Things to Do in Poitiers, France - Poitiers Attractions

Things to do in poitiers, explore popular experiences, tours in and around poitiers.

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1.5 Hour Guided Tour in Poitiers

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Poitiers and Region: Ecofriendly Historical Tour with Driver

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Walks and hikes with donkeys

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English Speaking Loire Winery Tours originating from Chinon

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Picnic in the Vines - A Unique Loire Wine Experience

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The Royal City of Loches, discovering a treasure that's off the beaten track

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Vineyard cycle tours in and around Chinon, in the Loire Valley

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Castle Epicurean Experience with Wine & Local Specialties

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1-hour tourist walk with guide

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Epicurean Discovery Tour with Wine & Local Specialties

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  • Church of Notre Dame la Grande
  • Parc de Blossac
  • Baptistère Saint-Jean
  • Cathédrale Saint-Pierre
  • Église Sainte-Radegonde
  • Parc floral de la Roseraie
  • Jardin des Plantes
  • Parc Des Prés Mignons
  • Jardin de Puygarreau
  • The Escape League
  • Huis Clos - Escape Game

Top Tours in Poitiers, France

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  • Things to do ranked using Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, photos, and popularity.

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1. Agence 1122 - by Premium Cultural Experiences

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2. Parc de Saint Cyr

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3. Mobilboard by Segway Poitiers

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4. Drive Session Racing

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5. VTC Poitiers Futuroscope

What travellers are saying.

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  • Agence 1122 - by Premium Cultural Experiences
  • VTC Poitiers Futuroscope
  • Parc de Saint Cyr
  • Mobilboard by Segway Poitiers
  • Drive Session Racing

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  • france-ico COME TO IN POITIERS

from 01/03/2024 to 03/31/2024

Guided tours grand poitiers.

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Prices from 4€ / Free under conditions

Appointment communicated at the time of reservation Limited group, registration required at the Palais : on site at  Palace of the Dukes of Aquitaine, Place Alphonse-Lepetit, Poitiers  or at the 06 75 32 16 64 every day from 11am to 1pm and from 2pm to 6pm

Palace of the Dukes of Aquitaine Counts of Poitou in Poitiers Tourist Office of Grand Poitiers VisitPoitiers

Wednesdays March 6, 13, 20, 27 at 3pm Sundays, March 3, 10, 17, 24 at 3pm

1h / 1 monument : The Palace

Former residence of the Counts of Poitou - Dukes of Aquitaine, and then a courthouse, it is one of the most remarkable examples of medieval civil architecture in France. Its imposing tower and its great hall, at the same time place of life, festivals and justice, saw passing some of the illustrious characters of the History of France of which it still carries the print: William the Great, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Alphonse of Poitiers, Pope Clement V, King Philip IV the Fair, Jean de Berry.... Access to the Maubergeon Tower subject to availability // Includes presentation of the exhibition L'ours, le cygne et le crocodile, les animaux dans l'environnement du prince au Palais // Price: €4 - free under certain conditions // Duration: 1h

Saturday, March 9 at 11 a.m.

Eleanor in power

Established in 1199, the charter signed by Eleanor of Aquitaine is the founding act of the commune of Poitiers. As part of International Women's Rights Day // Free visit // Duration: 30mn

Saturday, March 9 at 3 p.m.

Perpetuating the memory of Radegonde in the Renaissance

At the end of the 15th century, at the request of Charles VIII, the Poitevin author Jean Bouchet translated the hagiographic accounts of Radegonde into French. Twenty years later, he published a revised version, Histoire et cronique de Clotaire et de sa très illustre espouse madame saincte Radegonde. As part of International Women's Rights Day // Free visit // Duration: 30mn

Sunday, March 10 at 2 p.m.

Eleanor, matriarch and patron of the arts

Identified in 2013 as a representation of Eleanor's hand, the fragment in the Musée Sainte-Croix comes from the Crucifixion stained-glass window in St. Peter's Cathedral, one of the oldest preserved in France, which highlights the Plantagenets' role as patrons of the arts. As part of International Women's Rights Day // Free visit // Duration: 30mn

Stained glass window Eleanor confirming the charter of communes to the Poitevins in 1199, stained glass window, Auguste Steinheil (1875) Poitiers Office de Tourisme Grand Poitiers

Sunday, March 10 at 4 p.m.

