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The Story of a passion
_0.jpg "René Coutant (au centre).jpg")
La Rochelle Aquarium is one of the biggest private European aquarium.
It is a creation of Coutant Aquariums leader in its field.
It is a creation of Coutant Aquariums leader in its field.
René Coutant was the first to carry a family passion that would inspire his children to keep his work and dreams of recreating the underwater world alive. Every time Roselyne or Pascal Coutant recall how it all started, they are transported back to their childhood. This is a common example of a family venture in which passion becomes profession and, over two generations, the children make their father’s dream a reality.
And now the third generation are embarking in the very same adventure.
And now the third generation are embarking in the very same adventure.
The story thus far :
1960: René Coutant builds his first aquaria with closed-circuit filtration systems
1970: René Coutant opens a 250 m² aquarium in La Ville en Bois, La Rochelle.
1975: René Coutant’s children take over from him.
1988: Roselyne and Pascal Coutant officially open the largest Aquarium in France, with a surface area of 1,600 m2 and housing 550,000 litres of sea water.
1999: In April, the Aquarium welcomes its 6 millionth visitor. It is the 3rd most popular tourist site in Poitou-Charentes.
2001: the new Aquarium opens in La Rochelle, at the forefront of large aquarium design in Europe, with a surface area of 8,045 m² containing 3,000,000 litres of sea water.
800,000 visitors flock here every year, making it the leading tourist attraction in Charente-Maritime and the 6th nationwide.
February 2002: The millionth visitor comes through the Aquarium doors.
May 2003: the 2 millionth visitor is given an appropriately festive welcome by our longstanding partner: Crédit Agricole.
February 2009: Visit renovations and new spaces opened, including a room entirely given over to regional and tropical jelly fish.
December 2010: The New La Rochelle Aquarium turns 10!
1970: René Coutant opens a 250 m² aquarium in La Ville en Bois, La Rochelle.
1975: René Coutant’s children take over from him.
1988: Roselyne and Pascal Coutant officially open the largest Aquarium in France, with a surface area of 1,600 m2 and housing 550,000 litres of sea water.
1999: In April, the Aquarium welcomes its 6 millionth visitor. It is the 3rd most popular tourist site in Poitou-Charentes.
2001: the new Aquarium opens in La Rochelle, at the forefront of large aquarium design in Europe, with a surface area of 8,045 m² containing 3,000,000 litres of sea water.
800,000 visitors flock here every year, making it the leading tourist attraction in Charente-Maritime and the 6th nationwide.
February 2002: The millionth visitor comes through the Aquarium doors.
May 2003: the 2 millionth visitor is given an appropriately festive welcome by our longstanding partner: Crédit Agricole.
February 2009: Visit renovations and new spaces opened, including a room entirely given over to regional and tropical jelly fish.
December 2010: The New La Rochelle Aquarium turns 10!