Facilities suitable for visitors with visual impairments and blind visitors

PLEASE NOTE: 

The interior of the towers is not accessible to wheelchair users. 

The staircases are narrow and uneven, and the handrails do not comply with current standards.

In each tower, the reception desk is fitted with an induction loop.

For individual visitors or small groups (up to 8 people with disabilities, excluding carers).

Self-guided tour (45 mins to 3 hours)

Tour de la Chaîne

No special facilities are available in the Tour de la Chaîne.

Tour de la Lanterne

Tactile casts of graffiti are placed along the tour route.

A booklet containing cross-sections and plans of the monument is available to borrow from the reception at the Tour de la Lanterne.

Admission 

Entry to the monument is free for all visitors with a disability and one accompanying person, upon presentation of a valid proof of eligibility (the ‘Invalidité’ Mobilité Inclusion card for French nationals, or an equivalent foreign document).

For groups of five or more, booking is recommended.

For groups (of 9 or more people with disabilities, excluding carers).

Regardless of the tour chosen, booking is compulsory.

Self-guided tour (45 mins to 3 hours)

This option allows you to explore at your own pace, according to your preferences and the time you have available. You will discover the monument guided by your group leader. Price: €20

Accessible tour of the Lanterne Tower (1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes)

The accessible tour is led by a cultural guide who will help you explore the tower using various tactile aids (booklet, model and casts).

Price: €40

Booking

All booking enquiries must be sent by email to educatif.tourslarochelle@monuments-nationaux.fr and must include the following details: 

• Desired date and time of the tour.•    Name of the organisation organising the visit.• The organisation’s registered address. • Surname, first name, telephone number and email address of the person in charge of the group.• Number of people in the group.• Number of accompanying adults.• Type of visit required.

Once we have received your request, we will assess its feasibility and, if appropriate, we will contact you or send you a booking confirmation to present at the ticket office on the day of your visit, together with payment details.

Payment for the service

Booking is compulsory, including for groups visiting the monument independently.

Payment is made on site in cash, by cheque made payable to the ‘régisseur de recettes des tours de La Rochelle’, by credit card or by administrative purchase order (if you are a public body).

• Benches are provided along the visitor routes.
• The La Rochelle Towers do not have public toilets.
• Guide dogs are permitted inside the monument. However, their work is made particularly difficult in the upper part of the Lanterne Tower due to the narrow passageways and very steep staircases.
• The tour route in the Tour de la Chaîne comprises 54 steps and that in the Tour de la Lanterne 162 steps.
• It is always cool inside the towers: you should bring warm clothing in winter and a jacket in summer. 

Parking

Tour de la Chaîne and Tour de la Lanterne

• The Vieux Port Ouest (Saint Jean d’Acre) pay-and-display car park is situated at the foot of the towers. The entrance is next to the Lanterne Tower. This car park has 8 parking spaces reserved for people with disabilities. Two spaces are less than 70 metres from the entrance to the Lanterne Tower and at the far left of the car park; four spaces are less than 50 metres from the entrance to the Chaîne Tower; and two spaces are less than 150 metres away
• The surface between the car park and the towers consists of domed paving stones or steps and is therefore unsuitable for wheelchair users.

Access

Please remember to check the public accessibility registers at the bottom of the page.

Tour de la Chaîne

Access to the site:

o Access to the base of the monument is via a public path with curved cobblestones.o You must climb a number of steps to reach the monument’s reception area (23 steps with one landing, followed by 6 and 5 steps).

Access to the tour route:

o The visitor route includes staircases going up and down, both straight and spiral (108 steps for the full route).o The staircases are narrow and have steep gradients; some are considered hazardous when descending. These staircases are used by visitors travelling in both directions.o The steps on the final flight of stairs are very worn.o Staircases with more than three steps are each fitted with a handrail that does not comply with the standard regarding the first and last steps. Change of handrail side on one flight of stairs.o The floors in the rooms are even (stone or recently laid flooring).o The last room is poorly lit.

Lanterne Tower

Access to the site:

o Access to the foot of the monument is via a public road with a surface of domed cobblestones.o A slope of more than 10 per cent over 30 metres leads to a flight of stairs leading to the monument’s entrance (15 steps with 2 landings).

Access to the visitor route:

o The rooms on the upper floors of the visitor route are accessed via two successive spiral staircases with two-way circulation (162 steps).o The first staircase leads up to the parapet walk. It is fairly wide, with evenly spaced steps, and has a small landing at each level.o The second flight of stairs leads from the parapet walk up to the top level of the spire. It is very narrow with very shallow steps (maximum 15 cm).o Please note that some steps do not have handrails.o Each staircase is fitted with a handrail, though this does not extend beyond the first or last step.o The stone floors in the small rooms are uneven; the original wooden floors have holes and obstacles in some rooms.o The lighting in the rooms is fitted with motion sensors.