Our trip yesterday went to La Rochelle. 220 km south of St Brevin, in the direction of Bordeaux. At first my plan was to do both La Rochelle and Bordeaux in one day, but I soon realized that unless I wanted to spend the whole day in the car, La Rochelle was enough. I will have to save Bordeaux for another time. The drive went through a lot of small villages, and the country side scenery is really beautiful. Some minor detours later I arrived in La Rochelle.
La Rochelle (pop 80,000) is known as La Ville Blanche (the white city), and was one of France´s foremost seaports from the 14th to the 17th centuries. The city is guarded by two 14th century stone towers which they pulled up a chain between to protect the harbor in times of war. I took a stroll thru the old town, visiting the church Eglise de Sauveur and the Eglise N.D. The last was unlit inside, which gave the church room a special mystical, abandoned atmosphere. Like people had forgotten about it. In the centre of the old town it was buzzing with life though. Much more tourists than the other places I´ve visited. But as soon as you got out of the shopping area, it was surprisingly quiet and empty, leaving you with a better view of the architecture. Before I turned back to the car I went by the Museé du Flacon á Parfum. Yes, a museum displaying old perfume bottles from the beginning of the century to our time. Luxury, beauty, extravagance and fashion was being portrayed in these small wonderful pieces of art.
I was looking at the sailboats in the harbor dreaming about arriving there someday by sails. Sailing the atlantic coast must be great. So much wind! I guess a major challenge as well though… Maybe next year ;)
