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. We recommend you stay at least 3 days in order to fully appreciate everything La Rochelle has to offer.

When to visit La Rochelle

La Rochelle in December
Estimated hotel price
£25
1 night at 3-star hotel
La Rochelle in December
Estimated hotel price
£25
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. The shortest flight to La Rochelle from the United Kingdom departs from London and takes around 1h 40m.

Train

SNCF is the only carrier operating train routes to La Rochelle. The train journey from La Rochelle to Massy takes 2h 48m and costs around £58 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Strasbourg, expect to pay about £100 for a 5h 11m 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 Goldcar Rental SP and Rentscape, among others, in Bordeaux.

Bus

You can travel by bus to La Rochelle using FlixBus or BlaBlaBus. From Nantes, the bus ride to La Rochelle takes 185 km and will cost you around £21. From Poitiers, the ticket costs about £6 for a journey of 233 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. The shortest flight to La Rochelle from the United Kingdom departs from London and takes around 1h 40m.

Train

SNCF is the only carrier operating train routes to La Rochelle. The train journey from La Rochelle to Massy takes 2h 48m and costs around £58 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Strasbourg, expect to pay about £100 for a 5h 11m 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 Goldcar Rental SP and Rentscape, among others, in Bordeaux.

Bus

You can travel by bus to La Rochelle using FlixBus or BlaBlaBus. From Nantes, the bus ride to La Rochelle takes 185 km and will cost you around £21. From Poitiers, the ticket costs about £6 for a journey of 233 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 (7,045 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,334 reviews)
British Airways
Good (6,845 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,588 reviews)
Delta
Excellent (7,934 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (3,791 reviews)
Iberia
Good (2,701 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,446 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,563 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,349 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,275 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (1,852 reviews)
ITA Airways
Good (967 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (1,292 reviews)
Ryanair
Good (5,054 reviews)
Aer Lingus
Good (1,076 reviews)
easyJet
Good (1,799 reviews)
China Eastern
Good (148 reviews)
LATAM Airlines
Good (1,767 reviews)
Thai Airways
Good (325 reviews)
Show more
Find flights to 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 £83 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to £136 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. There are also lots of holiday rental options in La Rochelle, with prices from £34 to £495 per night. Downtown is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, holiday rentals in La Rochelle are about 9% more expensive 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)
£96+
View
Hôtel Kyriad La Rochelle Centre Ville
3 stars
Excellent (8.5, Excellent reviews)
£63+
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Hôtel Atalante - Relais Thalasso & Spa
4 stars
Excellent (8.5, Excellent reviews)
£149+
View
The Originals Boutique, Hotel De Ré
3 stars
Excellent (8.3, Excellent reviews)
£64+
View
Kyriad La Rochelle Centre - Les Minimes
3 stars
Excellent (8.2, Excellent reviews)
£60+
View
B&B HOTEL La Rochelle Angoulins Sur Mer
2 stars
Excellent (8.2, Excellent reviews)
£46+
View

Hiring a car in La Rochelle

Hiring a car in La Rochelle costs £39 per day, on average, or £117 if you want to hire it for 3 days.

You’re likely to save money by hiring your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 12% more expensive than at La Rochelle Laleu.

Expect to pay £1.40 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 £16.71 and £22.28. 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 Mini car hire (Fiat 500 or similar) is, on average, 51% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Hiring a car in La Rochelle costs £39 per day, on average, or £117 if you want to hire it for 3 days.

You’re likely to save money by hiring your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 12% more expensive than at La Rochelle Laleu.

Expect to pay £1.40 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 £16.71 and £22.28. 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 Mini car hire (Fiat 500 or similar) is, on average, 51% 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.