What to do in Charente-Maritime if it rains?

La Rochelle Aquarium

Discover one of Europe’s largest privately-owned aquariums.

A visit to the heart of the ocean, an open window onto the deep blue sea, where you can dream, learn and gain understanding about the ocean!

La Rochelle Maritime Museum

Embark on an adventure on land and at sea!

On land, discover maritime history through original exhibitions and displays.

At sea, visit the ships for a unique adventure!

La Rochelle Natural History Museum

Located in the heart of the city for almost two centuries, the Natural History Museum is a place for conservation, exhibitions and the exchange of knowledge.

La Rochelle Bunker

A 300 m² bunker in the heart of the city centre, it recounts the history of La Rochelle during the Second World War.

Secretly built in 1941 by the Germans as a bomb shelter, the bunker has remained intact since 1945.

It is now open to the public!

La Rochelle Musée des Beaux-Arts

The Musée des Beaux-Arts is housed in the Hôtel Crussol d’Uzès, an episcopal palace built under Louis XVI, and offers a rich panorama of European painting from the 15th to the 20th century.

Currently closed for renovation work, you can visit the website to find out when it will reopen.

La Rochelle Musée du Nouveau Monde

The museum is housed in an 18th-century historic residence, the Hôtel Fleuriau.

Created in 1982, the Musée du Nouveau Monde illustrates the relationship between France, La Rochelle in particular, and the Americas since the 16th century.

The Corderie Royale in Rochefort

Located alongside the Charente river, this 374-metre-long building is a listed historic building.

Discover a vast museographic space that explains, in a fun, educational way, the workings of what was the longest factory in Europe in the 17th century, where ropes were made for the King’s ships.

Exhibition on the Hermione ship, the frigate of freedom

Visit the exhibition in Rochefort about the construction of a replica of the Hermione frigate, the ship that enabled La Fayette to join the American insurgents fighting for their independence in 1780.

The Musée National de la Marine and the Musée de l’École de Médecine Navale

The only museum of its kind in France!

Discover the Rochefort Naval Medical School as it was in the mid-19th century.

A powerful place where science, technology, politics and society meet.

Musée des Commerces d’Autrefois

Immerse yourself in the early 20th century with a visit to the Musée des Commerces d’Autrefois in Rochefort. This unique venue invites you to discover fascinating reconstructions of the stores that once brought the streets of our towns to life. Through meticulously recreated settings, you can explore a grocery store, a pharmacy, a hairdressing salon, and many other emblematic shops of the era. Every detail transports you into a nostalgic atmosphere, offering total immersion in the daily lives of our ancestors. The Musée des Commerces d’Autrefois is a veritable time machine, ideal for visitors of all ages who are curious and eager to experience the warm, authentic atmosphere of the shops of the past.

Grottes de Matata

Located in Meschers-sur-Gironde, the Grottes de Matata caves offer a unique setting in the heart of the limestone cliffs overlooking the Gironde estuary. These natural caves, sculpted by the sea and by human hands, tell a fascinating story, combining geology, local legends and troglodytic life.

Grottes du Régulus

Located in Meschers-sur-Gironde, discover the history and legends of the Meschers caves: the geology, estuary fishing, ‘carrelet’ traditional fishing huts, the ‘guinguettes’ riverbank parties held in the 19th century, and troglodytic dwellings… So much to discover!

Paléosite

Take a step back in time to the prehistoric era.

Paléosite is a museum and visitor centre devoted entirely to Neanderthal times. It is located near Saintes.