Introduction
When to visit
How to get there
Where to stay
Hiring a car

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. Consider staying at least one whole day in La Rochelle to see all of its attractions.

When to visit La Rochelle

La Rochelle in January
Estimated hotel price
$162
1 night at 3-star hotel
La Rochelle in January
Estimated hotel price
$162
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to La Rochelle in July, when the average temperature is 20 °C, and the highest can go up to 23 °C. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 4 °C, with an average temperature of 6 °C. You’re likely to see more rain in October, when precipitation is around 80 mm. In contrast, March is usually the driest month of the year in La Rochelle, with an average rainfall of 40 mm.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to La Rochelle

Plane

When flying to La Rochelle, you’ll arrive at La Rochelle Laleu (LRH), which is located 4 km from the city centre.

Train

SNCF is the only carrier operating train routes to La Rochelle. The train journey from La Rochelle to Paris takes 2h 49m and costs around $69 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Toulouse, expect to pay about $41 for a 5h 34m trip. Located 1.6 km from the city centre, La Rochelle is the busiest station in La Rochelle. Another popular train station is La Rochelle Porte Dauphine, located 0.2 km from the centre.

Car

Another option to get to La Rochelle is to pick up a car hire from Bordeaux, which is about 154 km from La Rochelle. You’ll find branches of Rentscape and Hertz, among others, in Bordeaux.

Bus

You can travel by bus to La Rochelle using BlaBlaBus or FlixBus. From Nantes, the bus ride to La Rochelle takes 185 km and will cost you around $33. From Bordeaux, the ticket costs about $40 for a journey of 201 km. La Rochelle’s bus station is located 0.6 km from the city centre.

Plane

When flying to La Rochelle, you’ll arrive at La Rochelle Laleu (LRH), which is located 4 km from the city centre.

Train

SNCF is the only carrier operating train routes to La Rochelle. The train journey from La Rochelle to Paris takes 2h 49m and costs around $69 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Toulouse, expect to pay about $41 for a 5h 34m trip. Located 1.6 km from the city centre, La Rochelle is the busiest station in La Rochelle. Another popular train station is La Rochelle Porte Dauphine, located 0.2 km from the centre.

Car

Another option to get to La Rochelle is to pick up a car hire from Bordeaux, which is about 154 km from La Rochelle. You’ll find branches of Rentscape and Hertz, among others, in Bordeaux.

Bus

You can travel by bus to La Rochelle using BlaBlaBus or FlixBus. From Nantes, the bus ride to La Rochelle takes 185 km and will cost you around $33. From Bordeaux, the ticket costs about $40 for a journey of 201 km. La Rochelle’s bus station is located 0.6 km from the city centre.

Airports near La Rochelle

LRHLa Rochelle Laleu
BODBordeaux
NTENantes Atlantique

Airlines serving La Rochelle

Lufthansa
Good (7,187 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,363 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,078 reviews)
Delta
Excellent (7,970 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,650 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (3,885 reviews)
Iberia
Good (2,813 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,463 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,588 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,410 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,304 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (1,907 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (1,318 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (921 reviews)
ITA Airways
Good (997 reviews)
Ryanair
Good (5,145 reviews)
Aer Lingus
Good (1,144 reviews)
China Eastern
Good (151 reviews)
easyJet
Good (1,816 reviews)
LATAM Airlines
Good (1,802 reviews)
Show more

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 $203 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $439 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Hôtel Eco La Rochelle Centre les Minimes and Hotel Henri IV. There are also lots of holiday rental options in La Rochelle, with prices from $84 to $1,090 per night. Downtown is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, holiday rentals in La Rochelle are about 2% cheaper than a hotel room in the city.

Where to stay in popular areas of La Rochelle

Most booked hotels in La Rochelle

See all
Maisons du Monde Hôtel & Suites - La Rochelle Vieux Port
4 stars
Excellent (8.5, Excellent reviews)
$257+
View
Hôtel Kyriad La Rochelle Centre Ville
3 stars
Excellent (8.5, Excellent reviews)
$181+
View
Hôtel Confort La Rochelle Centre les Minimes
3 stars
Excellent (8.2, Excellent reviews)
$184+
View
Appart'City Classic La Rochelle Centre
0 stars
Good (7.6, Good reviews)
$146+
View
Premiere Classe la Rochelle Sud - Aytre
1 star
Good (6.8, Good reviews)
$87+
View

Hiring a car in La Rochelle

Expect to pay $3.25 per litre in La Rochelle (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between $38.94 and $51.92. The most frequently booked car type in La Rochelle is Compact (Ford Focus or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Economy car hire (Ford Fiesta or similar) is, on average, 59% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Expect to pay $3.25 per litre in La Rochelle (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between $38.94 and $51.92. The most frequently booked car type in La Rochelle is Compact (Ford Focus or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Economy car hire (Ford Fiesta or similar) is, on average, 59% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Find car hire in La Rochelle

La Rochelle Travel Guide - View the KAYAK La Rochelle city guide for the best La Rochelle travel tips. To help you organise your La Rochelle trip ideas, this La Rochelle visitors guide provides travel information and trip tips about how to get there, where to stay, what to do, where to eat and more.