The picture postcard views of La Rochelle show a stunning harbour, outdoor cafés and glistening blue sea and I do not think, whatever photo shopping skills I can muster, that a dismal grey day with heavy rain that soaked you through to the skin will ever quite make the city look that good. What a shame.

Our twenty two hours and thirteen minutes that we had planned in the city should have seen us strolling the srreets, enjoying the French way of live, maybe sipping a bottle of wine and watching the world go by, but alas we were taking cover wherever possible to escape the rain. Fortunately the city planners have built lots of arcaded streets to shelter from the sun (and the rain I am sure) but with it being a Monday, which to the French is a bit like a half hearted Sunday with most shops remaining closed, the streets were not full of expectant shoppers either. It was probably not the best way to see this city, which I think would have been enjoyed a lot more in different circumstances.

La Rochelle does have indoor attractions, including probably the best aquarium in France as well as a number of museums if that sort of thing takes your fancy. By the time we had got soaked to the skin exploring the city we did not fancy one of these places but instead found a bar/restaurant close to our hotel that enabled the drying process to commence (although even the following morning our coats still felt a little damp around the edges!) to celebrate our 19th wedding anniversary before heading back to our bed for the night.

From what we saw this would have and should have been a city well worthy of a longer visit and maybe next time we will try to do so in the warmer, dryer, summer months and hope that we do not have to weather another poor day.