Yacht Charter La Rochelle
From our base at Marina Minimes in La Rochelle, sail the Atlantic Ocean and the Charente-Maritime with its 280 miles of sandy coastline and idyllic beaches.
What’s on this pageHighlights
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280 miles of sandy coastline
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Beautiful old town
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Far of the mass tourism
La Rochelle sailing
Running from La Rochelle to the Gironde estuary north of Bordeaux, the Charente-Maritime is a beautiful region on the southwest coast of France. With a rich history, peaceful islands and many hours of sunshine, it’s the ideal location for a sailing vacation.
The old port of La Rochelle, once one of the most important in France, is flanked by two impressive towers, all that remains of the ancient ramparts. During your La Rochelle sailing vacation, be sure you make time to climb to the top of the towers, after which you can enjoy a meal at one of the old port’s many restaurants.
While sailing La Rochelle, the small island of Île de Ré with its sweeping sandy beaches and charming villages should be on your itinerary, as should Île d’Oléron. It’s here you’ll find notable vineyards, fishing villages and pine forests.
To get away from it all on your La Rochelle sailing vacation, venture to the more remote Île-d’Aix and explore its many beaches, coastal paths and hidden bays ideal for swimming.
While you don’t require a license to rent a boat in La Rochelle, good sailing experience is recommended. If you’ve no experience, you can always hire a skipper.
Available charter types
Things to do in La Rochelle
Explore Île de Ré
There are many things to do in La Rochelle, but we would definitely recommend climbing to the top of the Lighthouse of Île de Ré for an amazing view of the Bay of Biscay and the Atlantic Ocean. After descending the hundreds of steps of its spiral staircase, call in for lunch at Saint-Martin-de-Ré, or take a tour of the walled city and fortress
The nature reserve of Île d’Yeu
The island boasts over 700 species of wild plants, many of which flower year-round. The coast, moors and wooded area are protected, with its dunes and rocky coast noted for their biodiversity.
Visit Île d’Oléron
One of our favorite things to do in La Rochelle is touring the oyster capital of Le Château d’Oléron with its multicolored fishing huts. While on the island, relax on the fine beaches of Vert-Bois and La Rémigeasse, or head to the seaside resort of Le Grand-Village-Plage.
Go bird-spotting at Île d’Aix
With just 200 residents, this small island is a secluded spot which offers perfect shelter for seabirds and hundreds of other species.
Head out to Fort Boyard
During your yacht charter in La Rochelle, sail around this Napoleonic Fort Boyard. Built in the 1800s, it once housed 250 soldiers and is now a popular shooting location for movies and TV shows.
Weather insights
When is the best time to go to La Rochelle?
The best time to visit La Rochelle is between May and October, when you will enjoy the best temperatures. Summers are sunny, dry and hot (between 77ºF and 86ºF) and there can be a strong wind in the afternoon. Temperatures in spring and fall are mild (around 68ºF) and the weather is sunny with a little rain.
What are the sailing conditions in La Rochelle?
The sailing conditions in La Rochelle include northerly prevailing winds in summer, becoming southwesterly when there is low pressure coming in from the Atlantic Ocean.
La Rochelle sailing with Dream Yacht Charter
Yacht charter La Rochelle
Sail from La Rochelle and explore the nearby islands of the Charente-Maritime coastline. Take the helm and plan your dream vacation on one of our catamarans or monohulls.
Skippered yacht charters La Rochelle, France
You don’t need experience to enjoy a sailing vacation in La Rochelle. We can find a skipper to sail your yacht while you enjoy the best of the region while relaxing.
La Rochelle sailing itinerary
Take a look at our La Rochelle sailing vacation suggestions
8-day itinerary La Rochelle
Useful information for yacht charters in La Rochelle
Where is La Rochelle?
La Rochelle is a coastal city located in the west of France. It lies on the Bay of Biscay in the Atlantic Ocean.
How do I get to La Rochelle from the US?
To get to our base for your yacht charter in La Rochelle, fly from the US to Paris or other European cities.
You can get a connecting flight to La Rochelle’s regional airport, Île de Ré Airport (LRH), which receives several direct flights a day from Paris, Portugal, the UK, Belgium and Switzerland. See the airport website for more information.
We can arrange airport transfers to our marina.
What language is spoken in La Rochelle?
The official language of La Rochelle is French.
What is the currency for La Rochelle?
The currency in La Rochelle is the Euro (EUR).
What documents do I need for a La Rochelle sailing vacation?
US citizens must have a passport issued within the past 10 years. This must be valid for a minimum of six months at date of entry and for additional three months beyond the planned date of departure. Visas are not required for stays of less than 90 days.
Talk to us to make sure you have the correct documents before you travel for your La Rochelle sailing vacation.
How do I get around La Rochelle?
You can get around La Rochelle by rental car, taxi, bus or train. We can arrange airport transfers, so please contact us for details.
What is the Wi-Fi like in La Rochelle?
There is free Wi-Fi at our marina and internet access is available via cafes and Wi-Fi hotspots, but you may need to pay. Cell phones can work depending on zones, but don’t forget the roaming fees.
Where can I find weather forecasts in La Rochelle?
You can find weather forecasts on the Windguru website for your La Rochelle yacht charter.
What provisioning is there in La Rochelle?
There are plenty of choices for provisioning in La Rochelle. Please refer to the base guide.
What baggage can I take on my La Rochelle sailing vacation?
Please take only soft bags and not suitcases as they are too cumbersome on board.
What is the electrical current in La Rochelle?
The land electrical current in La Rochelle is 220V.
What is the dialing code for La Rochelle?
