The ship does not stop near the city itself, but about 10 kilometers from it.
There is a free shuttle from the ship to the city. I still do not understand - who provides and pays for these shuttles, i.e. in some ports they cost $15 per day, and in others they are free. So right here, in La Rochelle, although these buses were free, everything was organized much better than in other places! Wow, well organized!
First of all, all the girls - guides who help both when landing at the ship and in the city - wore a uniform - it was clear from whom to ask for a map of the city or the departure time of the bus. And they even spoke English. In the city, at the shuttle parking lot, there was always one of the buses - i.e. while you wait, you can sit instead of standing (there are a lot of elderly people on the ship, not to mention the fact that everyone feels tired after many hours of walking around the city). Well, they went one after another - so in fact there was no need to wait. Then, when the ship sailed away, all these guide girls, there were 10-12 of them, standing on the pier and waving handkerchiefs))) ...
By the way, I won’t be surprised if the city pays for this service - cruise tourists are considered very beneficial for the city’s economy)))
And now the city.
The city left a very, very pleasant impression.
Well, firstly, it seemed to me somehow real, not packed to capacity with tourists. No, it was not empty there, not at all - there were a lot of people in restaurants and shops, but they were clearly of French origin, which is very pleasing)))...
I also liked the local streets - so clean and cozy - there are many restaurants everywhere, which greatly brightens up the life of our tourist brother - here you can sit down, then - there))) ...
The city of La Rochelle has a rather interesting history.
This time I didn’t read anything at all without a trip, although I found some information and even printed it out. But I've only read it now, and that's how it is...
This citadel, consisting of two towers, once blocked the entrance (for ships) to the city, to its inner harbor.
The tower of Saint-Nicolas has a characteristic slope. The reason for it is in the pile supports on which this structure rests: over the past centuries, they have sagged a little, which slightly knocked the tower down. In the massive octagonal Chain Tower there was a drawbridge that allowed the chain to be pulled from the Saint-Nicolas tower, blocking the entrance to the port. They say that it was with these chains that Gargantua was kept in the cradle. The first floor of the La Chen tower now houses a small exhibition introducing the history of the local Protestant community, and an observation deck has been set up on the roof.
The city for quite a long time was the main Atlantic port of France - this was facilitated by its successful geographical position- in particular, protection from the western winds by the island of Re.
Ships with salt and wine departed from here. Salt was probably mainly mined on the island of Re.
At least there are a lot of them in local shops ...
And from there (from the island of Re) a lot of expensive potatoes are sold.
At first I could not understand what kind of prices they have for potatoes, but then I remembered that the local potatoes are somehow special and very much appreciated. Something I still doubt that I personally could feel the difference, hmm ... Well, potatoes and potatoes))) ...
So.
Back to history.)
Those. I'll just post some quotes here.
«... one of the largest Templar residences was located in La Rochelle, and seven "Templar roads" converging in the port city led here from all over the country, providing quick and convenient access in case of sudden need. The main road leading out of Paris was well protected and equipped with special points for quick change of horses. ... When on October 13, 1308, Philip the Handsome dug out a hunt for the knights of the Order, it was here, in La Rochelle, that the Templars managed to smuggle their treasures. Here ships were already waiting for them, ready at any moment to set sail from the inhospitable shores of France. What happened very soon.»
And further...
“La Rochelle is one of the first places in France where the ideas of the Reformation penetrated: by openly accepting the ideas, the city became the citadel of the Huguenots, the “Atlantic Geneva”. In 1570, at the end of the third religious war, the city (one of four in the country) received the status of a fortress, in which Protestants were allowed to settle. Here they were guaranteed freedom of religion, which gave the city a short period of prosperity and peace. After Bartholomew's Night in 1572, La Rochelle became the center of Protestant resistance. In 1573, the Duke of Anjou laid siege to the city, but failed to take it, since the English fleet under the command of Montgomery captured Belle-Ile. In the end, La Rochelle capitulated honorably.
The signing of the Edict of Nantes brought several decades of peaceful life to La Rochelle. However, the adherence of the townspeople to Protestantism, close trade and cultural ties with the British (the Duke of Buckingham set up a fortified camp on the island of Re) and after the soldiers of La Rochelle on September 10, 1627 fought against the royal French troops, King Louis XIII ordered a siege La Rochelle. Cardinal Richelieu personally led the operation.
The city was taken blockade ring, for which fortifications 12 km long were erected along all its land borders, and a dam (architect Metezo) was poured into the sea, blocking the entrance to the port. Fifteen months of excruciating famine forced the city to submit. Richelieu entered La Rochelle on October 30, 1628, and Louis XIII appeared there two days later. During the siege, 23,000 people died. The 5,000 survivors were spared, although rebel leaders, including mayor Jean Guiton, were forced to leave the city for several months. The trade of the port was destroyed, and the fortifications were torn down.
