the decor and because Simenon wrote Maigret novels there. Reviews mention a brasserie, an art deco and retro setting, a historic place, Viennese chocolate, croissants and a terrace. The listing gives 7 am to 10 pm Monday to Saturday and closed Sunday.
What to do there- Have a coffee in the art deco setting
- Try the Viennese chocolate
- Sit where Simenon wrote Maigret novels
Le Pérot and La Trompette54 Rue Chaudrier, 17000 La RochelleBest: morning, late morning, afternoonOn the map ›Something wrong?
Hours unverified: they come from its listing and may have changed.
Town Hall
about 20 minThe ornate town hall that has housed the city government since 1298, with a courtyard you can look into.
La Rochelle's town hall has housed the city government since 1298 and, says French Wikipedia, is the oldest town hall in France still in use. English Wikivoyage says interior tours have stopped but the courtyard can be looked into free; the listing summary still mentions guided tours, so ask before relying on one. The listing gives Monday to Friday 8 am to 6 pm, Saturday 10 am to 12:30 pm and 1:30 to 6 pm, closed Sunday.
What to do there- Look into the courtyard
- Admire the facade and its Gothic turrets
Le Pérot and La Trompette3 Pl. de l'Hôtel de ville, 17000 La RochelleBest: morning, late morning, afternoonOn the map ›Something wrong?
Hours unverified: they come from its listing and may have changed.