Sailing in La Rochelle
A privileged city for recreational boating
Sailing training
La Rochelle, a privileged destination for sailing
Located one and a half hours from Nantes and Bordeaux, and less than 2.5 hours from Paris by train, La Rochelle enjoys a central geographical position on the French Atlantic coast. A major asset enhanced by a bay of exceptional richness for sailing enthusiasts.
Coming to sail in La Rochelle first and foremost means enjoying an exceptional sailing area.
The islands of Ré, Oléron and Aix protect a large part of the Bay of La Rochelle from ocean swell, while offering beautiful cruising options less than two hours from the largest marina in Europe. Even in strong winds, it is possible to find areas of flat water by sailing in the pertuis located between the islands and the mainland, a real asset for the many regattas organized throughout the year in the bay.
Île de Ré within bow reach
Less than one hour of sailing from the harbor exit, Île de Ré awaits boaters with Sablanceaux beach. After the bridge comes the village of Rivedoux, then the port of La Flotte and finally Saint-Martin, whose intact fortifications enclose one of the most beautiful villages in France.
The lesser-known back of the Bay of Saint-Martin also offers very good shelter in southwesterly to westerly winds. A little further north, the sandbank known as “du bûcheron” marks the entrance to the Fier d’Ars leading to the port of Ars-en-Ré through the salt marshes. This passage, accessible at high tide (at spring tides for 12-meter sailboats), allows access to one of the island’s oldest ports.
To the northwest are beautiful beaches on either side of the Phare des Baleines built at the tip of the island. It takes about twelve hours to sail around the island. Less than two hours from La Rochelle, Saint-Denis d’Oléron is also an excellent stopover. This port, located in the north of the island, offers safe shelter and pleasant walks toward the Chassiron lighthouse along the coastal path. A few miles to the south lies the small port of Le Douhet, then Boyardville a few cable lengths from Fort Boyard. You will also find the vast Saumonards beach bordered by a pine forest, an excellent spot for fishing in the currents that flow around this sandy point.
Directly opposite, the famous Fort Boyard lies midway between Oléron and Aix, which can be reached in less than an hour by sail. This island is the smallest in the region and offers three anchorages, either on anchor or on mooring buoys. The small port of Sainte-Catherine dries at low tide, requiring landing by dinghy or using the port shuttle open in season for boats moored on the municipality’s moorings. Once on the island, there are no cars, but a wide choice of bicycles for rent. An optional choice if you wish to take your time, since it takes barely more than an hour to walk around Aix Island.
The Charente under sail
In heavy weather, it is also possible to sail up the Charente River with the rising tide. Allow about one hour of navigation to reach the small port of Soubise, and another half hour to continue on to Rochefort, a former sailing navy arsenal. Do not miss visiting the Hermione, a replica of La Fayette’s frigate, or the Royal Ropeworks.
From Rochefort, four hours of sailing are enough to return to La Rochelle, with the possibility of a lunch stop at Île d’Aix. A playground served by a microclimate that makes the La Rochelle coastline the most favored area in the southwest, with more than 800 hours of sunshine per year.
Sailing schools in La Rochelle
Those wishing to take the first step toward their dream of casting off lines can easily walk through the doors of sailing schools in La Rochelle.
Good addresses abound, each with its own characteristics. Whether on cruising sailboats, dinghies, catamarans or windsurf boards, there is something for everyone!
Les Minimes marina
All these assets naturally fostered the development of recreational boating in La Rochelle and the creation of Les Minimes Marina in the 1970s.
Built on former marshlands, the site underwent an extension in 2013 with the creation of a new basin. It is now the largest marina in Europe and hosts nearly 5,000 boats.
Le Grand Pavois
Every September, La Rochelle hosts the famous Grand Pavois, a huge nautical show on the west coast where boats can be tested and great deals concluded.
Each year the Grand Pavois welcomes around 750 boats and nearly 100,000 visitors!