Flying to La Rochelle and looking on advice on where to stay

Hi all,

as the title suggests myself, wife and a 2 year old will be flying to La Rochelle airport mid Sept time for a 2 week stay.

I have not been to this area of France since I was 5, so am looking for some guidance. I guess what we want from the holiday as well as relaxing time is easy access to a beach that is suitable for a 2 year old. Nice places to walk both town and countryside based, but would preferably be suitable for a buggy.

Smallish town, port perhaps with a good restaurants / cafe culture. Other than that not too bothered.

We will be hiring a car so we will be able to get about and see other areas, so would welcome any recommendations on things to do / see. However it would be nice to be based somewhere where we can have a nice walk and stop for a meal in an evening.

So any suggestions on where to be based and then on things we should do whilst we are there would be appreciated.

Many thanks

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As you will be slightly out of season in mid september, I suggest you stay in La Rochelle itself. It is the place for cafe culture and of course the port . Town will be quieter, (apart from returning students!) Chatellaillon Plage is on a smaller scale but is a great seaside town only 15km out of La Rochelle. (best beach in the area and has a cuban beach bar!). It is possible to walk / cycle from La Rochelle to Chatellaillon Plage along the coastal path....not for the faint hearted!

There are two beaches in La Rochelle itself, and plenty further afield which have the %26quot;cafe culture %26quot; you want( Fouras / Royan / Ile de Re). The coastal walks are lovely, as is the canal walk, and a good walk to the marina at Les Minimes, and you can easily head out of town in your hire car to discover the villages and towns in the area (you must visit the Ile de Re, and the Ile de Oleron and the Marais Poitevin). If you stay on the Ile de Re, be aware there is a toll charge for the bridge.

However,accomodation in La Rochelle is not cheap, even for those with camping cars etc, maybe you might want to hire a gite.The tourist office has details of those available.

The other place you might want to base yourself is further north in the Vendee, although again , most resorts will be winding down for the season. Try looking a the area around Tranche sur Mer, the beaches are fantastic for swimming. Again if you go an hour south you have the resorts of La Palmyre and Royan. Both these areas are full of camping sites and holiday villages , but there are hotels and gites to be found.

Happy Planning!

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http://www.poitou-charentes-escapades.com/

for inspiration!

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brilliant, this sounds great. I will do some further reading on Ile de Re and Royan. But keep any suggestions coming and many thanks for the help here.