As we live on the Ile d’Oléron, it’s a town we visit frequently.
And during my second pregnancy, I did all my follow-up care and gave birth in Rochefort, so we went there about once a month. In other words, we had plenty of time to establish our little habits!
If you’re looking for things to do in Rochefort with children, here are some of the things we’ve tried and found, and some good places to eat and sleep with the family.
Discover the Corderie Royale with children
La Corderie Royale remains a must-see in Rochefort, even with children. The building is huge, the maritime world works well with younger visitors, and the tour features tactile manipulations, interactive games, edutainment terminals and experiments in spinning, commetting and seamanship.
In short, this is the kind of highly visual museum where you can really hook children without having to read everything in detail.
📍 Practical info: Approx. €11 per adult, €6 for children aged 6 to 15, free for children under 6,. Duration 1 h – 1h30
Take the bracelet sailmaking workshop at La Corderie Royale
🪢 The bracelet-making workshop at La Corderie Royale is definitely an activity we’d recommend with our eyes closed. Our 6-year-old daughter loved making her bracelet with real sailor’s knots and a little help.
It’s calm, manual, original, and the children leave with their creations on their wrists, which always has a positive effect.
The workshop lasts about 1h30 and is accessible from age 6. Although the activity is recommended for children aged 10 and over, if your child has an appetite for handicrafts, this could be just the thing for them. Remember to book during school vacations, as places are limited.
📍 Practical info: the workshop takes place at the Corderie Royale, count around €10 per person for the workshop alone, or around €15 to €19 with the Corderie visit included. 🎟️ atelier matelotage bracelet.
🎟️ Our recommendation for a family hotel: the Résidence de l’Arsenal Royal
Let off steam at the Jardin de la Marine playground
Right next to La Corderie, the Jardin de la Marine playground is the perfect place for kids to let off steam after a visit. The large boat-shaped structure is reminiscent of the Hermione, and children can set sail like real little sailors. There’s also a 10-metre zip line.
Every time we pass by, we often end up making a stop here. It’s exactly the kind of city break that saves a day with kids.
Test the Tèrra Aventura course “Rochefort, ready to unstring”.
Tèrra Aventura is always a good idea with children, and the Rochefort course is called “Rochefort, paré au décordage”. For just over 2 hours, we follow Zisséo through the town center and the Arsenal, with riddles to solve and caches to find. It’s fun, it’s free, and it lets kids visit Rochefort without feeling like they’re on a “real tour”.
What we love about Tèrra Aventura is that our daughter moves forward (generally) without grumbling, carried along by the game and the search for clues.
📍 Practical info: the course takes place in downtown Rochefort and around the Arsenal. The activity is free via the Tèrra Aventura app we often tell you about there are plenty of courses all over France. Allow around 2h to 2h30, depending on the children’s pace.
Tijo Island: the perfect activity when it rains
When the weather’s bad or you just need a place where the kids can get moving, Île de Tijo in Tonnay-Charente is a great idea. The park offers indoor and outdoor play for children up to 12 years, with a labyrinth, large slides, trampolines, zip line, monkey bridge, multi-sports pitch and inflatables outside when the weather permits.
🎈 Practical info: Île de Tijo is located ZAC de la Varenne, 17430 Tonnay-Charente, just a few minutes from Rochefort. Admission is around €6.50 for 0-3 year olds, €9.50 for 4-12 year olds, and free for accompanying adults.
Climbing Accro-Mâts in the Rochefort Arsenal
We haven’t yet been able to try out Accro-Mâts with our daughter, as the big courses require you to be at least 6 years old and 1.40 m with your arms raised. As this is one of her favorite activities, the course is clearly appealing to her: you climb masts, pass over ropes, climb high above the Arsenal… As someone who loves tree climbing courses in the great outdoors, this maritime version is truly unique.
For the little ones: there’s also the “Drôle de Quai” course for 3-6 year-olds, but we’re waiting for our daughter to be able to do the one at height before discovering it. We’ll be back to update the article.
📍 Practical info: Count around €6 for the 3-6 years course and around €16.50 for the high courses. Next to the guinguette Le Rade de la Méduse.
Visit the House of Pierre Loti
The Maison de Pierre Loti is a visit best saved for older children or teenagers. Reopened in 2025, the house is decorated like a life-size round-the-world trip. We haven’t yet had the chance to revisit it since its new opening.
