La Rochelle Sightseeing at Its Best with a Local Expert

Local Knowledge
Native English-Speaking Guide
Engaging Storytelling

Looking for the perfect way to explore this beautiful coastal gem? Our Discover La Rochelle Walking Tour offers a comprehensive introduction to the city! In just 2 hours, you’ll see the highlights, uncover fascinating stories, and pick up plenty of tips for making the most of your stay. If you’re searching for the top things to do in La Rochelle, this tour is not to be missed.

You’ll learn about La Rochelle’s rich history and culture as we visit iconic landmarks like the Chain Tower, the Big Clock Tower, the Lantern Tower, and many more. You’ll hear stories of the city’s seafaring past, its resilience through centuries, and what makes it such a special place today. Along the way, we’ll chat about why the local culture is so unique, modern French life, and, of course, food and drink! From delicious seafood to the region’s famous Pineau des Charentes, you’ll leave with plenty of ideas for where to eat, drink, and explore.

With a native English-speaking guide, you can relax and enjoy clear, engaging commentary throughout. So, if you’re ready to discover the very best of La Rochelle, book your La Rochelle tour now! Don’t forget to check out our glowing reviews on TripAdvisor!(opens in a new tab)

SEE FULL GALLERY

La Rochelle Sightseeing at Its Best with a Local Expert

Local Knowledge
Native English-Speaking Guide
Engaging Storytelling

Looking for the perfect way to explore this beautiful coastal gem? Our Discover La Rochelle Walking Tour offers a comprehensive introduction to the city! In just 2 hours, you’ll see the highlights, uncover fascinating stories, and pick up plenty of tips for making the most of your stay. If you’re searching for the top things to do in La Rochelle, this tour is not to be missed. Read more...

SEE FULL GALLERY

Tour Highlights

Enjoy clear and engaging commentary from a native English-speaking guide
Visit iconic landmarks, including the Chain Tower, Lantern Tower, St. Nicholas Tower, Big Clock Tower, and more!
Stroll along Cours des Dames, Le Mail (the 'Rochelais' Champs-Élysées), and Rue des Restos, La Rochelle’s gastronomic heart
Learn about La Rochelle’s fascinating history and modern-day culture
Get insider tips on the best things to do in La Rochelle
Click the Tabs for More Tour Details

Trip Details

Discover La Rochelle Walking Tour Details

Price

From 30 euros per person (adults) + booking fee:

  • Solo travelers: €50 per person
  • 2 to 4 people: €35 per person
  • 5 to 10 people: €30 per person
  • Children aged between 5 and 16 years: €15 per child
  • Children Under 5: free

Departure time

Options of:

  • 10am
  • 2pm

Meeting point

Place de la Chaîne, La Rochelle.

Availability

Year round, Monday to Sunday.

Duration

2 hours

Group size

Maximum 15 people

Included

Native English-speaking guide

Not included

  • Entrance fees to museums or landmarks
  • Gratuities (at your discretion)

What to bring

  • Comfortable walking shoes
  • Appropriate clothing for the weather
  • Water bottle (potable water fountains available on the tour to refill water bottles)

Places You Will See on Our Discover La Rochelle Walking Tour

  • Tour de la Chaîne (Chain Tower): This historic 14th-century tower was once a fortress protecting the harbor and city.
  • Tour de St. Nicholas (St. Nicholas Tower): An impressive tower that offers stunning views and a glimpse into La Rochelle’s past as a naval stronghold.
  • Cours des Dames: A charming street lined with arcades and historic buildings that showcase the city’s local life.
  • Statue of Duperré: The statue of Admiral Duperré, honoring the local naval hero who played a key role in French maritime history.
  • Hotel de Ville: The stunning Town Hall of La Rochelle is the most treasured landmark by the locals as the oldest operating town hall in France
  • Tour de la Lanterne (Lantern Tower): This iconic tower, once a lighthouse and prison, offers panoramic views of the old port and the city.
  • Porte des 2 Moulins (Two Mills Gate): A historic gate that was once the entrance to the old town.
  • “Rue des Restos” Restaurant Street: A vibrant street lined with eateries, perfect for sampling local seafood and wines.
  • ’La Grosse Horloge’ Clock Tower: This historic clock tower represents La Rochelle’s historic center.

Plus many other interesting landmarks that La Rochelle has to offer!

This Tour is Perfect For:

Culture Vultures! Those who love to get under the skin of where they are traveling and discover all the unknown secrets and stories it has to offer.
Photographers! For keen photographers who want to get off the beaten track and find opportunities for exceptional photos in the rarest of places.
Curious Minds! For people who want to get a thorough understanding and ask all the questions in the subjects that interest them.
Foodies and Drinkies! For those who love to eat and drink, you’ll receive lots of advice on great restaurants, refreshing watering holes, and the exceptional range of ingredients unique to this area. We have even been known to stop and sample some on the way around!

Frequently Asked Questions

The tour lasts for between 2h – 2h 15m, depending on the number of participants.

Our tours typically start at the Place de la Chaîne, just beside the anchor. The Place de la Chaine is in front of the Tour de la Chaîne. You can click this link to open the starting point in Google Maps.

Tours need to be booked in advance. They can be booked on the website up until 4 hours before the starting time. Within 4 hours you can contact us by phone call or WhatsApp to see if it is possible to join the tour.

We see the main landmarks of La Rochelle including the Towers, the remaining original walls of La Rochelle, the Clock Tower, the Town Hall, the Fort des Dames, the Old Port and the Old Town.

