La Rochelle
La Rochelle is 25 minutes from Le Colombier gites and is a wonderful place to visit.
Quotes from the local tourist board website : “With an exceptional 2400 hours of sunshine per year, as much as the French Riviera, and the neighboring islands of Ré, Oléron, Aix and Madame, La Rochelle is an ideal holiday resort."
The many bars around the old port invite you to take a leisurely drink overlooking the boats, and in the evening the town comes alive with street entertainers and stalls selling handicrafts.
Les Minimes is one of the largest pleasure ports in Europe and has a small sandy beach and a waterbus to the old town.
Wether you want to do a little shopping, visit the historic towers, or just drink in the sophisticated atmosphere of the town La Rochelle is a wonderful day out.
La Rochelle has 400 restaurants making it a Mecca for gastronomy. Regional produce and tasty dishes, take you from the aperitif to the dessert. With the famous Pineau from Charentes, a blend of grape juice and Cognac, oysters, mussels in white wine, the “mogettes” (white beans from the marshes), snails and more…
Here are two good Links to find out about La Rochelle :