Rochefort
A royal dockyard town with a rope factory a third of a kilometre long, and a rebuilt frigate in the yard.
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Colbert founded Rochefort in 1666 as a naval arsenal safely up the Charente, and laid it out as a grid town to serve the yard. The Corderie Royale, built in 1669 to make rope for the fleet, is three hundred and seventy-four metres long because that was the length needed to lay a standard cable in one piece; it was the longest industrial building in Europe when built. In the same yard, a full-size sailing replica of the frigate Hermione, which carried Lafayette to America in 1780, was constructed over seventeen years and launched in 2014. Pierre Loti's elaborately decorated house is in the town.
What you actually see
- The Corderie Royale - a 374-metre rope factory built to cable length.
- The Hermione - a full-size replica frigate in the royal dockyard.
- The grid town - Colbert's planned naval settlement.
- The Loti house - the writer's theatrically decorated rooms.
When to go
April to October; the Hermione's availability varies as she sails and undergoes maintenance, so check before travelling. The Loti house has been under long restoration.
Honest expectations
The Hermione is sometimes away or in dry dock, and access varies. The Loti house has had extended closures. The town itself is plain outside the arsenal quarter.
Nearby
Brouage lies south; the Ile d'Aix is offshore.
What to pack for Rochefort
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
