Rochelle (la) - an ancient port.

A kernel of atmosphere and much beyond.

La Rochelle has oodles of it - atmosphere. Many transient visitors - perhaps the majority - will not move far from the old port and the labyrinth of the nearby ancient streets but they will surely enjoy their visit. The place is busy at any time of year and in the summer it seems like fiesta time. Who could possibly not be captivated by the harbour and its defensive towers, the pleasure boats scurrying to and fro, the pavement cafes and the cool arcades leading away from the quayside. But that is really only the fortuitous kernel of a major provincial centre. It is the largest town in Poitou Charente although not the regional capital. That role has gone to Poitiers the most geographically central town. In any case, la Rochelle has enough going for it.

Great variety on a daily walk.

It has a population of 116,000 and property seekers will find a huge variety of dwellings from the suburbs to the fashionable city centre. The magnetism of that is enhanced because if you venture a few yards over the invisible boundary that defines the tourist sphere of influence you'll find parklands to stroll in and a lengthy beach to bathe from. All this somehow manages to compress itself into an area that is so convenient that - if one had a central apartment - you wouldn't need to acquire a dog to persuade yourself to encompass it all on a daily walk. Neither should that exercise be too uncomfortable as the town adds to its numerous blessings a claim that it has the best micro-climate on the region's coastline.

Improvements that could lead to even better links in future.

That boast seems to be made by most other areas along the coast and there's hardly any point in quibbling about the odd degree of temperature or drop of rain. There might be more reason to complain that the airport (with services to Stansted and Southampton) is closed for some months during the current winter while improvements are made. For that duration one has to make the short journey to Rochefort in order to make the connection. A more intriguing question is whether improved facilities locally might lead to more extensive services in the future. If you still prefer the ferry services there are good road links to the Normandy ports via Nantes and a motorway for the longer haul to the channel ports. Finally, as far as transport goes, la Rochelle is the terminus of TGV services to Paris, Charles de Gaulle Airport and Eurostar at Lille.