3 BEST Things to do in La Rochefoucauld, France [year]

Last updated on August 16th, 2023 at 12:33 pm

Looking for things to do in La Rochefoucauld in the Charente? I’ve got you covered.

If you love chateaux, chocolate shops and good food you’ll find plenty of things to do in La Rochefoucauld.

I love discovering new places here where I live in the beautiful Charente region of South West France.

Not only does it feed my curious soul, but it gives me more places to take friends and family to when they come to visit.

So when our close friends from Australia came over to see us I started putting together some ideas for where to take them.

Their schedule was tight and we only had two full days with them.

Therefore I knew I had to pick somewhere that was both close and showcased my own backyard here in rural France.

The BEST things to do in La Rochefoucauld

The obvious choice was La Rochefoucauld.

It’s steeped in history, and my friends who both originated from the UK, don’t get this in Australia. So that put a big tick in the box immediately.

I believe any good day trip needs three things, something to look at, somewhere to buy things, and a place to eat great food accompanied by good wine.

So the first thing on my list of things to do in La Rochfoucauld was to visit the Chateau.

No 1 – Visit the Chateau de La Rochefoucauld

Chateau de La Rochefoucauld is a stunning castle which has been in the same family since the 10th century.

And the town derived its name from the family.

The castle was fortified to stop invasions from the sea and the only original part left from this time is the Romanesque keep.

Nicknamed La Perle de l’Angoumois (Pearl of Angoumois) it sits on the banks of the River Tardoire, overlooking the village.

You can see it as you drive into the town from pretty much every entry point.

Its three towers have been built up over the years and it dominates the landscape.

It’s open to the public most of the year only closing in January and February.

Once you get inside you’ll see the monumental circular staircase which is rumoured to have been designed by Leonardo da Vinci.

Although it’s never been proven.

The Architectural Styles of the Chateau

The castle has been through many architectural styles over the years, but for me, one of my favourite places was the 18th-century library containing more than 20,000 books.

I’ve always been a book lover so this really took my breath away.

You also get to see the huge kitchens with their massive fireplaces. You can’t help but wonder how they kept these going.

Plus, just how many staff it took to run them.

The icing on the cake though was the hundred or more costumes available for people to wear. You can really immerse yourself in the history of the castle.

Of course, my hubby couldn’t resist but play dress up. Naturally, he was egged on by my friends. It definitely added a certain something to the trip.

And much to our delight we also met the Duchess herself, the current owner of the castle.

? Address: Château de la Rochefoucauld, 16110 La Rochefoucauld | ? Check opening hours

No 2 – Book a Table at Chez Steph

As you can imagine, after all that dressing up we were starting to get hungry. So next on the list was somewhere to eat and drink.

And in La Rochefoucauld, there’s no point in looking much further than Chez Steph.

In prime position, it sits right at the foot of the castle.

I can hand on heart say that their steak is the best steak I’ve had at a French restaurant.

They are Limousin beef specialists, and boy can you tell. J

ust one word of warning though, you should never make the mistake of asking for your steak well done (“Bien cuit” en Francais).

Hubby did this on our first visit. The waiter just looked at him, shook his head and said “No”.

That was it, proving the customer is not always right when it comes to how you want your steak cooked in France.

Luckily hubby’s taste buds have developed somewhat since then. He can now go with medium rare (“À point” en Francais).

But it isn’t just the food that’s amazing. The restaurant is in an old 17th-century building which just oozes charm, warmth and authenticity.

The pizzas are amazing too, or so I’m told by my stepson Alex.

So a trip to Chez Steph is always on the list every time we visit La Rochefoucauld.

? Address: 48 Rue des Halles, 16110 La Rochefoucauld | ? Book a Table

No 3 – Go to La Chocolaterie d’Antan

Trust me this is not something you want to do before lunch.

It’s a bit like going food shopping when you’re hungry. All that happens is you buy what you fancy instead of what you need.

Well, it’s the same with this. If I go into La Chocolaterie d’Antan hungry, I know I’m going to spend a fortune.

Run by Annick Grenier and her son Guillaume the chocolates are all made on-site using the traditional methods of master chocolatiers.

I can vouch for just how good they really are as I’ve been there many times and never left empty-handed. The smell when you walk in is divine and then when you taste the produce it’s hard to leave.

It’s quite literally an assault on your tastebuds.

? Address: 6-8 rue des Gaillaudes, 16110 La Rochefoucauld | ? Check opening hours

Other things to do in la Rochefoucauld

It would be remiss of me not to mention the shopping street as you walk into La Rochefoucauld towards the castle.

You’ll find some great little boutique shops for window shopping. One I go into every time is a little home décor store called BB Home Décoration.

I just can’t walk past them as they have so many lovely things in there it’s hard to say no.

My other favourite place to browse is Alcuvilla Jérôme Antiques. I haven’t yet bought anything but I’ve come close a few times.

But regardless of whether you buy or not it’s a great place to lose yourself in looking at all the antiques, wondering what their story is and where they’ve come from.

Conclusion: things to do in la Rochefoucauld

La Rochefoucauld really is one of the jewels in our crown here in the Charente.

And I hope if nothing else, I’ve inspired you to take some time to visit this historical town in the Charente.

À bientôt et merci beaucoup!