New persecutions of the Huguenots began, reaching their highest point repeal of the Edict of Nantes by Louis XIV. Many Huguenots fled the country and founded the city of New Rochelle in 1689 in North America.
Like any old port city, La Rochelle is famous for its captains, explorers and pioneers. In the 15th century, ships with colonists sailed from here to Canada, and Jean de Betancourt went to discover Canary Islands. Delasalle, a native of La Rochelle, became in 1681 the first European to walk from the headwaters of the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico. R. Gallier also lived here - the first European who returned alive from Timbuktu.
Shipowners from La Rochelle made great profits by trading with Canada and Louisiana, and most of all with the West Indies. They made their fortune in tripartite trade, including the sale of fabrics and the purchase of slaves in West Africa, the transportation and sale of slaves to America and the profitable return home with large loads of colonial goods.
In 1890, a new deep-water port was built in La Pallice, the operation of which did not depend on the level of tides.
To be honest, I don’t even remember where I got the quotes from, so I can’t give a link, but I don’t attribute authorship to myself))) ...
So, as you can see, it's not a very simple town - there are interesting moments in its history.
By the way, about the last statement - that the port was made "deeper" ... Hmm ...
There are some incredible ebbs and flows. And on the island of Re, we noticed it, and here too.
And in a fairly short time, the water then disappears, then reappears.
Look here.
First this picture.
So much water...
There are even fish swimming...
Now look here!
And the difference in the photo is only a couple of hours ...
And you know. I was very interested in one question - where does the fish go at low tide ??? The fact is that we watched the tide on the island of Re and saw how fish swarming in shallow water there, and there was a feeling that they “climbed out of the mud”. Well, it was not visible that they sailed along with the water !!! I don’t even know what to think - maybe there are some special fish there?
And all sorts of mussels, oysters, snails, too, stuck on the walls there ... They also somehow adapted and do not die without water ...
And about oysters and other reptiles))) ...
We went to the local market there.
Here are their prices, maybe someone is interested (or relevant).
See what good prices are here))).
And from the market...
I saw an interesting flower there - it looks very much like a rose, but not a rose ...
But this, it seems, would be the Big Clock Tower.
“It once served as a city gate and was part of the fortress wall separating old port from the city. The tower was originally built at the beginning of the 12th century - at the same time medieval city was surrounded by the first fortified wall. Then it was called Parro or Perro, because behind it was a quarter with that name. In the Middle Ages, the gates of the tower consisted of two arched openings: the larger one was intended for the passage of carts and carriages, and the smaller one for pedestrians. Already in the second half of the 17th century, they were combined into one large arch, which we can see now.
In 1478, a bell tower with a clock was added to the tower, inside of which there was a bell that rang every hour. This bell tower survived for several centuries and was replaced in 1746 by the present graceful Louis XV style structure, adorned with pilasters, vignettes and draperies that support the putti. The bell now in the tower is one of the heaviest bells in the region: it weighs over two tons.”
Passing under the tower gates, you find yourself on rue de Palais - the main shopping street of La Rochelle. There are many interesting medieval houses here and on the neighboring streets. It is very clear from them that the city had a rich past - the pavements are still in perfect order, only they have been polished to a shine over the years ...
And a lot of arches!
These are great fellows - in the heat you can walk under them in the shade, and in bad weather you can save yourself from the rain !!!
Why aren't they building this in all cities?
We went to different shops there - there are interesting ones, by the way) ...
There was delicious nougat here (although it seemed a little expensive, but we bought it anyway).
And I also bought myself an awesome sparkling soap with a pleasant sea smell!
(I usually don't buy stuff like that))))
Surprised, for the umpteenth time it's their French!!! addiction to canned sardines!
And the prices for them, of course, are just some kind of delicacy, hee hee ...
Well, where did you see such specialized stores with canned fish ???
I personally - ANYWHERE else!)))
And even here such stores come across - I will never understand this, who buys in these stores? This Danish mastodon is already divorced in all cities and countries and their trade, by the way, is very flourishing! The crisis in this case especially affected - people apparently began to buy things cheaper ... And do not care about the quality (((...
And one more of the towers closer...
On this day we visited as many as 4 cities: Vannes, Nantes, La Rochelle and Rochefort. In the latter, however, we arrived late in the evening, so almost immediately went to the hotel. Basically. this is how it was originally planned, since there is nothing particularly interesting in Rochefort.
