La Rochelle

La Rochelle
La Rochelle
Prefecture and commune
	Old harbour of La Rochelle
	Coat of arms
	Location of La Rochelle
	La Rochelle La Rochelle
	Coordinates: 46°09′33″N 1°09′06″W / 46.1591°N 1.1517°W
Country	France
Region	Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Department	Charente-Maritime
Arrondissement	La Rochelle
Intercommunality	CA La Rochelle
Government
• Mayor (2014–2020)	Jean-François Fountaine
Area 1	28.43 km2 (10.98 sq mi)
Population (2012)	80,014
• Density	2,800/km2 (7,300/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code	17300 /17000
Elevation	0–28 m (0–92 ft) ; (avg. 4 m or 13 ft)
	1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

La Rochelle is a city in the Charente-Maritime department and a seaport in western France near the Bay of Biscay. The Huguenots there rebelled in 1627 and 1628. La Rochelle is a coastal city in southwestern France and capital of the Charente-Maritime department. It has been a center for fishing and trade since the 12th century, a maritime tradition that's reflected in its Vieux Port (old harbor) and huge, modern Les Minimes marina. The old town has half-timbered medieval houses and Renaissance architecture, including passageways covered by 17th-century arches.