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Marisa Livet | profile | all galleries >> All My Galleries >> Elsewhere - Countries and Towns I have liked >> France through my eyes >> La Rochelle - For the love of the ocean... tree view | thumbnails | slideshow | map

La Rochelle - For the love of the ocean...

A one thousand year old city nestled in the heart of the Atlantic Ocean front: La Rochelle.
When it was founded, in the 10th century, La Rochelle was simply a fishermen’s village, which started to expand in the two following centuries though commercial trades until reaching a leading position already in 13th century.
With the protestant coup d’état on January 9th 1568, the people of La Rochelle opted for the reformed side.
The city then acquired the status of free city.
But in 1628, Louis XIII and Richelieu laid siege to the city, which threatened the latter's policy of unification, for thirteen months.
Faced with famine, the city fell and found itself without a town hall and stripped of its privileges.
Later sea trade helped it back to its former glory, especially thanks to regular interchange with New France and the West Indies.
From 1694, trade picked up as did the intellectual renaissance and artistic influence.

And at the beginning it was necessarily Paris...
And at the beginning it was necessarily Paris...
Here we are...
Here we are...
St. Nicolas Tower at low tide
St. Nicolas Tower at low tide
The Chain tower
The Chain tower
The Lantern Tower
The Lantern Tower
My favourite lantern Tower at sunset
My favourite lantern Tower at sunset
Walking back when the night is sweet...
Walking back when the night is sweet...
Ah, the dark blue velvet of the night....
Ah, the dark blue velvet of the night....
At random, at night...
At random, at night...
A little mystery, more imagined than real...
A little mystery, more imagined than real...
Getting closer....
Getting closer....
Wake up, wake up!
Wake up, wake up!
When the others are still sleeping....
When the others are still sleeping....
We are not alone anymore....
We are not alone anymore....
Lady moon refuses to go to sleep....
Lady moon refuses to go to sleep....
Popular and naïf art
Popular and naïf art
If I were a child on this carousel...
If I were a child on this carousel...
The psychedelic carousel of Place de Verdun
The psychedelic carousel of Place de Verdun
All white, blue and windy, all shining!
All white, blue and windy, all shining!
Pirates are not what they used to be anymore....
Pirates are not what they used to be anymore....
A dazzling little village....
A dazzling little village....
Who did paint the sky so blue, who did paint the houses so white?
Who did paint the sky so blue, who did paint the houses so white?
Peace of mind...
Peace of mind...
Number 18
Number 18
Knock, knock...
Knock, knock...
Someone says it's one of the nicest small villages of France...
Someone says it's one of the nicest small villages of France...
Hurrah! We found the street market!
Hurrah! We found the street market!
French gastronomy....
French gastronomy....
Never without  bread....
Never without bread....
The delicatessen seller's best offer....
The delicatessen seller's best offer....
Leaving La Flotte  to reach a new destination....
Leaving La Flotte to reach a new destination....
Ugly snapshot of a nice big horse...
Ugly snapshot of a nice big horse...
All in blue....
All in blue....
Saint Martin de Ré...what it looks like today.
Saint Martin de Ré...what it looks like today.
The gothic ruins of the most ancient church...
The gothic ruins of the most ancient church...
The big tower bell
The big tower bell
Inside Saint Martin Church....
Inside Saint Martin Church....
The importance of light...
The importance of light...
An unknown  nun as sentinel...
An unknown nun as sentinel...
A window....
A window....
The  power of sunlight....
The power of sunlight....
Some melancholy and decadent baroque style as well...
Some melancholy and decadent baroque style as well...
How could I be on an island without taking a  photo of a lighthouse?
How could I be on an island without taking a photo of a lighthouse?
Sailing away
Sailing away
It's time for a more mundane break now...
It's time for a more mundane break now...
In the middle of nowhere a familiar name...
In the middle of nowhere a familiar name...
The tourists of Loix
The tourists of Loix
Wide angle lens makes La Rochelle looking like Pisa...
Wide angle lens makes La Rochelle looking like Pisa...
A very peculiar little restaurant by the port....
A very peculiar little restaurant by the port....
How the little restaurant works...for Paulo, who wished to know that!
How the little restaurant works...for Paulo, who wished to know that!
When the night is still very young...
When the night is still very young...
Taking a walk all around the old port...
Taking a walk all around the old port...
Iconic view of the old port...
Iconic view of the old port...
A man painted with spry colours
A man painted with spry colours
Cours des Dames  and  La Grosse Orloge
Cours des Dames and La Grosse Orloge
Let's  go to see the Town Hall...
Let's go to see the Town Hall...
Here is the tower of the Town Hall!
Here is the tower of the Town Hall!
In the courtyard of the Town Hall
In the courtyard of the Town Hall
The Town Hall
The Town Hall
These pigeons have no respect for ladies....
These pigeons have no respect for ladies....
The great market is there every day!
The great market is there every day!
Once upon a time there was a market...and it is still there!
Once upon a time there was a market...and it is still there!
When time is on your side....
When time is on your side....
Streets with arcades are the ancestors of shopping malls...
Streets with arcades are the ancestors of shopping malls...
 For Máire - Abuse of public space for private message
For Máire - Abuse of public space for private message
Why in the world one should go to an Irish Pub in La Rochelle?
Why in the world one should go to an Irish Pub in La Rochelle?
In the old  little streets of St. Nicolas district....
In the old little streets of St. Nicolas district....
 Saint-Sauveur Church - The most plagued by bad luck of all churches of La Rochelle!
Saint-Sauveur Church - The most plagued by bad luck of all churches of La Rochelle!
Where are we going over this footbridge?
Where are we going over this footbridge?
Obviously we are going to visit the famous Aquarium!
Obviously we are going to visit the famous Aquarium!
Jellyfish like chinese lanterns....
Jellyfish like chinese lanterns....
The old man and the sea....
The old man and the sea....
Who is looking at whom?
Who is looking at whom?
Talking of the ocean...
Talking of the ocean...
The tower of the Lanter looks at us from distance by now...
The tower of the Lanter looks at us from distance by now...
Spreading one’s sails as wings...
Spreading one’s sails as wings...
Le Phare du Bout du Monde
Le Phare du Bout du Monde
Fort Boyard
Fort Boyard
Fort Boyard - The rest of the story...
Fort Boyard - The rest of the story...
The little island of Aix and Napoleon....
The little island of Aix and Napoleon....
The girl of the island of Aix...
The girl of the island of Aix...
The ocean is blue and life is all in a smile...
The ocean is blue and life is all in a smile...
At the end of  the day...
At the end of the day...
The haughty cat of La Rochelle
The haughty cat of La Rochelle
The shy cat of La Rochelle...
The shy cat of La Rochelle...
And we walked through another night...
And we walked through another night...
Twilight drops her curtain down, and pins it with a star
Twilight drops her curtain down, and pins it with a star
Take a walk on  the  night side...
Take a walk on the night side...
La Coursive
La Coursive
It's promising...
It's promising...
Walking back....
Walking back....
The boats are falling asleep...
The boats are falling asleep...
And we are going to sleep too....
And we are going to sleep too....
The whimsical house by the beach...
The whimsical house by the beach...
Sunset at the beach 1
Sunset at the beach 1
Sunset at the beach 2
Sunset at the beach 2
Sunset at the beach 3
Sunset at the beach 3
Sunset at the beach 4
Sunset at the beach 4
Sunset at the beach 5
Sunset at the beach 5
A glorious sunset for the last page of the adventure...
A glorious sunset for the last page of the adventure...