But Vannes (South Brittany) deserves special attention, it is painfully beautiful! Ancient streets, half-timbered houses, fortress walls… Everything you need! The city is small, about 50 thousand people live here, but this only makes it cozier and nicer. If you are in Brittany, don't miss it! This is one of the most beautiful cities for our entire trip. What can I say, see for yourself!
Ermine Castle (Château de l'Hermine). Well, isn't it a miracle?
The old city is surrounded by a fortress wall, which has been well preserved since the Middle Ages.
Despite the small size of tourists, there are a lot of tourists here.
The woman opened her mouth from such beauty.
How I love these old half-timbered houses!
And now I will personally introduce Monsieur Vanna and his wife to you ... There they are, on the facade of the house ... now let's come closer ...
The sculpture is made of granite and painted, experts attribute it to the 16th century. It is a pity that the hands were not preserved. Of course, in fact, this couple does not have the surname Vann at all, as they were called 300 years later by the romantic residents of the city.
We have a busy route planned for this day, so, unfortunately, we have to leave Vannes and drive on. And how I wanted to walk along it for at least a couple more hours! But the tight schedule does not allow, and we move to Nantes, which is about 110 km from Vannes. The city is also interesting, there is where to walk and what to see, although after Vann it looked a little pale. This is enough Big City, the sixth largest in France, former capital Brittany, formally no longer part of it.
Probably the most interesting attraction of Nantes is the castle of the Breton dukes (Chateau des Ducs de Bretagne), built by the last two rulers of independent Brittany, Francis II and his daughter, Duchess Anne, who was born here in 1477.
As expected, in the heart of the city - a Gothic cathedral, which houses the tomb of the Dukes of Breton. Against its background, our rented car, on which we drove more than 2000 km in France, Fiat 500L. By the way, I unexpectedly liked it very much in handling and in dynamics (I had never driven a turbodiesel before)
On the way to the hotel we stop for a couple of hours in La Rochelle, which before that I had associated exclusively with the Dumas novel ...
In the distant past, there was a rather large fishing village here, but due to its favorable location, it will soon turn into a port city. The heyday falls on the XI century, when he receives the title of the largest shopping center Atlantic coast.
At present, the city has managed to maintain its status as a port.
In the Old Port, three towers of the fortress wall, built in the 14th century, have been preserved, and are now recognized as objects world heritage UNESCO. A chain was previously thrown between the two towers in the photo, with the help of which it was possible to block the entrance to the port for unwanted guests.
The promenade in the Starm Port of La Rochelle is a walking area, there are many cafes and restaurants where you can have a delicious lunch.
Our hotel was booked in the neighboring city of La Rochelle, Rochefort (30 km), where we are going for the night. Tomorrow is going to be another busy day!
La Rochelle (France) - the most detailed information about the city with a photo. The main attractions of La Rochelle with descriptions, guides and maps.
City of La Rochelle (France)
La Rochelle is a city in western France in the New-Aquitaine region. This is an old port with a picturesque harbor, which is still surrounded by medieval fortifications and imposing towers. La Rochelle is beautiful old City saturated with salty sea air. It has a charming historic center full of old buildings. Walking through the old streets of La Rochelle is a journey through different historical eras, from the Middle Ages to the New Age.
Geography and climate
La Rochelle is located on the coast of the Bay of Biscay of the Atlantic Ocean. The city is located in the center of the French Atlantic in the southwestern part of the country. La Rochelle has a temperate maritime (oceanic) climate with cool summers and mild winters.
Practical Information
- The population is 75.7 thousand people.
- Area - 28.43 km².
- Currency - euro.
- The language is French.
- Visa - Schengen.
- Time - Central European UTC +1.
- The gastronomy of La Rochelle is famous for its excellent fish and seafood dishes. In the vicinity of the old port (Vieux Port) there are many fish restaurants where you can try dishes local cuisine(for example, mussels in white wine and creamy onion sauce).
- In the bars and restaurants of La Rochelle, you can try an interesting cocktail - white wine with fruit syrup.
Story
La Rochelle was founded in the 10th century. In the 12th and 13th centuries, the city was the base of the Templars, who built a large port here. Until the 15th century, La Rochelle was largest port French kingdom. During the Reformation, the city supported the Huguenots. A brief period of prosperity lasted half a century. Then the local fleet was destroyed by Charles I of Lorraine. In 1628, La Rochelle was taken by the royal troops and the Huguenots had to leave it.
La Rochelle was an important port during the colonial era. During World War II, a German naval base was built here.
