La Rochelle Sailing Cruise to Fort Boyard

The old harbour of La Rochelle

La Rochelle has been a sailing town for nearly a thousand years, and its old harbour is still full of masts. The Saint-Nicolas and Chain Towers guard the harbour mouth, the Big Clock gate opens onto the arcaded streets of the old town, and the quays are lined with cafés and fishing boats. The catamaran is moored by the old harbour at 15 Avenue Michel Crépeau, a short walk from the town centre.

Before casting off, the captain gives a welcome and safety briefing, shows you around the boat and explains the plan for the day according to the wind and tide. Then you motor gently out of the harbour past the towers. For anyone looking for a La Rochelle boat excursion with a real sailing feel, this is a relaxed and beautiful start.

La Rochelle Bay, the Richelieu Tower and Les Minimes

The first part of the trip crosses La Rochelle Bay. On one side you pass Les Minimes, one of the largest marinas on the Atlantic coast of Europe and base of a well-known sailing school; on the other, the small Richelieu Tower marks the end of the dyke built on the remains of a sea wall from the siege of 1627 and 1628, when the town was cut off from the sea.

Once outside the channel the crew hoists the sails, the engine stops and the catamaran picks up speed in silence. A catamaran rests on two hulls, so it sails level and steady, ideal for first-time sailors and children. The bay is one of the best sailing areas in France, which is why you see so many sailing boats and dinghies around you.

Sailing between Île de Ré, Île d'Aix and Île d'Oléron

The route to Fort Boyard runs through the Pertuis d'Antioche, the stretch of sea between Île de Ré and Île d'Oléron. To the north, the long bridge to Île de Ré curves over the water towards its salt marshes and white villages; to the south, Île d'Oléron, the largest island on the French Atlantic coast, stretches away with its pine forests and oyster beds.

Ahead lies Île d'Aix, a car-free island at the mouth of the Charente with old forts and a twin-towered lighthouse. The tides here are strong and the sea changes colour with the sandbanks, so the skipper chooses the best line under sail. This is a good moment to open your picnic on deck or simply enjoy the wind and the quiet of the sails.

Fort Boyard up close

Fort Boyard sits on a sandbank between Île d'Aix and Île d'Oléron, an oval of stone about 68 metres long with walls 20 metres high. Begun in 1804 to defend the naval arsenal of Rochefort, it took more than 50 years to build on the shifting sand and was finished in 1857, just as longer-range cannons made it unnecessary. It was later used briefly as a prison before being abandoned to the sea.

The catamaran sails all the way around the fort, getting as close as the wind and the tide allow, so you can take as many photos as you like from every side. There is no landing, as the fort is closed to the public. On the way back you can lie on the trampolines, chat with the crew about local history and sailing, and arrive in La Rochelle about 4 hours after leaving.