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Photographer’s Note

July 21, 2008
La Rochelle 170300
Charente-Maritime Poitou-Charentes
46.162 -1.152 10 m

Historic town and harbour.

The town
The harbour

The "Vieux Port", "Old Harbour", of La Rochelle.
It was from XIIe to XVe centuries the 1st french harbour of the Atlantic ocean.
In XVIIe and XVIIIe centuries, it ensured half of the traffic towards the french colonies of North America.

The entry of the "Vieux Port" was defended on the left by the Chaîne Tower du XIVe century, and on right by the Saint-Nicolas Tower of XIIIe and XVe centuries.

Before arriving at the entry of the old harbour, one crosses on the left the Tour de la Lanterne of XVe siècle.

The village of fishermen of Xe century, is in XIIe century an important port, frees from the feudal supervisions, and managed by the first mayor of France.
The trade of salt and the wine, leads the city to its apogee in XIIIe century.
The Reform, Protestantism, finds a reception favorable with La Rochelle in XVIe century.
On April 30, 1628, it is the rendering after 13 months of siege carried out by the catholics Louis XIII and Richelieu. The city loses its mayor and all his privileges.
XVIIe century at the XVIIIe century, it is the re-establishment, by the trade with the French possessions of America, the Antilles and Canada, and the trade of the slaves.
In end of the XIXe century, the construction of the contiguous port of Pallice, will leave La Rochelle a stagnation created by the french Revolution and imperials conflicts.
The port of la Pallice which sheltered an underwater base during the second world war, was in the center of an enemy part of resistance until the end of the war, and the city of the La Rochelle was the last released French city, on May 8, 1945.

La Rochelle is a french commune, located in the department of the Charente-Maritime of the Poitou-Charentes area, populated of 80055 Rochelais in 2004, distributed out of 32 km², that is to say 2501 hab./km².

Thanks to the Gulf Stream, the anticyclone of the Azores, and the thermal inertia of the ocean, the average sunning of La Rochelle is close to that of Perpignan, and is best of Atlantique coast with 2250 hours of annual sunning.
Soft winters, and moderate pluviometry supports the development of plants and Mediterranean trees, like the holm oak.

My images of la Rochelle.

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Additional Photos by joel berthonneau (jlbrthnn) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 4265 W: 0 N: 11896] (36888)
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