Attractions
La Rochelle has a charming Old city, which has preserved many magnificent old buildings, from the Middle Ages to the New Age. In heart historical center there is a town hall founded in the 13th century. Its building is a prime example of Gothic and Renaissance architecture. The Town Hall of La Rochelle is one of the oldest in France. The current building was built between the 15th and 19th centuries.
Not far from the town hall, on the small street Bis Rue des Augustins, there is a luxurious mansion of the 16th century, open to the public.
A little further north is the beautiful old Grand Rue des Merciers, where you can see medieval half-timbered houses.
Old port. To the right is the tower of St. Nicholas, on the left - Chain Tower The Old Port is the oldest and most picturesque part of the city. Most of the buildings and structures here are hundreds of years old, but they are still in very good condition. Narrow streets and light stone houses give this place a Mediterranean charm.
The old port was founded in the 13th century. The surviving towers date back to the 14th - 15th centuries. The highest is the tower of St. Nicholas. It was designed as a defensive fort. The powerful and round tower is called Chain. In the Middle Ages, a chain was attached to this tower, which blocked the mouth of the harbor.
The lighthouse tower (Tour de la Lanterne) is located a little to the side of the entrance to the harbor. It was built in the 15th century and is a magnificent medieval building with a high spire, on top of which there was a massive torch. During the Reformation era, the tower was used as a prison for the Huguenots. In the 17th century, pirates (corsairs) were imprisoned here. Until the beginning of the 20th century, the tower was used as a garrison prison. Now it is a historical monument.
An interesting place for the curious is the Aquarium, which contains about 600 species of various creatures from the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans, as well as the Mediterranean and caribbean
The clock tower (Big Clock) is a gate that separated the old port from the city. They were built in the 12th century during the construction of the first medieval walls. Initially, this building had two arcades for the passage of pedestrians and carts, but in 1672 they were combined into one. In the 15th century, the gate was crowned with a bell tower. This structure acquired its current form after 1746.
Gothic bell tower from the 15th century, which belonged to the church of St. Bartholomew, where every year the elections of the mayor of the city were held. The church was destroyed in 1568 during the Wars of Religion.
Notre-Dame-de-Cougnes - Catholic Church with a high Gothic bell tower. It was founded in the 12th century as a small chapel. During the Reformation, the church was destroyed and rebuilt in 1653.
Cathedral Saint Louis is the main Catholic church of the city of La Rochelle. It is an impressive building in the style of classicism architecture. The church began to be built in 1752 and completed only after 115 years.
The Church of Saint-Sauveur is an imposing religious building in the style of Louis XIII architecture, built at the end of the 17th century on the foundations of medieval churches.
- The Natural History Museum is a fascinating museum built in the 18th century. Is one of the best places in France where you can meet the world natural history. On an area of 2300 sq. m. presents an amazing collection of almost 10,000 items found by naturalists and ethnographers from around the world.
- Museum of the New World, housed in an 18th-century mansion. It contains magnificent expositions that reveal the world of shipowners and their great wealth.
- Museum of Fine Arts, which displays about 900 paintings and drawings from the 15th to the 20th century.
- Maritime Museum at the docks. It is a fleet of eight ships, on which visitors can take a walk.
- The Protestant Museum is a rich collection of historical information on the struggle of the Huguenots from the Reformation period.
At the words “siege of La Rochelle”, the first thing that comes to mind is the great French writer Alexandre Dumas père. Indeed, who does not remember the council of d'Artagnan, Athos, Porthos and Aramis in the bastion of Saint-Gervais? And the intrigues of the insidious Richelieu and the madness of the Duke of Buckingham? But, oddly enough, almost no one knows the details of this siege itself. Meanwhile, the history of the siege of La Rochelle is no less interesting than the adventures of the four brave musketeers. Here there was a place for betrayal, and hatred, and stupidity, and self-sacrifice. Moreover, upon closer examination, the Duke of Buckingham appears not as a gallant gentleman, but as a vain and militant fool, and Cardinal Richelieu, in turn, is a skilled administrator and commander.
Origins of the conflict
Bartholomew's night from 23 to 24 August 1572 divided France into two irreconcilable camps - Catholics and Protestants. The era of long and bloody religious wars began, covering the periods of the reign of Charles IX, Francis II and Henry III. Only the Great Bearnets - Henry IV, who adopted the Edict of Nantes, could put an end to the fratricidal war. According to this document, the Protestants received several cities in France and had the right to maintain their troops.
After the assassination of the king by the religious fanatic Ravaillac, the fragile truce collapsed overnight. Now the Calvinists have become the "fifth column" in the state. They received support from Spain and England, who were interested in weakening France. It turned out that the Protestant religious communities formed a state within a state.
