French Atlantic port city of La Rochelle

La Rochelle is the capital of the Charente department in the New Aquitaine region of France. It is a port city on the west coast of France on the Strait of Antioch on the Cantabrian Sea of ​​the Atlantic Ocean. The city has a strong commercial tradition and had an active port early in its history. La Rochelle continued to develop in the Middle Ages and has maintained its economic status in modern times, as its port, La Palisse, is the only deep-water port on the French Atlantic coast and is ranked as the sixth most important port in France. The city's origins date back to the Gallo-Roman period, as evidenced by the remains of important salt marshes and villas. The Duke of Aquitaine granted it a charter as a free port in 1130. With the opening of the English market after Eleanor of Aquitaine, queen of King Louis VII of France, became queen of Henry II of England in 1154, and the emergence of the Knights Templar and the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem, the town quickly became the largest port in the Atlantic. Today, the city still has a wealth of historical buildings, including the Tower of St. Nicholas (cover) and urban heritage. This city, once the capital of the French department of Aubignan, has become the most important coastal city between the Loire and Gironde estuaries. At the beginning of the 21st century, the city was consistently ranked as one of the most livable cities in France. #OverseasTravel #EuropeTravel #EuropeTourism #France #FranceTravel #FranceTourism #Harbor #Middle Ages #AncientCity #TowerGate #Seaview