Start your journey in Lyon. Lyon is the capital of the French administrative region of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. A city of half a million, Lyon alone is the country's third-largest city, but its metropolitan area is only second in population to Paris. Lyon is mostly known as the gastronomic epicentre of France, with one of the highest concentrations of restaurants per capita in the country. Lyon was a Roman provincial capital and thus has extensive Roman ruins. Architecture in old Lyon ranges from 12th century to modern, and is primarily influenced by its position in the Renaissance as a centre of silk production.

Starting in Lyon, you can be in La Rochelle in just 14 h 5 min with Blablabus. Book today from just £31.87 with easyBus.com.. La Rochelle is a city dating from the 9th century in the department of Charente-Maritime, France. From the 14th to 17th century, it was France's leading port for trade across the Atlantic to Canada and the French West Indies. It's often called "la ville blanche" (the white city) for its limestone buildings: they're handsome in any weather, but brilliant when the sun shines down from a big blue Atlantic sky. The city is centred around the old port, Vieux Port, with three great defensive towers. 3 km south, Les Minimes is a new area built on reclaimed land. In 2017, its population was 76,000. La Rochelle is linked by a bridge to the resort island of Île de Ré, some 30 km long. Other islands are Île d'Aix, Île d'Oleron (usually accessed by road via Rochefort), and the one you've seen on TV, Fort Boyard.