Early in 1611 Protestant leaders gathered in Saumur. The question at the conference was: what to do next? The "cautious" party, led by Henry IV's favorite Duplessis-Mornay, believed that it was necessary to recognize the new power and cooperate with the king. The Irreconcilables, under the leadership of Duke Henri de Rohan, advocated direct conflict with the state.
In 1616, the Viscountry of Béarn, a small feudal entity in the foothills of the Pyrenees in southwestern France, populated mostly by Protestants, was proclaimed the personal domain of King Louis XIII. Thus Béarn lost its independence. The Council of the Viscountry, consisting entirely of "irreconcilables", refused to ratify this decision. In 1620, Louis entered Bearn with a 20,000-strong army, dispersed the Council, and in its place created a Parliament consisting entirely of Catholics.
The Protestants considered this a violation of the Edict of Nantes and began hostilities. Soon the Languedoc flared up, and then La Rochelle also rebelled.
King of France Louis XIII
In April 1621, Louis XIII approached the Protestant fortresses of Saumur and Thouars, which surrendered without resistance. The army moved on. The city of Saint-Jean d'Angely resisted the royal troops, but was taken two weeks later. For disobedience, the king deprived the city of privileges and ordered the destruction of the walls. Soon Louis approached Montauban, who also refused to open the gate. The siege began, which was interrupted due to an epidemic in the royal army. The troops hurriedly left the outskirts of the city.
As a result, the Duke de Rogan remained master of Languedoc. He set up his headquarters in the Andyuz fortress, from where he ruled the entire region. The Duke de Soubise, de Rogan's closest associate, settled in La Rochelle, a stronghold of Protestants on the Atlantic coast, from where Protestant detachments made several predatory campaigns to the cities of Poitou.
This state of affairs, of course, did not suit King Louis. The royal army drove the Protestants out of Guyenne, capturing all the cities that belonged to them. At the walls of Montpellier, the "irreconcilable" went to negotiations. According to the decision of the assembly, the king ordered the Protestants to tear down all the fortifications of their cities and granted them an amnesty. But the peace concluded in Montpellier turned out to be only a respite.
Cardinal Richelieu
In 1624, the royal council, which included the new first minister of France, Jean-Armand du Plessis, Cardinal de Richelieu, decided to capture Castres in Languedoc and the island of Re, located at the exit from the harbor of La Rochelle. The detachment of the Duke de Soubise, who tried to prevent the royal troops under the command of Jean de Saint-Bonnet, Marquis de Thouars, from landing on the island, was utterly defeated. On September 15, 1625, the French garrison occupied the fortress of Saint-Martin-la-Re, captured the islands of Re and Oleron. The French fleet under the command of the Duke of Montmorency managed to capture several Protestant ships, but the Duke of Soubise managed to escape to England.
The British, who had long supported the Protestants, decided to openly intervene in the conflict. This was facilitated by the French governor of Guienne, Duke d'Epernon, who captured the British merchant fleet in Bordeaux with a year's supply of claret (semi-sweet red wine) on board. In response, the enraged Charles I ordered the arrest of all French ships, many of which were captured by the British in the English Channel.
Rae Island
In early 1627, England declared itself the protector of the French Protestants. In March, preparations began for an expedition to La Rochelle, led by the favorite of King Charles I, the Duke of Buckingham. It was planned to dislodge the French garrison from the islands of Re and Oleron, release La Rochelle and seize a bridgehead on the coast of France. The Duke of Subise took an active part in the development of the operation.
On June 27, 1627, an armada of 15 ships and 50 transports left Portsmouth for La Rochelle. The Duke of Buckingham was appointed head of the expedition. The military squadron included Triumph (flagship, flag of the Duke of Buckingham), Repulse (Vice Admiral Lord Lindsay), Vanguard (Sir John Burgh), Victory (Rear Admiral Lord Harvey), Rainbow , Warspite, Nonsuch, Espirance, Lion and six small craft. 8,000 soldiers were loaded onto merchant ships.
Near Dunkirk, a Dutch squadron of 10 ships joined the detachment. According to Buckingham's plan, he was supposed to unload the troops at La Rochelle and proceed to Bordeaux, where the arrested fleet of merchant ships was still standing. But those plans were thwarted. The mayor of La Rochelle, Jean Gitton, prevented the British from landing troops in the city, saying that he would support them only when they took Re and Oleron.
