Visit to the La Rochelle Maritime Museum

MuseumsOPEN IN JANUARY

Adult €6.00 Free with the Pass!

The Musée Maritime invites you on a journey through the maritime history of La Rochelle. On a self-guided tour lasting around 2 hours, you'll have access to 3 ships from the heritage fleet, the permanent exhibitions ‘La Rochelle née de la Mer’ (La Rochelle born from the Sea) and the hall of the former Encan, which houses temporary exhibitions and part of the Petite Plaisance collection.

Additional information

Average length of visit: 2 hours.

For the best visit experience, we therefore advise you to arrive before 4pm.

Visiting conditions :

. It is not possible to visit the ships with a pushchair (it can be left under supervision at the museum reception desk).

A heritage to experience, ships to explore and visit: 
The France 1, a weather frigate listed as a historic monument and the Maritime Museum's emblem, can be visited from the engine room to the commander's bridge, and invites you to discover what life was like on board for the sailors and weather engineers. Alongside her, climb onto the deck of the Angoumois, a genuine trawler, or the Saint-Gilles, a harbour tug.

From the quay, admire the other vessels in the heritage fleet: the famous sailing ships Joshua and Damien, the classic trawler Manuel-Joël, the SNSM dinghy Capitaine de Frégate Leverger and the officer's dinghy Duperré, as well as the classic private yachts moored nearby.

La Rochelle and its ports in the grand gallery of pavilions: 
The permanent exhibition presents ‘La Rochelle, born of the sea’, shaped and moulded by the maritime adventures and conquests of the people who built it. Models, photos, engravings, personal accounts and artefacts will take you on a journey from the origins of La Rochelle in the year 1000 to the fascinating discovery of life in today's ports.

The interior hall of the auction, a former fish market:
Here you'll find an exceptional collection of boats, patiently assembled and restored by the passionate volunteers of the Association Les Amis du Musée Maritime de La Rochelle. This exhibition, entitled ‘Petite Plaisance’, brings together a fleet of 41 boats. Finns, 420s, minnows, caravels... they have all left their mark on many of La Rochelle's maritime heritage.

Opening hours

From 15 June to 15 September and all Zone A school holidays: open Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday from 10am to 6pm, Saturday from 2pm to 6pm. Admission closes at 5pm.

From 16 September to 14 June, excluding zone A school holidays: open Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday from 10am to 5.30pm, Saturday from 1.30pm to 5.30pm. Admission closes at 4.30pm.

Exceptional closures: 25 December and 1 January.

  • Motor disability

    The spaces and exhibitions on land are fully accessible.
    However, on board ships, access may be limited or impossible for people with reduced mobility or disabilities.

  • Access by bike

    La Rochelle is on the Vélodyssée cycle routes.

    ADVANTAGE INCLUDED in your La Rochelle Océan Pass: get a 30% discount on bike hire.
    Present your pass at our partner Cycling Tour in La Rochelle and benefit from your discount (your pass must be activated and valid).

  • Access by bus

    Recommended bus stop : 
    Musée Maritime - illico 3; illico 4 lines

    ADVANTAGE INCLUDED in your La Rochelle Océan Pass: unlimited access to the Yélo bus network to get around La Rochelle. 
    In the application, press the ‘Transports en commun Yélo’ button: a camera opens and you can flash the QR stuck on the bus and located next to the driver, simply by passing your phone in front of it. Validation is compulsory at every stop on your journey.

    Details of routes, timetables and changes to Yélo bus services are available at www.yelo-larochelle.fr

  • Access by car

    Choose to park in the free Park & Ride sites at the city gates, then finish your journey by bus (free with the La Rochelle Océan Pass):

    Beaulieu: 130 spaces (including 5 PRM)
    Les Greffières: 300 spaces (including 8 PRM)
    Vieljeux: 60 spaces (including 2 PRM)
    Saint-Rogatien: 20 spaces (including 1 PRM)
    Simone Veil: 130 spaces (including 4 PRM)

Musée Maritime de La Rochelle

Discover the permanent exhibition "La Rochelle, born from the sea" and visit the ships in the Maritime Museum, including Le France 1, the famous weather frigate.