During the 16th and 17th centuries, La Rochelle became the main Protestant stronghold in France. Protected by powerful walls and supported by England, the city resisted royal authority and played a central role during the Wars of Religion.

Begin your private tour by discovering the rise of the Huguenot community and the unique political and religious identity that made La Rochelle known as “the Protestant Republic”.

Follow the events that led King Louis XIII and Cardinal Richelieu to launch one of the most famous sieges in European history. Learn how thousands of royal soldiers surrounded the city and how Richelieu ordered the construction of a massive seawall designed to cut off supplies arriving from England.

Explore surviving fortifications and strategic locations while hearing stories of courage, famine and resistance. Discover how the population endured months of suffering and why the fall of La Rochelle in 1628 marked a turning point in French history.

Along the way, learn about Admiral Guiton, the English expeditions sent to relieve the city and the political ambitions of Cardinal Richelieu, who would later become one of the most powerful statesmen in Europe.

This tour reveals not only the storey of a siege, but also the end of Protestant political independence in France and the birth of a stronger centralised monarchy.