POITIERS WILL SEDUCE YOU
In Poitiers, one inhabitant out of two is less than 30 years old.
Eleanor of Aquitaine, Joan of Arc, Clovis, Charles Martel wrote famous pages of French history. The authors Pierre de Ronsard, François Rabelais and René Descartes studied here. The chef Joël Robuchon, the skater Brian Joubert and the philosopher Michel Foucault were born here.
A medieval past
History officer
Ancient fortified town, Poitiers sits enthroned on a rocky outcrop. Surrounded by two rivers and as many green valleys, the historic center is locally nicknamed "the set. Atop this vast promontory stand two of its finest monuments, the palace of the Counts of Poitou and the church of Notre-Dame-la-Grande.
Today, several towers bear witness to a rich medieval past.
Along the narrow streets, mansions from the Renaissance period mingle with timber-framed houses from the Middle Ages. The prefecture and town hall bear witness to a 19th-century Haussmannian élan.
Borrowing of modernity
As for that mysterious glass building you can see, glowing a thousand yellows on the western slope, it houses the Théâtre Auditorium de Poitiers (TAP) all year round.
For the city known as "the city of a hundred steeples" is erudite, cultural, festive, creative, sporting... "Old stones and new blood", sums up the daily newspaper perfectly. Les Echos.
In Poitiers, one in two residents is under 30! Under the impetus of these young people, the city vibrates and transcends itself.
What to see on the way
- Exhibitions and a planetarium at Espace Mendès France to enhance scientific literacy for the whole family
- The mansions of Briey and Rochefort in the Grand'Rue, one of the longest and oldest in Poitiers.
- The 217 steps of the Dunes Stairs to get the grail, in this case an unbeatable viewpoint.
- The rue de la Chaîne, as steep as it is truculent, with its half-timbered facades and inner courtyards.
- The Place de la Liberté where criminals were once pilloried or guillotined.
- La Grande Poste, in art nouveau style, built according to the plans of the architect Hilaire Guinet.
- The gardens of Puygarreau with a playground and contemporary artwork.
Would you like to discover Poitiers in a different way?
Grand Poitiers Tourist Office gives you tips on how to discover Poitiers in a different, unusual, sporty and fun way!
OFFICE
INFORMATION
TOURISM
Poitiers
45 place Charles de Gaulle - 86000 Poitiers
Phone: +33 (0)5 49 41 21 24
Mondays from 2 to 6 p.m.
Tuesday to Saturday, 09:30 to 18:00
