July - August 2023
frequently asked Questions
Find the answers to the most frequently asked questions (ticketing, access, prices, subscription, parking, etc.) and prepare your visit to the La Rochelle Aquarium. The whole team looks forward to welcoming you soon!
General
On average, the tour lasts 1h30 to 2h. However, there is no time limit.
Please note that all exits are final and it is not possible to eat inside the exhibition.
To limit the stress of waiting during your visit, we advise you to avoid visiting on rainy days, between 10am and 4pm, to give preference to weekends in summer and to buy your ticket online in advance.
The visit must be completed in one go. Any exit from the tour is final.
For information, the average length of a visit is 1h30 to 2 hours.
The peak season is from mid-July to the end of August. During this period we advise you to come early in the morning or in the evening, when the weather is fine and at weekends.
Only the purchase of a time-stamped ticket can guarantee your entry on the day and at the time of your choice. For your safety and the comfort of your visit, you may be refused access at certain times and on certain very busy days, if you have not booked in advance. During the high season, this may happen on rainy or heatwave days.
The times that are usually least crowded are in the morning when the Aquarium opens, and in the evening at 9pm.
To reduce your waiting time at the entrance, we advise you to buy your ticket online.
Only the purchase of a time-stamped ticket guarantees access to the visit in the chosen time slot. You can present your E-tickets either in a printed version or in a digital version on your smartphone.
The Aquarium is open 365 days a year. You can find the opening times on this page.
No, access to the technical areas is not suitable for the general public.
Photographs are permitted during the tour, but flash is prohibited for the health of the animals.
The Aquarium La Rochelle does not offer guided tours.
To complete your visit, we recommend that you hire an audio guide.
The underwater world will no longer hold any secrets for you!
The junior/adult audioguide is available in French, English, German and Spanish.
For children from 4 years of age, an audio guide is also available to follow the adventures of the little Antioche Turtle (in French only).
Seating is available throughout the tour.
The Aquarium has a cloakroom service reserved for visitors at a cost of €0.50 per item.
A locker is also available, subject to availability. Prices vary from €0.50 to €2 depending on the size of the item.
It is not possible to eat during the visit. A visit to the Aquarium lasts an average of 1h30. It is not possible to leave for lunch to re-enter the exhibition. Plan to eat before or after your visit.
Access to the Là-Haut brasserie is independent of the visit, as is the takeaway area in front of the Aquarium entrance.
At the reception desk, you can borrow a buggy for the duration of your visit, on presentation of proof of identity as a deposit. There are a limited number of buggies available and they can be booked in advance. Please do not hesitate to contact us by telephone to make a reservation.
You may visit with your own buggy, but trolleys, trailers, bicycles or scooters are not permitted.
All toilets have baby-changing facilities.
Please note that we do not have a childcare service.
The Aquarium La Rochelle does not offer any special shows or activities during your visit.
Likewise, we don’t organise a “caretaker for a day” type day or diving in the tanks.
You can visit the Aquarium La Rochelle on your own from the age of 14.
Young people under 14 must be accompanied by an adult (over 18). In the event of inappropriate behaviour, minors aged between 14 and 18 may be asked to leave the site by the supervisory staff.
Ticketing & prices
We recommend that you book your ticket online to ensure you have access to the Aquarium La Rochelle. Book online
The following are accepted
– Cash in euros
– Bank cards
It should also be noted that American Express, Diners Card and Eurocheques are not accepted.
For all of the above methods of payment, with the exception of bank cards, payment is made on the spot, at the cash desk, so availability is not guaranteed.
The large family price applies either:
– On presentation of the large family card, with no minimum number of participants
– On presentation of proof (family record book, health insurance card, etc.) for a minimum of 2 adults and 3 paying children.
The discount is €2/ticket.
To benefit from the reduced rate, you need to buy full-price tickets online.
When you come, please arrive 15 minutes before the start of your visit by following Access B.
On presentation of your ticket and your proof of entitlement, the €2 per ticket will be reimbursed by contactless payment to your bank card. Does not work via payment applications with your phone or connected watch.
As a private site, the Aquarium La Rochelle does not offer discounts to jobseekers.
No, tickets are not personal.
Audioguides and booklets can be collected from the dedicated counter just after the visitor access terminals.
You do not have to print your tickets to visit the Aquarium.
You can present your tickets printed out or on your smartphone or tablet.
Once your order has been validated and paid for, your tickets will be sent to your email address. You can also find your purchased tickets by logging into your customer account on the Aquarium’s online ticketing service and then accessing the “My orders” section.
If you still cannot find your tickets, they may be in your “junk mail” folder or your payment may have been refused (in this case, you will receive a payment failure email).