Radegonde, Founding Saint

Painted in 1899, Jacques Aymer de la Chevalerie's painting presents Radegonde as the founding saint of the Sainte-Croix monastery. As part of International Women's Rights Day // Free visit // Duration: 30mn

Tuesday, March 12 at 12:30 p.m.

Sandwich visit: Hotel Fumé

Built in the late 15th and early 16th centuries for the Fumé family, the mansion comprises two main buildings separated by a courtyard. The street façade, which gives it the appearance of a medieval castle, is one of the finest examples of flamboyant Gothic civil architecture in Poitiers. Free visit // Duration: 30mn

tours poitiers

Saturday, March 16 at 3 p.m.

Poitiers, stories and legends

Amusing anecdotes and incredible legends decorate the route through the streets and monuments of the historic center. Price: €5.5 - free under certain conditions // Duration: 1h30 to 2h

Samedi 23 mars à 15h

Poitiers, 2000 years of history

Le centre historique de Poitiers dévoile plus de 2 000 ans d’histoire. Les joyaux architecturaux de l’époque médiévale y côtoient des édifices contemporains remarquables. Idéal pour faire connaissance avec la ville ! Price: €5.5 - free under certain conditions // Duration: 1h30 to 2h

View of Poitiers Tourist Office Grand Poitiers VisitPoitiers

Mercredi 27 mars à 18h

Duo visit: Le TAP-Théâtre Auditorium de Poitiers, contemporary architecture for performing arts

Découvrez les salles et les coulisses avant le spectacle La passion selon Saint Matthieu . Visite gratuite // Durée : 1h // Rendez-vous : TAP, 6 rue de la Marne, Poitiers // Renseignements et réservations : 0549392929 ou [email protected]

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Grand Poitiers Tourist Office

45, place Charles de Gaulle 86000 Poitiers

+33 (0)5 49 41 21 24

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Home » Travel Guides » France » 15 Best Things to Do in Poitiers (France)

15 Best Things to Do in Poitiers (France)

Capital of Poitour-Charentes towards the west of France, Poitiers is a university city with layer upon layer of medieval history to delve into. All you need is a bit of background and the many churches take on deep meaning as the queens, dukes and counts who ruled from this city come alive.

There are loads of endearing half-timbered houses on squares like Place Charles de Gaulle, and you can have fun hunting down the gothic and renaissance palace’s where the city’s gentry used to live. And then you can leave the past behind, at least for a few hours, at the ultramodern Futuroscope theme park.

Lets explore the best things to do in Poitiers :

1. Musée Sainte-Croix

Musée Sainte-Croix

The biggest museum in the city is in a labyrinthine brutalist building from the 1970s.

After an intensive trawl through these galleries, broken down into prehistory, ancient archaeology, medieval history, fine arts ethnography and regional, you’ll be feeling pretty clued-up about Poitiers and the region.

You’ll be riveted by the archaeology department because the museum is built over the 7th-century Abbey of Sainte-Croix.

Don’t leave without seeing the Roman sculpture of Minerva, the hoard of Gallo-Romain coins from Chevonceaux,6th-century stucco from the Priory of Saint-Pierre and outstanding artworks by Rodin, Camille Claudel and Eugène Boudin.

2. Futuroscope

Futuroscope

Since the Lumière brothers in the 19th-century France has always been at the forefront of the cinematic arts, and the Futuroscope theme park springs from that legacy.

It is France’s third most popular theme park and has been dazzling visitors for more than 30 years with simulators, rides and breathtaking presentations in IMAX 3D and 4D theatres.

The venues for these rides and shows are phenomenal metal and glass structures, some angular and others rounded, but all with vast dimensions.

Most of the shows have set starting times, so as opposed to most theme parks you can plan ahead and not waste your day in queues.

3. Baptistère Saint-Jean

Baptistère Saint-Jean

In Poitiers you can step in to the oldest Christian church in France, built in the 4th century and then altered in the 7th century to its present form.

In the Merovingian times they didn’t mess around when it came to baptism, and instead of a small font, the church contains a large octagonal pool in which people needed to be totally immersed to complete the ritual of admission.

There are Merovingian sarcophagus covers on displayed at the small archaeological museum  inside, and incredible murals from the 12th and 13th centuries decorate the walls.

