Henri Motte (1846 - 1922)
Richelieu on La Rochelle's
sea wall |
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Rooted in the past |
| A bay protected from the open sea by a natural
breakwater of islands, ideally suited to become a port. |
- Ever since the 10th century, La
Rochelle has always faced ocean-wards, exporting wines
and salt from the province then known as Aunis all over Northern
Europe and subsequently linking into other shipping routes. Trade
brought fortune to the city, which continued to grow, spreading
into the coastal marshlands.
- A free city, it was emancipated
by the end of the 12th century
and governed not by feudal lords but by municipal magistrates.
In the 16th century, it chose to espouse the new ideas of the
Reformation and sided with the Huguenots.
- A rebel, its resistance
cost it dearly, notably when Richelieu laid siege to the city
in 1627-28 as punishment for having asked for the King of England's
protection. Driven to starvation, La Rochelle's population was
forced to capitulate and the Mayor, Jean Guiton, to beg for a
royal pardon.
- La Rochelle then fell out of favour,
but was soon to recover and resume trading, which by
the 18th century brought prosperity to the city, as still witnessed
today in its dazzling architecture. It traded with the New World
- furs with Canada, sugar and "black gold" with the West Indies.
For during that inglorious chapter in its history, La Rochelle
was a slave-trading port, a mercantile activity that assured its
shipowners' fortunes. They were later ruined by the Saint-Domingue
uprising and the end of colonial rule.
- During the French Revolution,
"Republican" la Rochelle sheltered the squadrons that went off
to fight the Vendee forces. The 19th century marked a quieter
era in its history, but the attraction of distant lands did not
diminish. Countless emigrants, innumerable scientific expeditions
raised anchor in its port, while native sons such as Alcide d’Orbigny
gained renown exploring the world's secrets … and left a precious
legacy conserved in the Natural History Museum.
- In the early 20th century,
traffic at La Pallice harbour (inaugurated in 1890) and regular
shipping routes with Africa revived La Rochelle's maritime trading
vocation. The sea has never ceased playing a key role in the city's
history, as today with fishing, the growth of yachting (the Minimes
marina, inaugurated in 1973, is Europe's largest), tourism and,
more recently, research (the University's Littoral Institute),
all stemming from its proximity to the Ocean.
n La Rochelle's history and
region have fashioned a land open to the movement of people and ideas
and dedicated to innovation. This trait is ingrained, giving the conurbation
that vital, inventive character which so strikes our visitors.
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