La Rochelle Aquarium tickets are non-refundable.
However, you can change the day and/or time of your visit at least 24 hours before the date initially chosen.
Go online to the dedicated area: Exchange my ticket : Echanger mon billet
Time-stamped tickets purchased on the Aquarium’s website can be changed once only in terms of date and/or time.
To do this, go to the dedicated area: Exchange my ticket
Exchanges must be made at least the day before your visit and are subject to availability on the date of your choice. Once your exchange has been validated, you will immediately receive your new tickets by email.
This message appears if you have already made a prior exchange attempt that has not been finalised.
In this case, please wait 30 minutes for the ticket to become active again.
A 1-year subscription to the Aquarium La Rochelle allows you to visit us with complete freedom!
The subscription is individual and the cards are personal and non-transferable.
The advantages and privileges associated with this card: 10% discount at the Brasserie Là-Haut and the Mémoires d’Océans shop, €2 discount for guests accompanying visitors.
For membership ticket holders: access is possible without prior reservation. We strongly advise you to book your guest’s ticket on the website before you arrive, to ensure that they are able to visit the site. The €2 will be refunded when the passholder’s ticket is issued.
We apply a reduced rate to disabled people of all types and ages (adults and children) on presentation of proof of disability.
The reduced rate is granted to accompanying persons if the disability card states “accompanying person required”.
Access & Parking
The Aquarium La Rochelle does not have a private car park.
You will find various parking options in the surroundings of the Aquarium.
We would like to point out the possible difficulties of parking in high season in a tourist town like La Rochelle and invite you to take this into account when choosing your time to visit.
Parking Encan :
Municipal pay car park, located in front of the Aquarium. Details and rates here.
Vieux Port Sud car park:
Covered municipal pay car park, located next to the Aquarium, opposite the Hôtel Mercure. Details and rates here.
Parking P+R :
Park-and-Ride car parks are located on the outskirts of the town (linked to the town centre by shuttle bus). They allow you to avoid the traffic difficulties of getting to the Aquarium.
From the Ile de Ré: P+R LAGORD
From Paris or Niort: P+R BEAULIEU
From Bordeaux: P+R Jean Moulin
Motorhome parking:
All the information on the city of La Rochelle website.
By train
La Rochelle SNCF railway station, 5 minutes’ walk from the Aquarium
(TGV lines Paris – La Rochelle)
With Intercités :
From Bordeaux, 4 return trips per day (10.00am, 2.51pm, 4.55pm, 6.51pm). Journey time is around 2h15 (depending on stops).
From Nantes, 3 return trips per day (journey time 2h30 depending on stops).
The advantages of the train
Eco-sustainable
Comfortable
Practical
By car
Head towards the city centre/SNCF railway station
(GPS: Quai Louis Prunier – latitude 46° – 9′ – 37” – longitude 1° – 9′ – 4”)
Encan or Vieux Port Sud municipal car parks are just a short distance from the Aquarium.
By bus
Illico lines 3 and 4 – “Aquarium” stop
The municipal car parks in front of the Aquarium have height restrictions, so access is not possible for motorhomes and other vehicles of this type.
Motorhome parking :
All the information on the city of La Rochelle website.
Gift Shop
The shop is open all year round at the same opening times as the Aquarium.
Access is independent and no admission ticket is required.
The following are accepted
– Cash in euros
– Bank cards
Catering facilities
The Aquarium La Rochelle does not have a specific picnic area.
Benches on the forecourt and areas around the Aquarium are available to visitors.
There is a Brasserie on the top floor of the building and a snack bar in front of the Aquarium entrance. Access is independent of the visit.
Please note that you will not be able to access these areas during your visit. We invite you to eat before or after your visit.
At both the brasserie and the snack bar, you can pay by cash or credit card.
Accessibility
The entire 2-storey site is accessible by wheelchair and unglazed lifts.
At the reception desk, you can borrow a wheelchair for the duration of your visit on presentation of proof of identity as a deposit. These wheelchairs are limited in number and can be booked in advance. Please do not hesitate to contact us by telephone to make a reservation.
Two magnetic loops are also in place at the ticket office and in the amphitheatre for hearing-impaired visitors.
Yes, reserved parking spaces are available in the municipal pay car parks for disabled visitors.
For everyone’s comfort and to ensure that the aquariums can be viewed in the best possible conditions, please note that the light level in the exhibition is not at its brightest.
Yes, a soft soundtrack is played throughout the exhibition.
Our site is air-conditioned, but it can get a little warmer on busy days. The tropical greenhouse also has a high level of humidity to ensure that the plants thrive.
