Here I am back in Charente-Maritime (remember my getaway to La Rochelle in 2017)! This time it was to discover the neighboring city of Rochefort, which I was visiting for the first time. The city is famous today thanks to Jacques Demy’s film “The Young Girls of Rochefort”. You should definitely go see the Place Colbert in the city center where a large part of the movie takes place, if you want to make a little pilgrimage. I was therefore delighted to return to Charente-Maritime to discover another port on the coast. The excuse for this getaway was the inauguration of the Arsenal of the Seas in Rochefort, this past July 6th. A place that brings together several activities as you will see below and which is a strong center of attraction for the city.
Practical Information: arrive by train from Paris / TGV Paris – La Rochelle then take a TER (30 min) to Rochefort.
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Table of Contents
The Arsenal of the Seas in Rochefort
Between its creation in 1666 under the reign of Louis XIV and its closure in 1927, nearly 550 warships were built there. This “Versailles of the Seas” as it is nicknamed was a place of technical innovation in naval construction. Today, the site is a cultural and tourist complex that offers 4 different places to discover, which I detail for you below in the article: the Royal Rope Factory (Corderie Royale); the Hermione; the Accro-Mâts; the National Museum of the Navy in Rochefort.
2019 was therefore the first season of this new project launched last July and the site also plans the development of new activities during this year 2020. You can also find entertainment throughout the day on the site: cannon fire, street performances, sea shanties, children’s stories, concerts… Finally, there is a mobile application, the “Arsenal of the Seas Challenge” (the application is free with the site pass) which allows you to participate as a family in an 8-step game at all the locations of the Arsenal of the Seas.
Arsenal of the Seas Single ticket at €20 for the 3 sites for 1 day (€15 for under-15s and free for under 6s) + €12 for the Accro-Mâts (€11 for children) Multi-day pass at €25 for adults and €20 for children The tip: from 5 PM, 1-activity pass at €12 only at the ticket counters (€14.50 for 2 activities) Subscription system for Rochefort residents or people who visit frequently (season pass)
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The National Museum of the Navy in Rochefort
This museum is housed in one of the oldest civil buildings in Rochefort, the private mansion of the Seigneur de Cheusses. It presents various heritage collections: boat models, paintings, sculptures, weapons, and navigation instruments. In any case, it is a very interesting museum, and we really enjoyed this visit with my favorite photographer.
National Museum of the Navy in Rochefort 1 place de la Galissonnière 17300 Rochefort Open from April 1st to September 30th every day from 10 AM to 7 PM and from October 1st to December 31st every day from 1:30 PM to 6 PM Rates: €6.50 / reduced €5.50 / free for EU citizens under 26
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The Accro-Mâts
This adventure park 30m up is an exciting playground for those who love climbing in the rigging and who have an adventurous spirit. Obviously, it’s better not to be afraid of heights to climb to the very top of the masts, but be aware that there are several courses with different levels if you want to try the experience without going all the way to the top of the boat’s masts. Finally, the site is super secure and you are well harnessed for the adventure, so there is no risk! In any case, it is a sensational attraction, and for those who want to test their limits, it’s a good exercise!
Accro-Mâts From age 6, minimum height with arms raised 1.40 m closed shoes mandatory
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The Hermione Lafayette
Launched in 1779, the Hermione sailed for 14 years before sinking off the coast of Le Croisic. Reconstructed identically by the association L’Hermione-La Fayette, the three-masted ship has impressive dimensions with more than 2000 square meters of sail. It took no less than 17 years of construction in Rochefort to make this magnificent replica of the frigate. It has been sailing since 2014 and has already covered the equivalent of a trip around the world (the Americas in 2015, Brittany in 2016, and the Mediterranean in 2018). Last year, it was the Breton Yann Cariou who held the helm of the Hermione.
The Hermione returned from its Normandy freedom journey (its 4th trip) on July 5th, 2019. This trip coincided with the 75th anniversary of the landing on the Normandy beaches. In a first part, you can discover through an exhibition the history of the boat’s construction, its voyages, its crew, life on board, maintenance workshops, and the traditional boat restoration shipyard. When it is in Rochefort, you can also visit the 2 upper decks of the Hermione, which is rather nice.
Hermione Lafayette Maritime Arsenal Place Amiral Dupont 17300 Rochefort
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The Royal Rope Factory (Corderie Royale) in Rochefort
The Royal Rope Factory was the longest rope-making factory in Europe in the 17th century. It was completely renovated and opened to the public in 1984. This historic site presents a film/show that traces the history of the building, built in 1666 under the reign of Louis XIV. We then enter an exhibition space that allows us to discover in particular the secrets of hemp, from fiber to rigging.
You can then attend a demonstration of rope manufacturing (fascinating!). A recent museum-style path explains the different stages of manufacturing this product, which was essential for building ships. We end the visit with the rope-makers’ workshop, who explain everything about sailor’s knots, and they even make jewelry right before our eyes that is then sold in the shop, at the rope store (I actually fell for a little rope ring with a pretty sailor knot!). If you have time, the venue also regularly offers temporary exhibitions (included in the ticket price).
