La Rochelle, France - 20 June 2013; no people in view. Founded in the 10th Century, La Rochelle is a historic coastal town and harbour on the west coast of France, facing the Bay of Biscay in the Atlantic Ocean. It is also the capital of the Charente-Maritime Department. Its most prominent landmarks are the medieval remains of its harbour fortifications, the two towers shown here; these are the Chain Tower, the smaller of the two, and the Saint Nicholas Tower. In case of conflict, usually involving the English, a chain was drawn between the two to stop ships entering the Old Harbour. Also seen in this shot is its unusual lighthouse, surmounted by a strange octagonal Gothic spire; it is the last remaining medieval lighthouse on the Atlantic Coast.