An hour and a half from Nantes, Bordeaux, and less than 2.5 hours from Paris by train, La Rochelle enjoys a central geographical location on the French Atlantic coastline. A major advantage, complemented by a bay of exceptional richness for sailing enthusiasts of sailing.
Coming to sail in La Rochelle means first and foremost enjoying an exceptional sailing area.
The islands of Ré, Oléron, and Aix protect a large part of La Rochelle's bay from the open sea swell, while offering beautiful cruising options less than two hours from the largest marina in Europe. Even with strong winds, it is possible to find areas where the sea is flat by sailing through the straits between the islands and the mainland, a real asset for the numerous regattas held throughout the year in the bay.
Less than an hour of sailing from the harbor entrance, Ré Island awaits sailors with the Sablanceaux beach. After the bridge, the village of Rivedoux appears, followed by the port of La Flotte and finally Saint-Martin, whose intact fortifications enclose one of the most beautiful villages in France.
The back of the Saint-Martin bay, less known, also offers a very decent shelter in a southwest to west wind. A little further north, the sandbank called "du bûcheron" marks the entrance to the Fier d'Ars, which leads to the port of Ars en Ré through the salt marshes. This pass, accessible at high tide (during spring tides for 12-meter sailboats), provides access to one of the island's oldest ports.
To the northwest, there are very beautiful beaches on either side of the Baleines lighthouse, 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 to the north of the island, offers safe shelter and beautiful walks to the Chassiron lighthouse along the coastal path. A few miles south, you'll find the small port of Douhet, followed by Boyardville port, just a few cables from Fort Boyard. The area also features the vast Saumonards beach, bordered by a pine forest, a great spot for fishing in the currents around this sandy point.
Right across, the famous Fort Boyard is positioned halfway 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 buoy. The small port of Sainte-Catherine dries at low tide, requiring disembarkation by dinghy or using the seasonal port shuttle for boats moored to the town’s dead moorings. Once on the island, there are no cars, but a wide range of rental bicycles. An optional choice if you want to take your time, as it takes just over an hour to walk around Aix on foot.
In case of bad weather, it is also possible to sail up the Charente River with the rising tide. It will take about an hour of navigation to reach the small port of Soubise, and another half hour to reach Rochefort, the former naval arsenal. Don't miss the visit to the Hermione, a replica of La Fayette's frigate, or the royal rope factory.
From Rochefort, four hours of navigation are enough to reach La Rochelle, with the option of stopping at the island of Aix for lunch. A playground served by a microclimate that makes the Rochelle coastline the most privileged area in the southwest, with more than 800 hours of sunshine per year.
Those who would like to take the first step towards their dream of casting off can easily step through the door of the sailing schools in La Rochelle.
There are plenty of good addresses, each with its own characteristics. Whether it's on a cruising sailboat, dinghy, catamaran or windsurf, there is something for everyone!
All these advantages naturally encouraged the development of recreational boating in La Rochelle and the creation of the Port-des-Minimes in the 1970s.
This site, built on former marshlands, underwent an expansion in 2013 with the creation of a new basin. Today, it is the largest marina in Europe and houses nearly 5,000 boats.
Every year in September, the famous Grand Pavois takes place in La Rochelle, a huge nautical fair on the west coast where visitors can test boats and make great deals.
Each year, the Grand Pavois hosts about 750 boats and nearly 100,000 visitors!
An hour and a half from Nantes, Bordeaux, and less than 2.5 hours from Paris by train, La Rochelle enjoys a central geographical location on the French Atlantic coastline. A major advantage, complemented by a bay of exceptional richness for sailing enthusiasts of sailing.
Coming to sail in La Rochelle means first and foremost enjoying an exceptional sailing area.
The islands of Ré, Oléron, and Aix protect a large part of La Rochelle's bay from the open sea swell, while offering beautiful cruising options less than two hours from the largest marina in Europe. Even with strong winds, it is possible to find areas where the sea is flat by sailing through the straits between the islands and the mainland, a real asset for the numerous regattas held throughout the year in the bay.
Less than an hour of sailing from the harbor entrance, Ré Island awaits sailors with the Sablanceaux beach. After the bridge, the village of Rivedoux appears, followed by the port of La Flotte and finally Saint-Martin, whose intact fortifications enclose one of the most beautiful villages in France.
The back of the Saint-Martin bay, less known, also offers a very decent shelter in a southwest to west wind. A little further north, the sandbank called "du bûcheron" marks the entrance to the Fier d'Ars, which leads to the port of Ars en Ré through the salt marshes. This pass, accessible at high tide (during spring tides for 12-meter sailboats), provides access to one of the island's oldest ports.
To the northwest, there are very beautiful beaches on either side of the Baleines lighthouse, 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 to the north of the island, offers safe shelter and beautiful walks to the Chassiron lighthouse along the coastal path. A few miles south, you'll find the small port of Douhet, followed by Boyardville port, just a few cables from Fort Boyard. The area also features the vast Saumonards beach, bordered by a pine forest, a great spot for fishing in the currents around this sandy point.
Right across, the famous Fort Boyard is positioned halfway 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 buoy. The small port of Sainte-Catherine dries at low tide, requiring disembarkation by dinghy or using the seasonal port shuttle for boats moored to the town’s dead moorings. Once on the island, there are no cars, but a wide range of rental bicycles. An optional choice if you want to take your time, as it takes just over an hour to walk around Aix on foot.
In case of bad weather, it is also possible to sail up the Charente River with the rising tide. It will take about an hour of navigation to reach the small port of Soubise, and another half hour to reach Rochefort, the former naval arsenal. Don't miss the visit to the Hermione, a replica of La Fayette's frigate, or the royal rope factory.
From Rochefort, four hours of navigation are enough to reach La Rochelle, with the option of stopping at the island of Aix for lunch. A playground served by a microclimate that makes the Rochelle coastline the most privileged area in the southwest, with more than 800 hours of sunshine per year.
Those who would like to take the first step towards their dream of casting off can easily step through the door of the sailing schools in La Rochelle.
There are plenty of good addresses, each with its own characteristics. Whether it's on a cruising sailboat, dinghy, catamaran or windsurf, there is something for everyone!
All these advantages naturally encouraged the development of recreational boating in La Rochelle and the creation of the Port-des-Minimes in the 1970s.
This site, built on former marshlands, underwent an expansion in 2013 with the creation of a new basin. Today, it is the largest marina in Europe and houses nearly 5,000 boats.
Every year in September, the famous Grand Pavois takes place in La Rochelle, a huge nautical fair on the west coast where visitors can test boats and make great deals.
Each year, the Grand Pavois hosts about 750 boats and nearly 100,000 visitors!