The Royal Rope Factory Centre International de la Mer BP 50108, 17303 Rochefort cedex open every day from February 9, 2019 to January 5, 2020
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My tips for Rochefort
As I said at the beginning, don’t hesitate to go for a walk in the city, which is really charming because there are obviously plenty of other things to see in Rochefort in addition to the Arsenal of the Seas.
I also suggest below a few tips to enjoy during a stay in Rochefort:
- The Rochefort Océan privilege card: it is offered to you when you buy 2 services simultaneously at a reduced rate in a tourist information office (activities, visits, cruises, bike rental, bus, boat). And it then allows you to benefit from advantages and discounts.
- The Jazz Wednesdays in July and August which offer free concerts from 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM.
- The Mondays of the Arsenal (in July and August): from 7:00 PM every Monday in July and August, the Arsenal offers many free activities: street crier, stories, concerts, screenings, unusual visits…
Rochefort Tourist Office Place de Verdun, 17780 Soubise
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My favorite addresses in Rochefort
As usual, you will find below a selection of great addresses in Rochefort (accommodation and restaurants) that we had the opportunity to test during our stay with my favorite photographer.
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Where to stay in Rochefort? Quai aux Vivres
This historic 17th-century monument, built by the engineer and architect Louis Le Vau (ordinary architect of the buildings of King Louis XIV and member of the Royal Academy of Architecture), benefited from 4 years of renovation. Its purpose today is the rental of luxury apartments via the Foncia agency of Rochefort (54 rue Cochon Duvivier). We were in apartment A201. This one is 56 m2 with a bathroom + a bedroom + a kitchen, very practical dining room.
Positive points: wifi included in the rental, equipped kitchen with the possibility of cooking, washing machine, iron, and a very important point, it is very quiet.
Negative points: the bedroom overlooks the interior of the building so the window cannot be opened, and only a blind isolates it from the light. But when someone enters the building, the interior lighting turns on and the blind lets a lot of light through. It is therefore not very pleasant when someone comes in in the middle of the night for example, for my part it woke me up.
Quai aux Vivres 10 quai aux Vivres / 16 rue Bazeilles 17300 Rochefort
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The Vivre(s) Restaurant
This restaurant is located at the foot of the Quai aux Vivres accommodation where we were, which is obviously very practical. It was opened on June 13, 2019, by the La Rochelle chef Grégory Coutanceau who tries as much as possible to combine the good, the beautiful, and the healthy. It offers wood-fired cuisine of very high quality in his restaurant and a very nice selection of wines at his bar. It is really one of the best addresses in the city I think in terms of gastronomy. Regarding products, the chef sources from responsible channels to highlight the terroir and the seasons.
The restaurant room is also very pleasant with an open kitchen where you can see the team busy, and on the other side, large bay windows with a view of the port and the Charente. We also had the chance to have our breakfasts there (but that is apparently only possible by reservation).
The little extra: the beautiful roof-top of the establishment overlooking the Charente.
To taste: the seared tuna slice with avocado and raspberry; the low-temperature egg with white asparagus; the pollock with almonds and farm carrots; the supreme of farm Guinea fowl with sweet wine; the chocolate fondant, mango heart; the pineapple fire coconut and rum with lime sorbet.
In the vaulted cellar of the restaurant, you can also find a wine bar (open from 5:30 PM to 02:00 AM) where a large place has been given to wines resulting from a biodynamic approach.
Restaurant Vivres Quai des Vivres, 17300 Rochefort Menu at €35 for lunch with starter + main course + dessert The tip: menu of the week at €24 with starter + main course + dessert
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The Rade de la Méduse
This restaurant point is located between the Hermione and the Accro-Mâts and it is only open during the summer season. It is therefore the ideal place to eat on the go during your day at the Arsenal for example.
Le Rade de la Méduse 1 quai Joseph Bellot
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Dinner at the Cap Nell restaurant
This bistro with nautical decor is ideally located opposite the port and has a very beautiful terrace with a view of the moored boats. It is therefore very pleasant to have lunch or dinner there on sunny days. The good point is that the fish served in the restaurant comes from the La Rochelle fish auctions. For wine, we tested a nice little Charentais country wine from the Domaine Perrière Gonthier (€4.50 a glass).
My advice: For dessert, I recommend you try the Jonchée of Erick Jarnan with its coulis, a local specialty based on curdled fresh cheese (from cow, sheep, or goat milk) native to Charente-Maritime and presented in a braided rush straw that gives it both its name and its slightly bitter herbaceous taste. It is quite peculiar, but it’s worth trying.
Restaurant Cap Nell 1 quai Joseph Bellot 17300 Rochefort Closed Tuesday evening and Wednesday and in July/August open every day Menu at €22 with starter + main course + dessert
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Thanks to the city of Rochefort and the Rochefort Océan agglomeration community for this “discovery of the Arsenal of the Seas” welcome and also to Charentes Tourisme.
I hope that with all this I will have made you want to discover Rochefort and its Arsenal of the Seas, and if you too have your own favorite addresses and tips for this destination, do not hesitate to share them in the comments!
Photo credits: Nicolas Diolez Photos are not royalty-free, photographer's authorization mandatory before any use
