Harbour and maritime museum in the Port of La Rochelle, France.

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Musée Maritime

Top choice in La Rochelle


In a series of boldly coloured, red, blue and yellow canopied hangars at the Bassin à Flot, the Maritime Museum evokes the history of La Rochelle port, from the present to the days when Parisians would arrive by train in La Rochelle to then set sail on a steamer to South America and Africa.

There are plenty of model ships, short films and the like to entertain younger minds, but the real highlight is the trio of retired boats moored here: meteorological research ship France 1, in service from 1958 until 1985, a chalutier (fishing boat) and a tug.


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Nearby La Rochelle attractions

1. Aquarium La Rochelle

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4. Tour de la Chaîne

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5. Tour de la Lanterne

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6. Tour de la Grosse Horloge

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The gateway to the old city, Tour de la Grosse Horloge is a steadfast Gothic-style clock tower with a 12th-century base and 18th-century top.

7. Musée du Nouveau Monde

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La Rochelle's role as a departure point for North America is interpreted at this museum, housed in an elegant courtyard-clad mansion built in 1750.

8. Musée des Beaux-Arts

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La Rochelle's Museum of Fine Arts, housed inside a stunning neoclassical building, hosts an impressive collection of 15th- to 20th-century art.

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