La Rochelle

La Rochelle is a medium-sized city (146 219 inhabitants for the metropolitan area) which lies on the west coast of France in the Poitou-Charentes region, highly recognized for its quality of life. The islands of Ré and Oléron are on its doorstep. La Rochelle’s historical heritage and the strong links with the sea make the city one of France's most popular destinations for tourism. Events of international importance – such as the Francofolies, the Grand Pavois (first European in-water Boat Show), the TV Fiction Festival or the International Film Festival – draw an increasingly cosmopolitan audience. The charming Old Harbour, the Aquarium and the Yachting Marina – one of the largest in Europe - contribute to spreading La Rochelle’s reputation beyond the borders of France. La Rochelle is a main hub of economic activity in Poitou-Charentes. Nautical industry, food processing and healthcare, information and communication technologies, transport, sustainable energy businesses are sectors well-represented in the territory. The base of the local economy consists of small businesses, medium-sized companies and a few major groups. The business community can count on the support of the University and other research centres. For ten years, La Rochelle has kept growing in terms of economic development, job creation, demography and equipments for tourism or culture. Following the continuous growth of La Rochelle Urban Area in the last decades, efforts have been deployed to ensure a sustainable development of the city, especially in the field of urban transport. La Rochelle Urban Community has competencies in many domains, ranging from town and country planning to economic development, environment, urban policy or socially balanced housing.