Quartier du Gabut

The neighborhood of Le Gabut, known for its brightly painted homes, can be found at the foot of Saint-Nicolas Tower, midway between the large yachts and the wet dock serving the old port.

The newly developed Quartier des Minimes and the historic city center are linked together by the La Ville en Bois neighborhood.

THINGS TO DO AT QUARTIER LE GABUT:

• Acquire knowledge of the location and its past:

The Gabut neighborhood, located between the Old Port, the Floating Basin, and the Grand Yachts Basin, almost creates an island between these three water bodies.

It is now used for residential and commercial purposes, but it served as fishermen's hangars in the past.

It has a smidgen of a very Nordic atmosphere thanks to the brightly painted wooden facades, typical of the region.

Currently, Le Gabut has various buildings, including apartments, offices, shops, cafes, and restaurants, many of which have terraces that look out over the water. Footbridges lead from one level to the next on this structure. You can find the Tourist Office in this location, which is near the Aquarium of La Rochelle and faces the Place de la Motte Rouge.

• Soak in the beauty of the vast blue in front of you:

From this vantage point, one can look at the tall ships and frigates, such as the Hermione and the Belém, that make regular calls at La Rochelle.

To get to the media center or the sea bus, take the Gabut lift bridge at the quay's very end.

On the Quai du Gabut, located close to the old port, several cafés and restaurants with terraces provide a view of the sailing boats docked at the wet dock.

• In this lively maritime neighborhood, taking a stroll along the Quai du Gabut or the Quai Georges Simenon is very pleasurable:

This is a great way to unwind after a long and stressful day navigating the winding alleys bursting with energy and life. You'll find lively cafes where students like to congregate in the evenings, and these cafes are tucked away in a jumble of colorful houses.

• If you are interested in urban art, you should go to Le Gabut's part, located between Saint Nicholas Tower and the lift bridge:

The Friche du Gabut has developed into a bustling open space well-liked by the community and an open platform for expressing urban art.

In this deserted area, on the corner of Quai Simenon and Rue de l'Archimède, you'll find the workshops and warehouses that belonged to the old shipyard.

These have evolved into the perfect background for the murals and graffiti representative of the street art movement.