The dialing code for La Rochelle is +33.
FAQ
See all our FAQsWhat is the cancellation policy for Sail Share?
We highly recommend you arrange travel insurance in case you need to cancel for an unexpected reason to cover non-refundable deposits.
Our Sail Share cabin cancellation fees are:
- More than 90 days before original embarkation date: 25% of the charter fee
- 89 – 60 days before original embarkation date: 50% of the charter fee
- 59 – 30 days before original embarkation date: 75% of the charter fee
- Fewer than 29 days before original embarkation date: 100% of the charter fee
How flexible is the itinerary for a Sail Share charter?
Our yacht itineraries are designed by our destination experts and are set to showcase the best of the destination’s highlights. They are set and not flexible, even if you book all the cabins.
What happens if the weather changes while sailing on a Sail Share charter?
The skipper may decide to change the itinerary if there is bad weather.
Can I choose which cabin I want when I book a Sail Share?
Choose a double cabin with shared bath, or private bath for an additional fee.
Are there child or age restrictions for Sail Share?
Minimum Age: 16 years old
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Absolutely amazing! Fred + Isabelle were so accommodating and did so much for us. Isabelle’s food was incredible. Thanks so much!
Laura
Exumas CabinExcellent. Very professional and great service!
Thomas
Antigua BareboatJust what we needed coming out of a year of lockdown, to see new places and connect with nature. Highly recommended for your next sailing adventure!
Johan
St. Martin BareboatExcellent cruise and very good stay. Skipper attentive, very pleasant and very professional.
Maxime
Guadeloupe SkipperedJust returned from another fantastic sailing week at your base in Pula and I would like to thank everyone involved for making this possible on such short notice and without any problems.
Mathias
Croatia BareboatThe marina itself is a perfect starting point with great facilities! The Lagoon 42 was in good condition and the skipper was amazing and very knowledgeable of the area.”
Jonathan
Spain SkipperedWhat an AMAZING experience. We’ve just returned from a week long skippered charter from Corfu, sailing around the beautiful islands of the Ionian. Paxos, Antipaxos and Corfu Old Town were beautiful and the secluded bays we had the pleasure of visiting thanks to our local skipper, Nicholas, were simply overwhelming. Fly and flops are no longer for us – we’ll be chartering with DYC for the foreseeable future.
David
Greece SkipperedOur group of 10 had an AMAZING time in French Polynesia from May 21-28, 2022! The food was amazing, our captain and chef, husband and wife: Henry and Mehee (sp), were incredible and the whole experience on board was a dream! We can’t wait to book another trip through DYC
Katie
Tahiti Crewed PremiumDYC provided a great sailing experience for my extended family on 2 monos out of Scrub Island. The boats were in great shape and preformed perfectly and the staff were friendly and helpful. Having worked for a number of charter companies over the years DYC is one of the best.
Charlie
British Virgin Islands BareboatI’m currently in the Maldives and having the time of my life. Captain Jack and the crew are professional, safe and FUN! The boat is immaculate and the food is delicious. He even makes CAKE! The beds are surprisingly comfortable and we are all sleeping 9 hours a night. If you like island hopping, there is no other better option than Dream Yacht Charter. We will be booking Tahiti next year.
Cynthia
Maldives CabinThe new boat was in fabulous shape. We had the greatest possible experience exploring archipelago waterways and islands. I could never imagine this might be so much fun and joy and we are already looking forward for the another upcoming trip in Ionian.
Vyautas
Scandinavia BareboatBaja is my favorite place now. There was something for everyone: sailed under northerlies with mostly calm evenings, snorkeled, fished, bummed it on the sandy beaches, enchanted by pelicans feeding, greeted by the barking sea lions and explored the Ispiritu Santo island geology. DYC La Paz base provided competent professional support with a well provisioned and maintained boat. We were nourished well by an onboard cook arranged with DYC freeing us all for more play. A vacation and an adventure connected with nature.
Taiyoko
Mexico Crewed PremiumAll staff were fantastic and made our trip very memorable. Incredibly friendly and welcoming, the food was amazing. The service throughout the trip was always first class!
Tommy
Thailand CabinAbsolutely recommended. Perfect service and set up. Will charter again and will recommend Dream Yacht Charter anytime.
Zahradnik
Turkey BareboatI just returned from 3 weeks of amazing sailing with my family on one of your catamarans in Sardinia. I would like to express my thanks to our skipper Simone and Daniela, our hostess.
Giles
Sardinia SkipperedFor a first cruise as a skipper, the Mediterranean is great. The Dream Yacht Charter service is too!
Thomas
France BareboatWe had an incredible trip and actually got engaged on the first night of our sail! We will certainly be back one day. Thank you for getting us ready for our charter. We were definitely beginners but he gave us a very thorough but very easy to follow training and it gave us a lot of confidence.
George
Australia BareboatThe on board experience was way beyond our expectations. Isabelle provided exceptional three course meals. We could not believe her creativity and delicious meals. Thomas was an excellent skipper. He was always on the lookout for our needs. Thanks guys!” Spira, New Caledonia bareboat with crew charter
Spira
New Caledonia Easy CrewedYet again another fantastic sail with another great crew. Thanks again to a great captain and cook. Was totally fantastic.
Connie
Seychelles CabinIt’s always a pleasure sailing with DYC in the UK. Great team, great boats, great sailing. Very flexible and work hard to make your trip a success. Many thanks.
Derek
Brittany BareboatUnforgettable spots to snorkel and beaches. Very experienced crew. Highly recommend.
Simone
Cuba CabinWhat’s new?
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