Some La Rochelle info of general interest: Rochelle, La , city (1990 pop. 73,744), capital of Charente-Maritime dept., W France, on the Bay of Biscay. Industries include naval, aircraft, and automobile construction. La Rochelle is the principal French fishing port on the Atlantic coast. Chartered in the 12th cent., it soon became one of the chief seaports of France. It was a Huguenot stronghold during the Wars of Religion and successfully resisted Catholic besiegers for half a year (1572–73). However, when Cardinal Richelieu resolved to crush the Huguenots, La Rochelle fell after a siege of 14 months (1627–28). Louis XIV had the port refortified by Vauban; his revocation (1685) of the Edict of Nantes resulted in the foundation of New Rochelle, N.Y., by Protestant refugees. La Rochelle prospered again as it became the chief center of trade with Canada, but it suffered from the loss of Canada by France and from the Continental System under Napoleon. Although its fisheries, canneries, and shipyards still make it a busy port, La Rochelle never recovered its former importance. The principal harbor is now at La Pallice, some 3 mi (5 km) distant. The picturesque old fishing port in the heart of the city, the Renaissance town hall, and other old buildings make the city a favorite tourist center. (Source: http://infoplease.lycos.com/ce6/world/A0842134.html) The official La Rochelle homepage is at http://www.ville-larochelle.fr/ (English version at http://www.ville-larochelle.fr/frame-uk.htm) La Rochelle Protestantism: http://www.ville-larochelle.fr/lr/tout-savoir/prot/prot-uk.html Two more web site of La Rochelle are at http://www.ville-la-rochelle.com/ and http://www.larochelle-info.com/lr/ (French only). Large info on the history is to be found at http://www.ville-la-rochelle.com/historique/petite_histoire.htm (the Huguenot chapters are 11 to 16). All texts are from the book by J.-R. COLLE, "Petite Histoire de La Rochelle". Also some short history at http://www.charente-maritime-mag.presse.fr/fr/ville/laro0021.htm More info on La Rochelle at http://www.franceguideprestige.com/la_rochelle/larochelle.htm Homepage of the Université de La Rochelle: http://www.univ-lr.fr/ In La Rochelle, there is a Musée Protestant which preserves the history of the Protestantism of the area. RACINES ROCHELAISES (La Rochelle roots): http://perso.wanadoo.fr/racines-rochelaises/ (Histoire et généalogie des Aunisiens partis vers l'Amérique du Nord aux 17e et 18e siècles / History and genealogy of the Aunisians who left for North America in the 17th and 18th century) François Peron (1665-1665). Marchand-engagiste, bourgeois et avitailleur de La Rochelle: http://www.supernet.ca/~gperron/fpbapteme.html Rochefort: The Rochefort homepage is at http://www.ville-rochefort.fr/index-uk.htm (English version). Official site of the Département Charente-Maritime (old provinces names: Aunis* / Saintonge): The site of the Département Charente-Maritime is at http://www.charente-maritime.com.fr/ (French only) Mémoire Protestante / Protestant Memory: http://www.charente-maritime.com.fr/La_Charente-Maritime/Patrimoine/patrimoi ne_culturel/protestantisme/17_protestant_mémoire_protestante.htm Les Archives Départamentales: http://www.charente-maritime.com.fr/La_Charente-Maritime/Archives_departemen tales/acces_Archives.htm More info on the Charente-Maritime area you can find at http://www.multimania.com/montbron/english.htm *Aunis: http://perso.wanadoo.fr/racines-rochelaises/aunis.html (shows maps of the old provinces and the new departments) Huguenot history Edict of Nantes: http://www.edit-de-nantes.com/ (French only) (La Rochelle mentioned at http://www.edit-de-nantes.com/histoire/revocation/revocation.htm) The Edict of Nantes: http://www.mairie-nantes.fr/ENGLISH/EDITNANTES.HTM The Massacre of St. Bartholomew's Day: http://history.hanover.edu/texts/barth.htm Revocation of the Edict of Nantes (October 22, 1685): http://history.hanover.edu/early/nonantes.htm (English version) Juergen / Georges ***************************** Jürgen Fritsche (Germany) - --------------------------- genealogy@ib-fritsche.de *****************************