Yes, I have had children as young as 3 months and adults as old as 92! Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. There are 2 sets of steps on the tour but these can be accommodated with advance warning. Some of the streets are cobblestoned but in general can be navigated by buggies/strollers or electric mobility scooters.

Both private tours and group tours are offered. Private tours are especially recommended for those who want a more personalised experience or those who are in a larger group of people.

The tours are only conducted in English, by a native English-speaking guide.

Please check the weather conditions before coming on the tour and dress appropriately. For sunny and/or warm weather light clothes are recommended along with sunglasses, a hat, and suncream. For colder/rainier days, please wear warm clothes as well as a raincoat and umbrella if necessary.

Yes, it is available but please give some advanced warnings in the booking notes so I can adequately prepare. Also, to have a more fruitful experience please consider a private tour to cater to any specific needs.

While we always hope for fine, dry weather on the tour, the tour will operate despite the weather conditions. In the rare possibility that the tour needs to be cancelled for an exceptional weather event (red vigilance absolue warning on meteofrance.fr for Charente Maritime (17) department), the customer will be provided with a full refund.

For the discovery walking tour, the maximum group size is 15 people.

Yes. If you would like to have a customised tour you can book a private tour. This allows us to focus on specific interests and we are not limited by duration.

No. No entrance fees to any of the historical monuments are included in the tour price. However, I will provide information regarding the entrance prices of any key landmarks and advise you on how best to buy the tickets.

Customers will receive a full refund or credit with 7 days notice of cancellation. Customers who cancel between 7 days and 24 hours before the tour will receive a 50% refund. Cancellations made within 24 hours of the start time of the tour will receive no refund.

Have more questions? Check out our FAQ page!

FAQ PAGE
See What Previous Tour Guests Say About Us

Kevin B

TripAdvisor Reviews

This was a wonderful tour. I highly recommend it. John was very knowledgeable about La Rochelle. At each stop we saw something interesting and learned about La Rochelle’s history and where are the best places to eat, the markets, the beaches and so on. At one of the shops John had arranged for us to sample some of the local liquor known as Pineau, and some of the local Brandy. It was a great introduction to La Rochelle. I am only disappointed that we were not able to go on a wine tasting tour that John also offers. I bet that would have been great too!

Visited in September 2024

Su Yin Chan

Google Reviews

I would highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting La Rochelle. It really brought the city to life. John was very knowledgeable, interesting & personalised his tour to suit all ages in our varied group (ages 10 to 77). From sport to history, politics & local gossip, we could have listened to him all day. We went for dinner in one of the restaurants he recommended and it turned out to be one of the best meals of our trip. Thank you John for a memorable afternoon

Visited in July 2024

Fintan

Get Your Guide Reviews

Our guide, John, was a mine of information which he shared with us all in a very informative but relaxing way. Top class! He handled all iur questions with ease and even dished out sweets to those who solved his riddles. We were even treated to an od hoc pineau sampling. All in all a great experience with a very knowledgeable, friendly guide. Take a bow, John👏

Visited in October 2024

Conor Coughlan

Facebook Reviews

I did this tour on my first full day in La Rochelle, and I’m so glad I did. Not only did we see the city’s main attractions, we got a great overview of La Rochelles’ fascinating history. John was an excellent guide, and he hit the perfect balance of information and fun for me. It was never boring. It was more like walking through the streets with a storyteller, and that really brought it to life. He was also super knowledgeable and answered any questions people had about places we were passing. The great thing about this tour is that it’s not just history and tourist attractions – you also get a real feel for the city’s atmosphere and its culture as you walk through the streets. John gave great suggestions on where to eat and what to try, and we were also lucky enough to sample some local pineau on our tour. It’s impossible to fit an entire city into a couple of hours, but it felt like we covered so much great stuff. And thanks to John’s tips, I left knowing exactly how I was going to spend the rest of my time in La Rochelle. This tour is brilliant at any time, but book it as one of the first things to do, and you’ll get even more out of it.

Visited in September 2024

Adam

Airbnb Reviews

If your in La Rochelle it is a must. I am staying here for a week with my partner and we took this tour the day after we arrived so now we know our way around and can make a plan on how we want to spend the rest of our holiday. John is extremely friendly with a great knowledge of the history of La Rochelle. He told historic stories and modern stories. The 2 hours flew and I would of happily spent another 2 hours walking around this beautiful location hearing all about it. Amazing experience and top notch tour guide 🙌 All in English too which was ideal!!

Visited in August 2024

Mel

TripAdvisor Reviews

John was the perfect tour guide. Very knowledgeable about the history and geography of the area. It was 2 hours very well spent, I learned a lot of interesting facts. There were 6 of us in the group which was a nice small group. John even managed to get us a pineau tasting experience, he lives locally so knows everyone.

Visited in September 2024

Ronan Cassidy

Google Reviews

I’d highly recommend the walking tour of La Rochelle. John was a great guide, giving an overview of the history of La Rochelle, delivered in a witty and engaging manner. Our group consisted of families, older couples and solo travellers and everyone came away from the tour with the same opinion. Highly recommend for anyone visiting La Rochelle on short or long term trips.

Visited in July 2024

Bisbis1241

TripAdvisor Reviews

Delightful walking tour in English. We had a delightful and informative English speaking walking tour of La Rochelle with John. He was so knowledgeable of the history of the town and was ready to respond to questions we had. It was a really enjoyable experience and we recommend his tour highly.

Written 7 February 2025

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Customised La Rochelle Tour

Do you want to have a unique, bespoke experience of La Rochelle or have you already been on a tour of La Rochelle and want to see something different? Tell us what you would like to see and do in La Rochelle and we can customize a private tour just for you!

Private La Rochelle Tour
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