Welcome to the rochefort country

In 1666, Louis XIV was eager to establish a powerful arsenal on Atlantic facade, chooses the site of Rochefort along Charente.

To serve this naval big industry, a city with the rectilinear streets is built and embellished with the liking of the passage of the officers and travellers…

Today, the patrimonial richness of Rochefort testifies to this maritime vocation

The Royal Rope manufacture, longer industrial building of Europe of the XVII century (373m), manufacture of ropes, accomodates today the International Center of the sea, the Academy of Littoral Space, the League for the protection of the Birds, the Chamber of commerce and of Industry and the Library-Media library.

The Dry docks constitute four chiefs of work of architecture who were used with maintenance and repair of the ships.

Hermione is the frigate which was put in building site in Rochefort in 1779, on which took on board the marquis of Fayette towards the independence of the United States of America. Today, Hermione is rebuilt on the site even where it was born.

The oldest Naval Medical school with its collections and its scientific library constitutes the ultimate doctor's office of natural history of Europe.

The Hotel of Cheusses and the Hotel of the Marchioness of Amblimont shelter the Museum of the navy, larger museum of the Atlantic facade.

  For the holiday makers and tourists who stay in Charente-Maritime, the visit in Rochefort is often limited to the Royal Rope manufacture, with the building site of Hermione, even at the Stone-built house Loti. Rochefort deserves a visit much broader.

We invite you to the walk in the streets and on the places to benefit fully from the town planning and the architecture of this " new city of the 17th siècle" remarkably restored. town of Rochefort has is located on Right Bank of Charente, with a score of kilometers of the sea by the river.

The beaches of Fouras are with ten kilometers. The marina and the commercial port surprise by their establishment " in ville" but their importance assure us that the side sea is always very present today at Rochefort-on-Sea! In addition, Rochefort occupies a central position on the Charente-native littoral in La Rochelle north with 30 kilometers and the south, Royan with 40 kilometers.

 By visiting Rochefort, you understand its classification " Town of Art and History". The label “city and country of art and history”, allotted by the Ministry for the Culture, rewards the cities which implement actions of valorization of the inheritance and architecture. You can only greet the success of Rochefort in this field. Rochefort, the Colbert place and the stone fountain
The Colbert place is the most famous place of Rochefort.

This great place logically bears the name which initiated the construction of Rochefort. It is the place of the Town hall, it is really the centre town. We invite you to begin your visit of Rochefort with the Colbert place. There are a carpark and possibility of parking along the neighbouring streets.

From the Colbert place, all tourist Rochefort and tradesman are accessible to foot.

The Colbert place was the subject of an important restoration in 2005 and 2006. The stone fountain surmounted by a sculpture symbolizing the meeting of Charente and the Ocean is well development.

The place is bordered of private mansions with remarkable balconies and ironwork.

The coffees, breweries, restaurants deploy their vast terraces which are the welcomes for a pause restoration or relaxation.

The famous film of Jacques Demy, the Young ladies of Rochefort, left in 1967, made known the Colbert place.

From the Colbert place, the street of the Republic makes it possible to join the Charles de Gaulle avenue which leads to the entry of the arsenal.

The door of the Arsenal, also called carries Sun is a monumental door in the shape  of the triumphal arch.

The arsenal which extends along Charente was carried out as from 1666 and saw building a considerable number of vessels until its closing in 1926.
The dry docks for the maintenance and the repair of the ships make it possible to have an idea of the size of the vessels.

In the middle of the arsenal, the 374 meters long building, remarkably restored, is impressive by its dimensions and its proportions.

It is difficult to imagine that this splendid building had an industrial calling. And yet, this royal manufacture of ropes, built of 1666 to 1670 on squarings of beams of oak because of the marshy ground, is a testimony of the industrial architecture of the 17th century.

Inside, you are also impressed by the immense room adapted to dimensions of the ropes to make. The tools and the machines, the raw materials used, the processes and manufacturing methods are presented in a very accessible way.

Scenes animated on the life on board vessels of the time supplement this enthralling visit.

Water of the thermal baths, saltworks and ferruginous to the beneficial properties, spout out depths of the ground - 800 meters (960 m3 d' water per day). Analgesics, anti-inflammatory drugs and healing, this water give excellent results in the treatment of rheumatisms and diseases of the veins and the skin.

The thermal activity of the city is increasingly important, the establishment accomodating more than 13.000 curists per annum.

Rochefort is today the 9th Thermal city of France.