La Rochelle is at the end of a TGV branch line from Paris — three hours by direct train from Gare Montparnasse, four to five from Bordeaux via Niort. The Gare de La Rochelle is a ten-minute walk south of the Vieux Port.
La Rochelle has its own airport (LRH) at Laleu, ten minutes by taxi from the centre. Ryanair, easyJet, and seasonal carriers fly in from the UK, Ireland, and northern Europe — useful for short summer trips.
By road, La Rochelle is on the A10 motorway, four and a half hours from Paris, two hours from Bordeaux, two and a half from Nantes. Within Charente-Maritime the main routes are the toll-free N137 north to Nantes and the D137 south to Rochefort. Parking in the old town is expensive and limited; use the Parking des Minimes south of the centre and walk in.
The ferries to Île d'Aix and the Fort Boyard tour boats run from the Vieux Port. Bridges connect La Rochelle to Île de Ré (toll) and via the mainland to Île d'Oléron (free).