Easily accessible, rich with Roman ruins, Medieval churches and 2000 years of art and history, Poitiers is a worthwhile destination for travelers to France.
Travelers to France looking to escape the hubbub of large, expensive, metropolitan destinations like Paris or NIce, should consider Poitiers, a lovely mid-sized city with much to offer.
Modern Poitiers
Beautifully situated on the heights above the Clain River, Poitiers is an ancient city with a modern, cosmopolitan spirit. A quarter of the city's 80,000 residents are students at the University of Poitiers, which gives the city a youthful vigor amid it's Medieval architecture. Many students come from other EU countries, consequently shops, restaurants, and hotels often have staff members that speak several European languages, particularly English and German.
Staying in the heart of town makes Poitiers easy to navigate without a car. After a short taxi ride from the train station, everything is within easy walking distance: a wide variety of shops, wonderful little restaurants, historical churches, and museums. As a regional capital for most of its history, Poitiers has historically significant architecture, artifacts and art worth seeing.
Neolithic, Bronze and Iron Age Remains
The Sainte Croix Museum houses rock art from the Marche Caves, along with an impressive collection of Bronze and Iron age artifacts, as well as other anthropological finds from in and around the Poitiers area.
Roman History
Invaded by the Romans in 56 BC, Roman ruins are visible throughout the old city, including portions of an old amphitheater. Many artifacts from the Roman occupation, including statuary and inscriptions, are also housed in the Sainte Croix Museum.
Early Christiandom
Situated between the Sainte Croix Museum and the Gothic cathedral of St. Pierre, is what is believed to be the oldest Christian building in France, the Saint John Baptistery. It was built sometime around 360 AD, and modified during the 6th and 7th centuries, when frescos were added.
Medieval Times
In 1152 Henry Plantagenet, who later became King Henry II of England, married Eleanor of Aquitaine in the Romanesque Cathedral of Poitiers, and forever changed the course of history for both England and France. The royal couple frequented Poitiers throughout their long lives, and financed many fortifications and building projects in the city, including several of the beautiful Romanesque churches that grace Poitiers. The great hall of Eleanor of Aquitaine's palace survives today as part of the modern law courts in the heart of the city.
Joan of Arc
In 1428 King Charles of France asked a panel of theologians to question Joan of Arc to see if she was pure of heart. The weeks of questioning took place in the Aquitaine Palace, and based on the panel's findings, King Charles granted Joan of Arc her own troops whom she later led to victory in the 1429 Battle of Orleans.
For the traveler wanting to experience French culture, cuisine, art and history on a modest budget, Poitiers is a good choice.
