The Aquarium of La Rochelle

Located about 75 km from the Eldapi campsites, the La Rochelle aquarium is the ideal place for a family outing, both educational and fascinating. Take advantage of your camping vacations in Charente-Maritime to discover the wonderful world of the oceans and take in the Aquarium La Rochelle.

The origins of the aquarium in La Rochelle

Founded in 1970 by René Coutant, a passionate naturalist, the Aquarium La Rochelle is above all the achievement of a family business. The first aquarium was only 250 m2 but it was a great success. Following a fire, a new aquarium was inaugurated in 1988. It was then the largest aquarium in France. The current aquarium was born in 2001. It hosts more than 12000 animals on 8414 m2 and continues to attract hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.

In addition to the tour, which allows visitors to observe more than 600 animal species in 9 different areas, educational activities for young and old are offered. The aquarium also has a study and care center for marine turtles, which helps in the conservation of the species.

As a committed company, the La Rochelle Aquarium aims to be eco-responsible, in particular thanks to low-consumption facilities and optimized resource and waste management.

Visit of the Aquarium of La Rochelle

The visit of the aquarium takes place along a route passing through 9 different areas.

The visit begins with a space dedicated to the Atlantic Ocean and more particularly the European coastline. You can see sardines, cuttlefish and large dogfish.

Le second espace est centré sur la mer Méditerranée. Murènes, poulpes et mérous sont au rendez-vous.

The third area is dedicated to jellyfish and the deep sea. In addition to jellyfish, some sharks, barracudas and rays are visible.

Creatures of the Caribbean Sea can be seen in the fourth space, including porcupine fish, angel fish and moray eels.

The multicolored fishes of the Indian and Pacific Oceans are in the next section. This is where you can observe clown fish and parrot fish.

The sixth space is entirely dedicated to sharks. You will be able to learn all about these fascinating and frightening animals. The aquarium is home to several species such as the zebra shark, the reef shark and the bull shark.

The next space is dedicated to adorable reptiles: the sea turtles! The leatherback turtle, the green turtle and the Kemp’s ridley turtle are among the species of marine turtles that cannot be ignored at the Aquarium of La Rochelle.

The penultimate section is quite different. Few fishes here, because it is dedicated to the tropical forest. Florida turtles are next to beautiful orchids. This is also where you can see the terrifying piranhas!

And finally, the Gallery of Lights marks the end of the visit. It evokes the abyss, areas where sunlight never reaches. You can see spider crabs and artichoke heart coral for example.

In addition to this visit, educational activities and discovery workshops are regularly offered.

Rates, schedules and practical information

The full price is €17.50, and the reduced price is €15.50. Minors from 3 years old pay €12.50 (reduced rate proposed at €10.50).

Please note that students, people with disabilities and large families can take advantage of these reduced fares, provided they purchase their tickets online.

Good to know: the rental of an audioguide costs 2.50 € (2 € for minors).

The aquarium is open every day of the year. During the summer, it is open from 9 am to 11 pm. The rest of the year, it opens at 9 or 10 am and closes at 8 pm.

Good to know: To avoid crowds, go in the morning when it opens, around noon or late afternoon. The visit takes 1h30 to 2 hours.

Note that an application for smartphones (a version for adults and a version for children) is available free of charge to better understand the visit and the ocean environment.

If you arrive by car, the easiest way is to use a paid parking lot, like the one located in front of the aquarium. There is a souvenir store and a restaurant on site.

Visit the official website of the La Rochelle Aquarium for more information.

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