On the morning of July 20, 1627, Buckingham's fleet appeared off the island of Re. In the citadel of Saint-Martin-la-Re, a garrison of 1,000 soldiers with 12 guns took up the defense under the command of the Marquis of Thouars. The soldiers were dispersed between two bastions: Saint-Martin proper and La Pré. The latter was not yet ready for the siege, construction work was underway on it.
Duke of Buckingham
On July 21, the British bombarded the bastions and landed 2,000 men on the eastern side of the island, at Sbalanso, closest to La Rochelle. The Marquis de Thouara, who had too few forces, could not prevent the landing. Six days of bloody fighting forced de Thouars to concentrate the remaining troops (800 people) in Saint-Martin, giving the rest of the island to the enemy. A small French detachment of 30 people locked themselves in La Pre.
For one day, the parties concluded a truce in order to bury the dead, among whom was de Toire's own brother. The garrison on the island was blocked from both land and sea, with virtually no provisions and ammunition.
In a desperate attempt to get help from the king, the French general sent three volunteers to swim across the strait, who were supposed to get to the camp of the French army approaching La Rochelle and report on the plight of the garrison. Only one swam: the rest were either killed or taken prisoner.
Richelieu, informed that de Toires was still holding out, urgently equipped a small detachment of fifteen pinnaces with food. Thirteen of them managed to break through to the bastion on September 7 with the help of high tide. The British, who did not expect such actions at all, could not put the French.
In the meantime, the besiegers unloaded their cannons and set up batteries opposite St. Maarten. Buckingham's mistake was that he initially forbade his subordinates to dig trenches, seeing this as cowardice, which caused many Englishmen to die from the bullets of French soldiers.
On September 12, reinforcements arrived from England - 1,500 Irish under the command of Ralph Bingley. In the end, it was decided to remove an additional 500 sailors from the ships and attack Fort La Pre with a combined force. However, for some reason, the order was canceled, although at that time, as we remember, there were only 30 French soldiers in La Pre. The British also began to experience food problems, due to the stormy season, ships with supplies could not leave the ports.
On October 7, the French decided to once again send reinforcements and provisions to the island. This time, the British were able to intercept them and captured 10 of 35 small ships. Richelieu and Marshal Schomberg, who arrived at the location of the French army near La Rochelle, understood that de Thouara was unlikely to hold out until the end of the year, so a cunning plan ripened in their head: transfer 6000 infantry and 300 cavalry with 6 guns from Oleron to the island of Re and hit the British from the rear.
The British, who learned about these plans, were seriously scared. At the council of war, everyone demanded to go back to England, explaining this by the fact that help from Portsmouth and Amsterdam never came out. On the morning of November 6, Buckingham decided to launch a general assault on St. Maarten. 3,000 soldiers and 700 sailors went on the attack. De Thouars had about 1,200 men, of whom 600 were veterans of the siege.
Buckingham's soldiers boldly overcame the area under fire and rushed to the walls of the fort, holding ladders in their hands. But all the siege ladders turned out to be very short, the confused troops huddled around the walls, shot from all sides by the soldiers of de Toire. After losing about 500 men, the British fled.
La Rochelle, view of the fortress and the city in 1628
On the night of November 8, Schomberg, with 3,000 soldiers, landed in the north of the island of Re. To his great surprise, he found that the British were leaving the island, and attacked their retreating units. As Alexandre Dumas wrote in The Three Musketeers, the losses of Buckingham's troops amounted to
« more 2000 soldiers, among which: 5 lieutenant colonels, 3 colonels, 250 captains, 20 noble nobles, 4 mortars and 60 flags, which were brought to Paris by Claude de Saint-Simon and proudly hung in the vaults of Notre Dame Cathedral.
In reporting these data, the great novelist was absolutely accurate.
Siege of La Rochelle
The royal army approached the city in August 1627. 30 thousand people with 48 guns under the nominal command of Gaston of Orleans, brother of the king (the actual command was carried out by the Duke of Angouleme), covered La Rochelle with a dense ring of 11 wooden towers and 18 redoubts.
The main leader of the siege was Cardinal Richelieu. The first minister attracted marshals Louis de Mariyac, Bassompierre, Schomberg to the siege. Richelieu demanded the most effective command and control of the troops and auxiliary detachments; he, using his ecclesiastical authority, widely attracted capable clergymen to the places of administrators and quartermasters. For example, the well-known confessor of the king, Father Joseph, established the most effective intelligence service, from which he knew even the smallest details of life in the besieged fortress.
According to the plan of the royal architect Metezo, it was decided to cut off La Rochelle from the sea. Across the harbor, out of reach of the city's guns, the French began to build a one and a half kilometer dam of cobblestones, rock, old ships armed with cannons, standing on floating platforms attached to the dam. According to the plan, the dam was supposed to have one small but heavily protected entrance, capable of passing only small vessels.
