Food Tour of La Rochelle - John, our guide was very knowledgeable about the town and took us on a lovely food and drink tour. We sampled many local delicacies, such as meats, cheeses, shellfish, pineau and cognac and met local vendors over the course of 2-3 hours. John has a great rapport with the vendors, and is an entertaining, sociable guide who is clearly passionate about the area and its produce. If you love good food, you will love this tour.

Fantastic Food Tour - We did this tour on our last day in La Rochelle after spending 2 weeks in France getting married. This tour was the highlight of our trip (other than the wedding). The food, the walking the chats with John were all lovely. John has a fantastic way of imparting knowledge while keeping it all interesting. As John is a lovely Irishman living in La Rochelle this allowed him to explain not just about the food but particularly about what makes French food culture different from other places. I won’t talk about all the food stops because the surprise of each one made the tour even better for me. I cannot recommend this tour enough, a great way to spend a few hours in La Rochelle.

Best Food Tour Around - I've done my fair share of food tours in New York & London, and this one is definitely up there. The value for money was amazing, the wine, the cognac, the fish, the cheese, the meats, the breads, the desserts - everything was 5 stars. And to top it off, johns knowledge of the local cuisine and his ability to explain the background behind what you're eating/drinking is the cherry on top. Couldn't recommend this tour enough and would consider it an absolute essential to do if in La Rochelle.

One of my trip highlights - I booked this tour after taking John’s walking tour. I was interested in trying out local food and meeting others also travelling (travelling solo gets dull sometimes). I had a very fun 3 hours with John, the other travellers who booked this tour (a total of 3 of us - a nice size), and the different vendors we visited. We tried the local aperitif, Pineau, we had mussels at the market, picked up cheeses and charcuterie to eat at a wine store, and visited a bakery to try out a very tasty pastry. Somehow, I still had room to finish off with a cognac! This was a good way to spend time in La Rochelle and added variety to my itinerary.

Thoughtful and well-balanced. - We had a great food tour with John. We had done his walking tour two days prior and were impressed enough to try the food tour. John conducts his tours in a friendly, conversational way, informative but not overwhelming you with information you instantly forget. The tour is well structured and to us it was important to see that John actually had built up a rapport with the various food and wine producers we visited. As a result we had a sense of getting behind the usual tourist /merchant relationship you are normally confined to. Happy to recommend John’s various tours for those still struggling with their French fluency. Tony and Katharina.

Delicious tasting tour - This food tour was a wonderful friendly experience. John took us to some rare places and both the wine and food were very tasty. I highly recommand this 3 hour tour to try new things an get the real spirit of Charente Maritime !

A food tour that will surpass your expectations! - This food tour is a must! Led by John who is an Irishman but knows his food in France, especially La Rochelle. He also leads a history tour and knows the area quite well. He is enthusiastic, fun, spirited and loaded with information regarding all the foods and establishments we tasted and sipped. We began with aperitifs at a local shop. The owner let us sample 3 which were all different. Wonderful flavors. The next stop was at the market. There we sampled wonderful, fresh oysters. Such a delight! Also had langoustines, bread and wine. Next we stopped at a local wine shop and had a picnic of bread, terrine, pate, charcuterie (that came from the market) The manager of the wine shop shared a delightful red wine that paired beautifully with the food. We then went to a local restaurant, lovely managers, and had a delicious sample of salmon and a spread on what looked like a bagel. Flavors were spot on! After that, we sampled tasty cheeses at another local place, wonderful and friendly owners. Still, we had another food stop - dessert which was too delicious to describe. And finally we finished the tour with very fine and elegant Cognac from a local artisan. My, was it tasty - we wanted to take some home but could not make it fit in a suitcase. The food, the patrons and John made this a tour that is unforgettable.

Tasting and visit to the top - A great discovery of local products to taste at the merchants around the streets of the beautiful city of La Rochelle and its charming market under the halls. Thanks to John for the visit!

Fantastic tour with local food and wine - One of the best food tours ever! John is knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and organized. We had both a tour and a complete lunch, while also visiting family-owned food and beverage venues. Beginning with a local aperitif, we moved to oysters and langoustines. At the central market we bought bread, terrine, pate, and charcuterie and enjoyed that at a local wine store. We moved to another restaurant for a sample of another main course before finishing with cheese choices and then dessert. Most courses were enhanced with wine. I look forward to my next food tour in La Rochelle.

Fantastic way to eat like a local (and you won’t need an oyster knife) - I enjoyed the Discover La Rochelle history tour so much I decided to spring for the food tour too, and had a blast. There are countless dining choices in La Rochelle, and our guide John cut through the noise, so to speak, and introduced us to family-owned, authentic bistros and food producers off the beaten tourist path—places we’d never have discovered on our own. It was a great way to sample the specialties of the region and how to eat like a local. Particularly enjoyed the tastings of pineau & cognac, and joining in the local market oyster culture. Don’t worry—they crack the shells for you, but if you happen to carry an oyster knife you’ll fit right in.