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La Rochelle is often a great town to go to for a number of days. The smartest thing about La Rochelle is that this centre of town sits right around the harbour. The harbour is beautiful, filled with yachts and boats as well as the entrance is guarded by two old stone towers. The Tour St Nicolas (Saint Nicolas Tower) is 42 meters high and appearance just like a small castle sat around the water. The Tour de la Chaine (The Chain Tower) was built between 1382 and 1390 and contains an exhibition about the migration of French website visitors to Canada.

The harbour is packed with very affordable restaurants, an incredible place for any relaxing lunch. In the evening the region transforms and fills track of various entertainments made available from street artists, from music to gymnastics to fire eating. If you're searching for something just a little more up-market go to the nearby Rue St Jean Du Perot that is filled with really interesting looking restaurants together with a Thai restaurant along with a highly recommended fish restaurant called André. We chose the Bistro Remi Massé which won top bistro prize in 2006 and just weren't disappointed.

From the harbour area walk over the beautifully decorated clock tower and you might be in one with the main shopping streets of La Rochelle. Here you can find Pimkie, Camaieau, Promod and several more with the popular French shops. Around the corner from all of these you can find Les Galaries Lafayette house designer collections or a walk towards the covered market reveals a lot of exclusive boutiques.

The covered market is really a must. Inside is really a wonderful array of excellent butchers, cheese shops, deli's and there is surely an amazing range of cooked meals if you are planning over a good picnic. Delicious, and not cheap. Outside within the mornings you will quickly realize there's quite large fruit and veg market.

Walking round La Rochelle certainly one of my favourite sights may be the Maison Henri II (The House of Henri II). This is an elaborate façade of an house but has the appearance of a set for Romeo and Juliet. In front from it there's a lovely little courtyard garden. Perfect spot to halt and eat an ice cream! Another lovely spot may be the Cloister des Dames Blanches, a cloister with a pleasant garden as well as an art exhibition decorating its walls. And yes, for other garden fans like myself don't miss the Jardin des Plantes that is behind the Natural History Museum. This is a fantastic garden and contains many plants I could only dream of growing in a greenhouse even though I live further south in France than La Rochelle. The museum is worth a visit too!