For shopping lovers, let us tell you right away - your hopes for a great shopping tour in La Rochelle are in vain. You will not find in the city large shopping centers, fashionable boutiques and outlet stores. La Rochelle attracts rather lovers of antiques and regulars of flea markets.
Reviews about shopping in La Rochelle are more than modest. You will be able to buy traditional souvenirs in small souvenir shops, but serious shopping will not happen in La Rochelle.
The main shopping street of La Rochelle - Rue Palais runs from the old port to Place Verdun. There is a huge number of stores located right in medieval buildings and bearing the imprint of centuries-old history.
Another major shopping street, Rue Mercier, connects Place Fourche and Rue Saint-Nicolas. It is a pedestrianized area lined with antique stores, second-hand stores and fashion boutiques. It is in this neighborhood that the antique flea market rages on Sundays.
Your hopes of finding large shopping centers in La Rochelle will be in vain. For serious shopping, you'll have to head to neighboring Nantes or Bordeaux.
According to tourists, the main results of shopping in La Rochelle will be, in addition to the standard souvenirs (magnets, key chains and the like), souvenirs with a maritime theme. You can bring as a gift to your friends a market or a sea calf. Gourmets should pay attention to the large selection of wines and buy several bottles.
