Every design for La Rochelle

La Rochelle first appears in writing as Rupella, and long before that the Romans were already harvesting salt from the marshes along this stretch of the Atlantic. Later the Dukes of Aquitaine made it a free port, Eleanor of Aquitaine's marriage opened the English market, and with the Knights Templar on hand the small town quickly became the largest port on the Atlantic.

That history is something people here feel rather than study. Rochelais grow up with the old towers, the Tour Saint-Nicolas, the Tour de la Chaîne and the Tour de la Lanterne, as part of their skyline, and with the islands of Ré, Oléron and Aix lying offshore like a breakwater. Fishing boats, trade ships and yachts share three ports; there are three beaches, a university that keeps the streets young, and a reputation as one of the most liveable cities in France. The bridge to the Île de Ré makes the island feel like a neighbour.

Whoever comes back after time away knows the moment: the towers appear on the waterfront, and La Rochelle is home again.