I meet up with Rachel (Couchsurfing) in La Rochelle, wet and a bit haggard after the last three days' ride. Her apartment is a penthouse in the centre of town and it feels really good to be somewhere where I can grab a warm shower and dry all my camping gear.
We spend the next day walking around the beautiful town centre and then hop on our bikes to go to the nearest island. The bridge is 3km long and costs 8€ for cars to cross - bikes and pedestrians are naturally free. There we go swimming and the water is surprisingly warm compared to that in Portugal.
There is so much to recommend La Rochelle - the beaches, the climate (usually), the sailing culture, the cinema/ festival culture, the architecture, the locally grown food - that it has impressed me more than any town in France... this impression has been strengthened by Rachel's love of the town.
Rachel informs me that it is fairly easy to become part of a sailing club, and this allows one to sail the classic boats found in this massive harbour. Another option is to become part of a crew for transatlantic journeys - I decide to try to come back in October when the weather is great and they are looking for crewmates, even green ones.
Rachel suggests staying for the big Saturday market the next day and I am happy that I do. The town is bustling with activity and there are lots of great pastries and quiches to be savoured. Then we visit a film nerd's paradise, a comic shop and finally the revamped public library. The Pride Parade also adds some extra colour to the streets.
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