Poitiers

Poitiers, a city of art and history, stands proudly on a promontory overlooking the Clain and Boivre valleys. Rich in over 2,000 years of history, it captivates visitors with its exceptional architectural heritage and its jewel of Romanesque art: the Church of Notre-Dame-la-Grande , whose meticulously sculpted and originally painted façade illustrates pages of the Bible in the Middle Ages. The Cathedral of Saint-Pierre , built at the initiative of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry II Plantagenet starting in 1160, and the Baptistery of Saint-Jean , the last Merovingian vestige in Poitiers, house a baptismal font and contain Romanesque paintings and sculpted sarcophagi. Discover one of the oldest Christian monuments in Europe . The Palace of the Counts of Poitou , Dukes of Aquitaine, with its grand state hall whose vast dimensions and Angevin-style decor (blind arcades, capitals) make it one of the most remarkable examples of medieval civil architecture in France. The city offers visitors numerous private mansions, medieval alleyways, and lively squares. A university town since the Middle Ages, Poitiers harmoniously blends past and present. Its cultural vibrancy, museums, theater, and proximity to Futuroscope make it an unmissable destination in the heart of Poitou.