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History

A hamlet called Cougnes, of unknown origin, whose livelihood depended on working the local salt marshes, is no doubt the oldest district of La Rochelle. Progressively, Cougnes habitations edged closer to the sea until the time, in around the 9th century, when a fishermen's town called Rupella (small rock) was founded on a rock promontory in the midde of the marshes. This small town was to become the city of La Rochelle.

 Tucked into a bay sheltered from the ocean's fury by the islands of Ré and Oléron, with its own sources of fresh water, the place was ideal for the establishment of a harbour. Consequently, the port of La Rochelle gained in influence from the 12th century onwards and throughout the Middle Ages.

 Between 1130 and 1137, the city was released from feudal laws and became a free harbor, supported by Louis VII and Aliénor d'Aquitaine (1146). La Rochelle became the most important harbour on the Atlantic coast and enjoyed three centuries of prosperity, trading mainly in the local wine and salt. In 1154, the city became an English province and was allowed to enter the English and northern European markets.

 During the wars between England and France, the city passed into the hands of each country successively but La Rochelle inhabitants remained loyal to the French crown. In 1372 they managed to expell the English garrison, which had pillaged the city two years earlier. But they refused to let the French garrison enter the city since they wanted to negociate their return into the kingdom of France. Charles V finally agreed to give them their independance from the royal power, making La Rochelle a French city once and for all.

 During the Second World War, the city was occupied by Germany and was one the last cities to be liberated. However, thanks to negociations between Germany and the Allies, the city and harbour remained intact.

 It was only after World War II that La Rochelle airport began to develop, when domestic flights to Bordeaux, Lyon, Nantes and Paris were introduced. The city also adopted the first prototypes of diesel-electric locomotives, adopted on the La Rochelle-Poitiers and Nantes-Bordeaux lines.

 La Rochelle has managed to preserve its very rich historical heritage, making the city one of the most picturesque on the Atlantic coast and extremely attractive to tourists. The town has experienced major population growth since 1950, leading to the creation of new suburbs and complex new town planning. This phenomenon has been amplified recently with the opening of a multidisciplinary university and the arrival of the TGV (high speed train).

 La Rochelle's links with the sea are as strong as ever. It is also home to the harbour of Les Minimes, the biggest marina in Europe, and it has a vibrant shipbuilding industry. Its aquarium is one the biggest in Europe and its maritime museum is well worth visiting.

Since 1984, the city has also hosted numerous festivals, such as the Francofolies - one of the biggest musical festivals in France - which takes place there every summer, or the International Film Festival, which is the second biggest in France in terms of visitors, right after the Festival of Cannes.