For the construction of the dam, 4,000 Parisian workers were involved, who were promised a large reward. By January the structure was complete and La Rochelle was cut off from the sea. On January 10, Richelieu arrived from Paris to the besieged city, having received the rank "general of the army of the king at La Rochelle and in the surrounding provinces".
Cardinal Richelieu on the dam that encloses La Rochelle from the sea
With food in the city, it became tight, and Jean Guitton decided to let women, old people and children out of the fortress so that they would no longer experience the pain of a siege. The royal troops did not allow them to leave the encirclement, as a result of which they wandered between the opposing sides, begging and gradually dying from random bullets and starvation.
On March 12, 1628, an attempt was made to make a breach in the fortress wall at the Port Maubec gate, through which boats with salt passed into the besieged city. 5 thousand people were ready to rush to the assault after the explosion, but a group of demolitionists got lost in the dark, and the attack was postponed. This led Richelieu and the marshals to believe that La Rochelles were better off. "to die of hunger, not of bullets".
In early May, an English fleet of more than a hundred ships approached the city, but all its actions were limited to a skirmish with the batteries of the dam. Having achieved nothing, the British went home on the 18th.
Protestants had high hopes for new fleet, who was preparing to leave Buckingham, but on August 23 the duke was killed by John Felton. Nevertheless, on September 28, an English detachment of 114 ships approached La Rochelle, which started a skirmish with a dam. The fighting continued until 4 October, when a storm broke and the British retreated.
By this time, La Rochelle had already completely exhausted the possibilities for defense, at least 13 thousand of its citizens died from starvation and shelling. On October 28, 1628, the city laid down its arms, the Protestants agreed to an unconditional surrender. At the time of the surrender, there were no more than 150 soldiers capable of carrying weapons in the city, and only 5,400 inhabitants out of the previous 28,000.
Surrender of La Rochelle
According to the articles of the agreement concluded with the townspeople, La Rochelle became a Catholic city, and the fortress walls were to be torn down. However, after the approval of royal authority in La Rochelle, Richelieu canceled the destruction of the fortifications. “We will need the strong walls of this city more than once”, - convinced the cardinal of Louis XIII.
Conclusion
At that moment, when Richelieu was besieging La Rochelle, in Languedoc, the troops of the Prince of Condé fought with Henri de Rogan. In September 1628, de Rogan, suffering one defeat after another, began secret negotiations with Spain for help. As a result, an anti-French league arose with lightning speed, consisting of England, Spain, Savoy and Lorraine.
The rapid fall of La Rochelle prevented this Protestant conglomerate from starting active hostilities against Louis XIII. On November 1, the king solemnly entered the conquered city, and on November 10, making sure that the siege ended in the defeat of the Protestants, the English fleet sailed home. On May 20, 1629, peace was signed with England.
On May 14, Louis XIII laid siege to Privas, the first Huguenot stronghold in Languedoc. On the 19th, Richelieu arrived there, and on the 21st, the fortress capitulated. Next came Uzès, Castres, Nimes, Montauban. Seeing that the case was lost, the Duke de Rogan agreed to start negotiations for peace.
On June 28, 1629, an edict of reconciliation was signed in Ala. It provided for a general amnesty, but all the fortifications and walls of the Protestant cities had to be destroyed by the inhabitants at their own expense, Catholic missions returned to the cities. De Rogan received 300,000 livres in damages, but was sent into exile for a while.
Cardinal Richelieu on the Rhone
Royal power in France was strengthened.
Afterword: Cardinal Richelieu as Father of the French Navy
In January 1626, Richelieu succeeded in being appointed superintendent general of commerce and minister of maritime affairs. In October of the same year, the cardinal insisted on the dismissal of the dukes of Montmorency and Guise, who had committed numerous lawlessness in managing the squadrons entrusted to them. As early as 1625, France did not have a single ship (except for ten galleons in the Mediterranean), but the very next year, intensive construction of merchant ships with small weapons began.
After the siege of the island of Re, it was decided to separately build a navy. Early in 1627, Richelieu placed orders for the construction of eighteen warships in the shipyards of Normandy and Brittany. Soon 6 more battleships were ordered from Holland. At the end of the year, the order was revised upwards: 12 ships were already required. During the siege of La Rochelle, the French navy already numbered 35 ships, however, not yet combat-ready. And by 1635, France had three combat-ready squadrons (52 ships) in the Atlantic and the Channel.
