Furkan Demir Châtelaillon… I went to France for Erasmus. When creating our preference list, I saw sweet photos of La Rochelle. Its harbor was surrounded by castles reminiscent of our Rumeli Hisarı. Just because of that, even though it was third on my list, I wanted it the most deep down. I remember as if it were yesterday. I was jumping and shouting with joy at home when I found out I would be going to La Rochelle, France. At that moment, jumping around the house, I had no idea where the story would take me.
La Rochelle’s Charming Commune: My New Home in Châtelaillon-Plage
When it came to finding a place to live, I turned to homestay options to save money. I came across a very beautiful house, clearly decorated with an aesthetic sense, and the conditions were quite favorable. La Rochelle was a city where average rents were 500-600 euros, but I was getting everything included for 400 euros. The house was in Châtelaillon-Plage, a commune connected to La Rochelle. On the map, it showed as 10 km away from the city center, and it could be reached in 12 minutes by car or 20-25 minutes by public transport. By the way, I conducted my accommodation search through a site called “Studapart,” which was affiliated with my school.
I was incredibly satisfied. From what I heard, it’s also used in other cities in France. The fact that it was affiliated with my school was an incredible assurance for me because you handle the entire process with the school, and searching for a house in a completely unknown country is a significant source of anxiety. Studapart addressed this beautifully. It was an application where you could message the landlord and it was quite safe and comfortable in matters like payment and insurance. I highly recommend it 🙂 Anyway, that’s how I first came into contact with this charming town.
The Vanishing Sea
Honestly, I didn’t know such a beautiful place was waiting for me. I had seen online that it was close to the beach, with white houses and a coastline. However, those few photos didn’t do justice to the place. Châtel had very beautiful houses, ones that inspire admiration. It turned out to be a wealthy neighborhood; I would see many people surfing while I went to the beach to read a book. The beach, sea, sand, and sun… They would all be incredibly complete with the sunset. I still have beautiful sunset scenes of Châtel that occasionally pop into my mind. When I first went there in September, I would go to the beach every day at sunset. If I could gather some courage, I would dip into the water.
I grew up in a high district of Ordu, so we didn’t know the sea. I experienced it there. One day, I took my book, water bottle, and towel. I put them in my bag and headed to the beach. It was about a 5-6 minute walk from the house where I was staying. Anyway, I looked around and saw that the sea was gone. It was the first time I had seen something like that in my life. I was shocked. Tidal events were very common there. The sea had receded 50, maybe 100 meters from the shore. I’m not good at these calculations. With an exquisite sunset, I walked to where the sea had receded. I stepped on mud and sea shells. It was an unforgettable moment for me.
Mr. Dinh and His Cat Otisso
Châtelaillon-Plage was a small place.As I mentioned, it had beautiful houses. The streets were charming. The beach was stunning. But I must now describe its most beautiful aspect for me. You arrive here and head to the city center. There is a beautiful old building. In front of it, you’ll see those flashy red gorillas often seen in car showrooms. This building is quite impressive and adds to the charm of the town. That’s the town hall. From there, walk straight for about 5-10 minutes without turning. You’ll find a blue-roofed house with a large garden at the corner.
That’s the most beautiful place in Châtel. Mr. Dinh and his cat Otisso live there. If you had come 6-7 months ago, you would have found me in the attic. Mr. Dinh is 76 years old but much more youthful, energetic, lively, and fun than my 20-year-old self. He had a significant impact on my life. His story stays with me, but if you go, knock on his door.
The Flavors of Châtelaillon
The last thing I want to mention about Châtel is its delicacies. On my first day, my landlord bought me a kebab. He loved it and ate it weekly. There’s a nice kebab place in the town square, next to the Casino, called Le Petit Creux.One of the desserts I had there was amazing… Flan Nature… An incredible dessert. It looks like a cheesecake, similar but entirely different.
You get it from the first bakery on the street opposite the church. It costs about 2 or 3 euros, definitely worth trying. And of course, the “French Baguette.” It’s a must, I think. No need to show off by going to the bakery. You can buy it from Carrefour and enjoy it, but there are two types. Not the cheap one, but the one that looks like real bread, with distinct stripes on top, wrapped in black paper. Eat that one.
Châtelaillon was a place I found by chance. I lived there for four months. It holds a special place for me. It’s a must-visit. Go to the beach at sunset if you can.
