Rochefort
A major 17th-century naval port and arsenal
Nestling in one of the last meanders in the Charente before the sea, Rochefort developed into a major naval port, dockyard and arsenal from the 17th century; now it constitutes an unmissable stop along La Flow Vélo® cycle route. Explore this dynamic town turned towards the Charente Estuary, its islands, and the ocean beyond…
How this great French royal naval port was born
Arriving in Rochefort, walk beside the Charente River to visit the majestic naval buildings that were begun from 1666, by order of Louis XIV’s great minister Colbert, and that now make up the Arsenal des Mers (or Arsenal of the Seas).
In the mid-17th century, the Sun King’s navy only counted some 20 or so ships. That made it hard for the French kingdom to compete with the greater naval power of the British and the Dutch, threatening the French coasts.
Rochefort was created from scratch as France’s first Ancien Régime new town. It would become the nerve centre of the region. The immense naval dockyards that developed here stretched 2.5km along the Charente River, encompassing all the buildings needed for the construction and arming of a royal fleet, such as a ropery (corderie), carpentry centre, barrel-making building, foundry and powder magazines…
La Corderie Royale (Royal Ropery)
Built in the late 1660s, the Corderie Royale was considered to have been the longest manufacturing building in Europe at the time and remains Rochefort’s most impressive monument.
Its dimensions are exceptional, measuring 373m in length and 8m in width. These, and its elegant classical architecture, make this a truly remarkable edifice. The extraordinary length of the building allowed for ropes to be made in one go, measuring 600 times ‘‘the king’s foot’’, that’s to say 200m in length!
The interior is now home to the Centre International de la Mer, retelling the fascinating story of how ropes are made, while workshops on seamanship are also put on. Part of the interior is given over to major temporary exhibitions, always devoted to the maritime world and making use of interactive technology.
Rochefort Transporter Bridge
Further on, the Flow Vélo® will take you to the foot of the transporter bridge. Commissioned in 1900, it connected the two banks of the Charente River while facilitating the passage of ships from the Rochefort arsenal, thanks to its movable deck.
Listed as a Historic Monument, this Eiffel-style bridge is an ingenious engineering structure that operated until 1967. After four years of exceptional construction, the transporter bridge has resumed its crossings over the Charente River, much to the delight of walkers! The transporter bridge is open from March to November. The last gondola crossing takes place 15 minutes before closing time. Check the transporter bridge's opening days and hours.
On foot or by bike, take a seat on the gondola for a four-and-a-half-minute, timeless crossing!
Crossings take place every ten to fifteen minutes upon request, simply by signaling to the driver.
