Vieux Port (Old Port)
La Rochelle, France
Where most visitors head for restaurants with fabulous views over the port and ancient towers.
Places in Vieux Port (Old Port)
- Vieux Port oyster restaurants A quintessential dining experience beginning with a platter of Marennes-Oléron oysters, renowned worldwide for their distinct flavour.
- Vieux Port fish restaurants The city is famous for its fish, seafood and oyster restaurants with fabulous views over the port and ancient towers.
- Vieux Port bars and bistros Streets filled with bars and bistros spilling out onto cobbled streets near the old harbour.
Practical notes for La Rochelle
- Best time to visit
- May to September offers warm Atlantic coast weather for the old port and beaches.
- Getting around
- La Rochelle's old town, including Vieux Port, is compact and entirely walkable.
- Currency
- Euro (€)
- Language
- French. English is spoken in hotels and restaurants.
- Timezone
- CET (UTC+1, UTC+2 in summer)
- Current trends
- La Rochelle's bar scene continues centring on its cobbled streets and pretty squares, with L'Imprevu's secret courtyard offering a romantic terrace setting in a former mansion, complementing the Museum of the New World's exploration of the city's historic role as a gateway to the Americas.
Other neighborhoods in La Rochelle
- Ville Blanche — An absurdly beautiful maze of narrow streets lined in pristine white limestone buildings with pastel shutters.
- Museum of the New World quarter — Home to the museum housed in a magnificent 18th-century mansion.
Read the full La Rochelle guide