L'Orient

Protected by the Saint-Louis Citadel, L'Orient had a long period of prosperity thanks to the spice trade with Maagascar and Africa, as well as India. Today you can still see tree trunks upright in the SCorff, planted over 400 years ago ready to build immense trading ships. Only one or two magnificent houses along the quays managed to escape the intense allied bombing of 1944-1945. L'Orient is a very pleasant town. It is modern, clean, open, and agreeable with large areas dediated to pedestrians. It's great just sitting on a cafe terrace or enjoying one of the excellent restaurants, because the yachts are moored up right in the center of town, which is quite unusual. L'Orient is a major fishing port and the seafood is so good almost every restaurant serves a wonderful meal. The beach and forest are never far away, and it's not unusual to meet a group of young locals on the bus, laden down with a surfboard or beach equipment - during any season.