The 11 Best La Rochelle Tours

1.2-Hour Sunset Sailing Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 652 reviews · 2 hours · from $40Our pick

Join Kapalouest’s two-hour French-language sunset cruise aboard a 16-meter maxi-catamaran. You’ll leave from the old harbor, pass the Richelieu Tower and Les Minimes, then sail under open canvas while the sun drops over the sea. Bring a picnic, warm layers, and a camera.

“This is the most fabulous cruise, we so enjoyed the experience, the staff are amazing and so helpful and make everything about this outing just perfect. This is a wonderful boat trip to take, it’s a great experience and gives you unequalled views of La Rochelle and the glorious sunset over the sea. I cannot recommend it more highly.”

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2.Planet Exotica entrance ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 310 reviews · 2 to 3 hours (approx.) · from $22

Spend two to four hours at Planet Exotica, a family park with tropical and desert greenhouses, reptiles, dinosaurs, a Japanese garden, farm animals, go-karts, trampolines, and children’s play areas. Your mobile ticket covers admission, and the park is near public transportation.

“Fantastic day out with the kids, so much to do and see (we doesn’t over 4 hours here) from the reptile house to the Dino land. Only issue we had, was that there was no inclusion for anyone speaking English whatsoever despite there being a number of English speaking tourists and although there is a QR code scanning option on every enclosure, this is time consuming not practical to do for every single animal.”

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3.Catamaran Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 252 reviews · 2h 30m · from $40

Meet Kapalouest by La Rochelle’s historic towers for a 150-minute French-language cruise on a 16-meter maxi-catamaran. You’ll pass the Richelieu Tower and Les Minimes, then stop the engine, open the sails, and relax at sea. Bring your own food and drinks for an apéritif.

“L’équipe était très accueillante. Ballade agréable et détendue, agrémentée de quelques anecdotes locales et historiques. Merci!”

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4.Coastline Sailing Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 240 reviews · 2 hours · from $33

Join a French-speaking crew aboard a 16-meter maxi-catamaran for a calm two-hour cruise from La Rochelle’s old harbor. You’ll pass the Richelieu Tower, Les Minimes, and the End of the World lighthouse, then sail under canvas across the bay.

“vent et soleil et bonne ambiance. tout ce qu'il fallait pour se sentir bien.😃”

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5.Discover La Rochelle: Discovery Walking Tour of La Rochelle

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 228 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $48Top rated

Join John McGuiggan for a two-hour English walking tour through La Rochelle’s harbor and old town. See the medieval towers, Hôtel de Ville, cathedral, market, surviving walls, Saint-Sauveur church, and Valin lighthouse, with local food and restaurant tips along the way.

“John was an excellent tour guide. Very friendly and humorous. As well as interesting facts, he gave great tips on restaurants and recommended a light show in the cathedral which was excellent. Thanks John.”

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6.The Océâmes Treasure in La Rochelle

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 193 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.)

Set off from Quai Valin with a pirate bag, logbook, mysterious grid, and odd objects. You and up to five companions follow a self-guided Templar trail through central La Rochelle, solving observation puzzles at your own pace before returning for a debrief with Martial.

“Meilleure expérience immersive au coeur de La Rochelle ! Un escape game qui mêle humour et réflexion, qui nous a permis de découvrir des lieux insoupçonnés de la ville de manière ludique et créative. Merci !”

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7.Sailing Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 192 reviews · 3 hours · from $45

Join the French-speaking crew aboard Columbus, an 18-meter former ocean-racing sailboat, for a three-hour cruise from La Rochelle’s old port. See the Richelieu Tower and Bout du Monde lighthouse, learn about the boat’s environmental missions, and sail quietly through the Pertuis.

“Un cadre d’exception, un bateau de caractère, un équipage pro, arrangeant, engageant et généreux. On y retourne !”

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8.1-Hour Boat Tour of the Bay

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 130 reviews · from $20Best value

Join a captain at La Rochelle’s dock for a 75-minute cruise aboard a small wooden motor boat carrying up to 12 people. See the old harbor, Les Minimes marina, the channel, and the 1627 Richelieu Tower lighthouse while hearing local history in French, with some English.

“Captain is very Cool & friendly... Eventhough Boat Engine sound was horrible Captain Make his Voice Loud Everyone can Hear his Explainatiins.. Speaker is better Solution or Engine sound have to be Repaired.... nice Trip...”

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9.Boat trip to Fort Boyard (2h00)

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 88 reviews · 2 hours · from $27

Board at La Rochelle’s Old Port for a two-hour guided cruise toward Fort Boyard and Aix Island. You’ll see the harbor towers, Île de Ré, and Île d’Oléron from a spacious heated boat. Commentary is in French with English translation, and the ticket office is beside the pier.

“it was self directed. boarded the boat independently. was very interesting and a nice evening. the commentary was in French and English which was good. was a nice way to spend the evening”

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10.Discovery Walking Tour of La Rochelle

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 72 reviews · 2 hours · from $47

Meet John beside the anchor at Place de la Chaîne for a two-hour English walking tour of La Rochelle. See the three towers, Fort des Dames, clock tower, and Hotel de Ville while learning about local history, modern French life, regional food, and possibly tasting Pineau des Charentes.

“Despite some very heavy rain, this tour was excellent and well worth the money and the wet clothes. The host is excellent with troves of information, good humour and set me up well to understand the city. I’d recommend everyone do this tour early in their stay!”

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11.Private Custom Walking Tour With a Local Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 36 reviews · 2 - 3 hours · from $55

Meet a local guide such as Celine, Jean-Baptiste, Martine, or Agnès for a private 2 to 3 hour walk through La Rochelle. See the harbor towers, market, cathedral, beach, and old streets, with time to adjust the route or plan a museum visit.

“Our guide Celine was very charming and made our day most enjoyable. We learned about the history of La Rochelle and she told stories of the people that made the city into what it is today. She also helped in guiding us to places we should visit during the rest of our stay in La Rochelle. Highly recommended.”

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