On March 31, 1626, with the ardent support of Richelieu, the "Morbienne Partnership" was created by four trading companies, which received a state monopoly on trade with East and West Indies, Canada and the Levant. The trading port of Saint-Malo was rebuilt, where a large (45 ships) whaling flotilla was quickly created.
Thus, Cardinal Richelieu can rightfully be considered the father of the French military and merchant fleets. The siege of La Rochelle showed that unless France had a strong navy, her coast would always be vulnerable to attack by the British and Dutch. The Grand Cardinal extorted from the Estates General an increased budget for the fleet. Richelieu invited captains and shipbuilders from Holland, sent French volunteers to study in England and the Netherlands, attracted engineers and architects to develop new ships. In general, the actions of the cardinal are very reminiscent of the actions of the Russian Tsar Peter I. Unless he went abroad in disguise.
Cardinal Richelieu reviews ship designs
Unfortunately, Jean-Armand du Plessis did not manage to fully enjoy the results of his labors. The French navy reached its peak in the 1680s. Many historians believe that this is only the merit of Colbert. Without detracting from the merits of this minister of Louis XIV, we can say that it was Jean-Armand du Plessis, Cardinal de Richelieu, the first minister of France, who prepared the basis for such a sudden and brilliant appearance of the French fleet on the historical stage.
Literature:
- Levy, E. "Cardinal Richelieu". - M.: AST, 2007.
- Tulot J.L. "Correspondance de Frederic de La Tremoille (1602–1642)". - Paris, 1848.
- Baudier M. "Histoire du Mareschal de Toiras, ou se Voyent les Effets de la Valeur et de la Fidélité: avec ceux de l" Envie et de la Jalousie de la Cour, ennemies de la Vertu des Grands Hommes. Ensemble une bonne partie du Règne du Roy Louis XIII" - Paris, 1644.
- Bloomfield, P. Uncommon People. A Study of England "s Elite.". - London: Hamilton, 1955.
- Delafosse M. "Petite histoire de l" île de Ré. - Paris: Éditions Rupella, 1978.
- Miquel P. "Les Guerres de religion". - Club France Loisirs, 1980.
La Rochelle from A to Z: map, hotels, attractions, restaurants, entertainment. Shopping, shops. Photos, videos and reviews about La Rochelle.
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History of the city of La Rochelle
La Rochelle was founded in the 10th century, and in the 11th and 12th centuries became an important center in the network of the Knights Templar who built here big port. A reminder of this time is the street of the Templars (rue des Templiers). Until the 15th century, La Rochelle was the largest port of France on the Atlantic coast, and in the Renaissance, the city openly accepted the ideas of the Reformation and from the second half of the 16th century became the center of the Huguenots, which gave it a period of prosperity and peace - though short. The confrontation with the royal troops in 1628 deprived the city of any political privileges for a long time. Former glory and prosperity returned to him only in the 17-18 centuries, with the beginning of active maritime trade with Canada and the Antilles.
After the revolution of 1789, luck again turns away from the city, and the next stage of revival begins only with the creation of a deep-water port in the 19th century.
Beautiful La Rochelle
The beaches of La Rochelle
There are no organized beaches within the city. The nearest recreational area, Les Minimes, is located 3 km southwest of the Old Port on the Quai de Valennes. But 9 km from La Rochelle is the island of Re with beautiful sandy beaches.
Popular hotels in La Rochelle
Entertainment and attractions of La Rochelle
The center of La Rochelle is the Old Port, which is a harbor surrounded by the quarters of the Old City. In the 14th century, to protect the port, special towers were built on both sides: on the western side - La Chene, on the eastern side - Saint-Nicolas. In case of danger, chains were stretched between them, blocking the entrance to the port.
The fortress wall, stretching west from the La Chen tower, will lead to another tower - Lantern, also called the Tower of the Four Sergeants. In 1822, the sergeants of the garrison were executed here, plotting the overthrow of the newly restored monarchy. The inscriptions scratched on the walls were made by English pirates imprisoned in it in the 17th century.
All three towers and the Orbigny-Bernon Museum can be visited on a single ticket. In addition, being in La Rochelle can significantly save on transport costs and entrance tickets to museums if you purchase the La Rochelle city pass. Cards are available for 1, 2, 3 or 7 days and are sold in Tourist Office La Rochelle.
After passing through the tower gates, you will find yourself on Palais Street - the main shopping street of La Rochelle. To the east of it parallel there goes the street Mercier. Between these two streets, the buildings traditional for the port city have been preserved - medieval houses with hinged slate cornices and arcades to protect from rain, Renaissance mansions, stone buildings of the 18th century, drains in the form of gargoyles ... all this creates a special atmosphere of La Rochelle.
