Poitiers Tourist Attractions
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Poitiers, the old capital of Poitou and now chief town of the département of Vienne, the see of a bishop and since 1432 a university town, is picturesquely situated on a rocky plateau, 50m/165ft high, above the valley of the rivers Clain and Boivre, which unite just north of the old town.
Hôtel de Ville
In the center of Poitiers is the Place du Maréchal-Leclerc, with the Hôtel de Ville (Town Hall, 1869- 1876), which houses the Musée des Beaux-Arts. A short distance west, in an 18th C. house (with the doorway of the former Augustinian church), is the Musée Chièvres (local history, drawings, prints, etc.).
St Hilaire le Grand
In Poitiers, to the west of the Place du Maréchal-Leclerc, reached by way of Rue Théophraste-Renaudot and Rue St Hilaire, is the Romanesque church of St-Hilaire le Grand (11th-12th C), the facade and seven domed aisles of which were severely damaged when the tower fell in 1590; the church was restored in the 19th C.
St Porchaire
In Poitiers, north of Place Leclerc is the church of St- Porchaire (16th C.), with a Romanesque tower. Beyond this is the Palais de Justice (Law Courts), which incorporates the keep (1386-1395) and parts of the former Ducal Palace. Particularly notable is the timber-roofed Grande Salle (12th-13th C., with further work about 1400).
Notre-Dame-la-Grande
In Poitiers, just northeast of the Palais de Justice is the Romanesque/Byzantine church of Notre-Dame-la-Grande (11th-12th C.), one of the most richly decorated Romanesque churches in France. The west front (mid 12th C.), flanked by two towers, is a fine example of Poitevin Romanesque sculpture. Over the three doorways are representations of Biblical scenes. The barrel-vaulted interior is notable for the beautiful capitals in the choir and a 12th C. fresco on the choir vaulting.
Cathedral of St-Pierre
In the east of Poitiers is the twin-towered Cathedral of St- Pierre, built between 1166 and 1271 (towers and upper part of facade 14th-15th C.). It has three richly decorated doorways, with a Last Judgment over the one in the center, the Coronation and Death of the Virgin on the left-hand one and scenes from the life of St Thomas on the right-hand one. The most notable features of the interior are the beautiful 13th C. stained glass, the richly carved choir-stalls (also 13th C.) and the organ-loft (1778).
St Jean
A little way south of the Cathedral, in Rue Jean-Jaurès, is the Baptistery of St-Jean, probably the oldest surviving Christian building in France. Built in 356-368 on Roman foundations, it was enlarged in the seventh and 11th C. by the addition of an apse and a porch. It has frescoes of the 11th-14th C., and now houses an archeological museum.
Musée Sainte Croix
In Poitiers, to the south of the Baptistery is the Musée Ste- Croix (archeological finds, Romanesque objects, folk art, pictures).
Ste Radegonde
In Poitiers, on the east side of the town is the little church of Ste-Radegonde, built in the 11th C. on the site of an earlier church (destroyed in 877) containing the tomb of the town's patron saint. The crypt, the choir and part of the west tower date from the 11th C., the nave and west doorway from the 13th- 15th C. The ambulatory has beautiful capitals with human and animal figures. In the crypt is the sarcophagus of Ste Radegonde (d. 587), daughter of the pagan King Berthar of Thuringia and wife of the Frankish King Clotair I. In the north of the old town is the church of Montierneuf (11th C., rebuilt in 17th C.), originally belonging to a Benedictine monastery, which has a fine Renaissance doorway.
Futuroscope
Six km/4mi north of Poitiers, at Jaunay-Clan, is the Futuroscope leisure and amusement park, which puts the emphasis on modern science and technology and has more than 70 other attractions for both young and old, including Europe's widest cinema screen, housed in a gigantic tomato.
Musee Chez Manuel
A rather unique museum, this site is packed with a wide variety of furniture, musical instruments and vintage and modern vehicles. On the roof is a Norecrin II aircraft while behind the museum is a Sikorsky S-58.
Surroundings
Abbaye de Nouaillé Maupertuis
This Benedictine abbey of Nouaillé Maupertuis lies in a wooded area near Poitiers. The Romanesque church (11th-12th C.; restored) contains a tomb of the 10th-11th C.
Map of Poitiers Attractions
Map - Poitiers