From the photos, the universe looks incredible, with very theatrical rooms inspired by the writer’s travels, but the visit still requires a bit of attention. For inquisitive children who like a change of scenery and mysterious houses, it must be a great way to learn more about this famous figure.
Pierre Loti was a 19th-century writer and naval officer from Rochefort, famous for his travel stories.
📍 Practical info: Allow around €18 to €23 per adult, €6 to €7 for 12-18 year-olds, with family packages around €38 to €50 depending on the formula. Booking is compulsory and tours depart from the Musée Hèbre.
Going to the municipal swimming pool
As we often go to Iléo on the Ile d’Oléron, the Jean Langet pool is a nice change of pace when we’re in Rochefort. There are three pools: a 50-meter outdoor Olympic pool open in July and August, a 25-meter indoor pool and a learning pool with a big slide that our daughter loves.
📍 Practical info: Count around €4.70 per adult and €2.50 reduced rate for young people aged 3 to 18.
Take a boat trip to Fort Boyard from Port-des-Barques
To round off a day or weekend around Rochefort, we also recommend a boat trip to Fort Boyard from Port-des-Barques.
The tour lasts around 1.5 hours, takes in the Charente estuary, offers a glimpse of Ile Madame and a guided tour of Fort Boyard. For children familiar with the show, seeing the fort “in real life” is always a magical experience.
Practical info: departure from Port-des-Barques, about 20 minutes from Rochefort.
Crossing the Charente on the Pont Transbordeur
Last but not least, the Pont Transbordeur is one of the most original things to do in Rochefort with children. This large metal bridge, built in 1900 by Ferdinand Arnodin, allows you to cross the Charente between Rochefort and Échillais aboard a suspended gondola. Children will be intrigued by the principle alone: you don’t cross a conventional bridge, you board a platform that glides gently over the water.
It’s a short crossing, but it’s got that “adventure” feel that our daughter really enjoyed. You can go on foot or by bike, enjoy the view over the Charente, then take a tour of the Échillais side of the river at the Maison du Transbordeur, which is free to visit. It’s a good idea to add to a trip around Rochefort, especially if you’re looking for something easy, not too long and really different.
What we also like is the very affordable price. For a family, it’s a great way to do something fun without blowing the day’s budget. And as the Pont Transbordeur is located a little away from the center, it’s also an opportunity to discover another face of Rochefort, a quieter one, on the banks of the Charente. 🌿
Practical info: Adult return ticket: €3.20; children aged 6 to 11: €2; children under 6: free.
Where to eat in Rochefort with children
When it comes to eating out with children in Rochefort, we’ve put together a list of our top picks:
- Le Rade de la Méduse, at the foot of Accro-Mâts, is perfect in fine weather, with its large terrace, burgers, mussels and French fries, salads, crêpes and ice creams, and above all its direct view of the high courses;
- La Maison des Crêpes, at 15 rue Lesson, is an easy address with children thanks to its galettes and crêpes, with galettes starting at around €5 and menus around €19 to €25; and for a more practical break around the Corderie,
Where to stay in Rochefort with your family
- Résidence de l’Arsenal Royal. It’s a beautiful hotel set in a historic building, with apartments from T1 to T4 (with real rooms for children), a fully-equipped kitchen, larger-than-usual rooms and a marina location.
We find that for a family, it’s more practical than a traditional hotel, especially with children who need a real space to sleep, eat or play.
🎟️ Info and booking for Arsenal Royal Residence
- The Originals Boutique Hôtel Roca-Fortis, in the city center, with large family rooms, a patio and a convenient location within walking distance of the Charente river and the Corderie Royale. It’s a good alternative if you like more intimate hotels.
🎟️ Information and reservation for The Originals Boutique hotel
Our map
Find all the above addresses on our interactive map.
If you’re planning a stay in the area, you can easily combine Rochefort with Fouras, Port-des-Barques, Ile Madame, La Rochelle or, of course, Ile d’Oléron and its beautiful beaches to extend your family’s discoveries.
✍️ Find all our articles to help you plan your vacation in Charente Maritime :
- Visit Rochefort
- Visit La Rochelle
- Our must-sees on the Ile d’Oléron
- Our favorite beaches on the Ile d’Oléron
We hope you enjoy your stay in Rochefort! Feel free to drop us a line below to let us know if you’re planning this trip, ask any questions you may have here or on Instagram, we’ll get back to you with great pleasure.
