The Maritime Museum of La Rochelle: from the history of the city to the world of the oceans.

Want to learn more about the history and heritage of La Rochelle ? Head to the Maritime Museum on the quays of the Old Port! While you're there, also immerse yourself in the temporary exhibition "Climate-Ocean" for a fun and moving experience between aquatic atmosphere and abyssal depths.

Immersion in the maritime history of La Rochelle

Is the weather forecast for Charente-Maritime this weekend gloomy? Don't panic. Rainy days often bring discoveries and pleasant surprises. Just a stone's throw from the unmissable La Rochelle Aquarium, a true cultural and heritage escape awaits.

Located in the former trawler basin of the Old Port, the Maritime Museum of La Rochelle is distinguished by its multicolored pavilions designed by architect Patrick Bouchain. Its original architecture illustrates, in the broadest sense, the rich maritime history of the city and its port. The site comprises three distinct visitor areas and a multifaceted collection that immerses visitors in a captivating maritime world. A museum unlike any other, dedicated to people, ships, and the ocean.

The Pavilions Gallery: the permanent collection "La Rochelle born of the sea"

From the moment you enter, a visit to the pavilions becomes an invitation to journey through the city's maritime culture. We discover the incredible story of Rupella (meaning "little rock"), this ancient fishing village, founded in the 9th century on a rocky promontory, destined to become one of France's leading fishing ports in the early 1960s. The museum's layout follows the chronological sequence of La Rochelle's history. Thanks to historians' research and the documentation of the collection's artifacts, we travel back in time to its founding around the year 1000. A stronghold of rebellion and a major Protestant center of the Kingdom of France, a port with a significant role in the triangular trade, La Rochelle reveals an extraordinary destiny in this first pavilion, contextualized by films, maps, documents, models, and scale models.

I am particularly moved by the model of the Euryale, the La Rochelle slave ship which, laden with goods, left the port bound for the African coast. Upon arrival, no fewer than 600 slaves were loaded aboard to cross the Atlantic. In the West Indies, the captives were traded for sugar, coffee, cotton, and cocoa. A heavy past to bear, and one that evokes strong emotions : in the 18th century, La Rochelle was the second largest slave-trading port in France.

The covered arcades allow passage between the pavilions while keeping dry. The two other pavilions offer a direct glimpse into the heyday of fishing, from small fishing boats to industrial trawlers. We discover the traditional trades linked to the sea and the deep connection the city has with the ocean. A playful reconstruction of the fish market immerses us in the bustling activity of the early morning fish auction, from the unloading of trawlers laden with fish to the processing in the fishmongers' stalls.

The evolution and growth of the three ports of La Rochelle are discussed, from the creation of the La Pallice tidal basin to the Minimes marina, passing through the Chef de Baie fishing port.

Ships afloat: an open-air museum

Outside the main building, the Maritime Museum's fleet includes eight ships considered true national treasures. What a privilege for young and old alike to be able to admire and even board some of these historic vessels! Behind the museum, we can see the Joshua and the Capitaine de Frégate Leverger (a lifeboat from the French Sea Rescue Society). The Manuel-Joël, a classic trawler dating from 1954, once fished for tuna and langoustines.

In the harbor, this fleet, unique in France, includes the majestic France 1, a 76-meter former weather frigate built in 1958, which is fully open to the public. A must-see for locals between April and October, the ship houses the Bar de la Mer on its deck. This warm and festive spot offers, in addition to breathtaking views of the port, a varied musical program and a gourmet menu from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m.

Adjacent to the France 1, the Angoumois is a 38-meter deep-sea vessel that has had a significant impact on industrial fishing in La Rochelle, capable of landing between 25 and 50 tons of fish upon its return from several weeks at sea.

Finally, the Saint-Gilles is a small tugboat from the port of La Pallice, now classified as a historical monument. Its crucial role in numerous assistance missions to rescue boats in difficulty off the island of Ré has earned it the admiration of all.

Learn more

For a weekend in La Rochelle, we took advantage of a combined ticket giving access to three sites: the Museum of the New World, the Natural History Museum and the Maritime Museum.

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