Just a couple of weeks after we’d booked our tickets to and from France with P&O Ferries, the news broke of them sacking hundreds of workers and suspending all services, pending inspection from UK authorities. Unfortunately, with non-refundable tickets, we were stuck with our choice and watched with anger, frustration and concern as chaos once again struck the Port of Dover.
Having had a great couple of days exploring La Rochelle and Nantes, it was time to head back to the UK, with a short 90-minute flight on Ryanair to Stansted.
My visit to La Rochelle last month (July 22) was split over two days, with a short time before I caught a train to Nantes and some time when I got back before flying home. Unfortunately, the timings meant I didn’t have a great deal of time to spend in La Rochelle, however I did fall in love with the city and will definitely be returning.
After a great, but too short, time exploring Nantes, I was up early to make my way to the station ready to catch a train back to La Rochelle. Having booked a specific train in advance, the fares were reasonable and so I decided to spend a few euros extra and try out first-class onboard SNCF’s Intercités product.
Once known as the ‘Venice of the West’ for its many quays, Nantes lies on the banks of the river Loire and is France’s sixth largest city, ahead of cities such as Bordeaux, Lille and Strasbourg. Having arrived into the city onboard an SNCF Intercités service from La Rochelle, I had about 18 hours to both explore the city and sleep, before my train back the following day.
Having arrived in La Rochelle on a Ryanair flight from Stansted, I spent a couple of hours having a late breakfast and wandering around the port before making the short walk to the town’s stunning Gare de La Rochelle Ville.
Flights & Times 