4. Église Saint-Hilaire Le Grand

Église Saint-Hilaire Le Grand

Because of its location on the Way of St. James pilgrimage route, this hushed romanesque church is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Revolution wasn’t kind to the building, and the nave was torn down and had to be rebuilt.

But in the choir and ambulatory there’s lots of glorious medieval art.

The four chapels have frescos from the 1000s, among them one of the earliest medieval representations of the apocalypse.

Down in the crypt a 17th-century chest holds the relics of St.

Hilary, Bishop of Poitiers in the 4th century and the foremost writer and theologian of the time.

5. Parc de Blossac

Parc de Blossac

In the mid 18th-century the Count of Blossac had big plans for Poitiers to shed its medieval image with wide boulevards and open spaces like this sumptuous park.

The park is actually skirted by some of the old city walls, as you can see on the southern corner.

From  there you can also follow the Chemin de la Cagouillere footpath down to the right bank of the Clain River.

Most of the park is French-style parterres, with arrow-straight avenues beside topiaries.

There’s also a romantic English garden with flowerbeds, an ornamental river, statues, grotto and a little menagerie with guinea pigs, parakeets and rabbits.

  • 6.  Église Notre-Dame la Grande

Église Notre-Dame la Grande

This 11th-century church is an incredible piece of poitevin romanesque architecture.

Inside are medieval paintings above the choir, showing Christ in majesty and the Virgin and Child surrounded by a mandorla.

But it’s the church’s portal that wins most acclaim, with sophisticated 12th century friezes showing images from passages in the old and new testaments.

In the middle ages the sculptures on the church’s facade would have been painted, and on summer evenings since 1995 the light artist Skertzo has staged the Polychromies de Notre-Dame, restoring the vibrant colours to these walls with breathtaking projections.

7. Grande Salle – Palais de Poitiers

Palais de Poitiers

There’s only one room to be seen at Poitiers law courts, formerly the seat of the Dukes of Aquitaine and Counts of Poitou, and you have to brave airlines tyle bag-checkers to get in.

But if you’re curious about English and French history this is small price to pay.

Because the Grand Salle was a dining hall ordered in the 1190s by Eleanor of Aquitaine, one of the most powerful  women in medieval Europe.

At 50 metres by 17 it may well have been the largest in Europe at the time.

There are three gigantic fireplaces, wondrous traceries on the windows and sculptures of figures in the court of Poitiers, like John of Berry and Isabeau of Bavaria.

8. Poitiers Cathedral

Poitiers Cathedral

Eleanor also commissioned the city’s imposing cathedral in 1162, and it was completed around a century later, which was quite swift for a building of this size in medieval times.

If you’re fascinated by medieval history you could have a field day in here.

First, nearly all the stained glass windows in the choir and transept are original, and if you’re eagle-eyed you’ll identify Eleanor and Henry II in one.

The wooden choir stalls are some of the oldest in France, carved in the Parisian gothic style in the mid-13th century.

Originally there would have been 100, but even with the  74 remaining you’re left in no doubt about the high status of the cathedral chapter in these times.

9. Hôtel Fumé

Hôtel Fumé

Rue de la Chaîne is one of the most delightful streets in the city, crowded with medieval houses with criss-cross patterns on their timber frames and iron gaslights suspended over the middle of the street.

Follow it up the hill and it turns into Rue René Descartes , on which you’ll be taken aback by the majestic, curving facade of Hôtel Fumé.

This is a flamboyant gothic mansion built in the 15th and 16th centuries by the city’s mayor, and now housing the university’s humanities department.

Go through the passageway into the courtyard, where sculpted, twisting columns support a half-timbered gallery with mullioned windows.

10. Place du Maréchal-Leclerc

Place du Maréchal-Leclerc

The principal square in Poitier’s Cente-Ville has a totally different feel to the city’s narrow medieval streets, but is just as easy to love for its sense of space and airiness.

Place du Maréchal-Leclerc is enclosed by Belle Époque and art deco buildings.

Note the facade of the Société Générale, dating to 1928 and the former municipal theatre built in 1954 in an art deco revival style.

The City Hall is a bit older, dating to the mid-1800s during the Second Empire, and it hosts occasional open weekends when you can go in to poke around the salons and grand staircase.

In the last couple of years stylish modern benches have been added to the square, and there are cafes all around if you need a break from sightseeing.

11. Hôtel Jean Beaucé

Hôtel Jean Beaucé

If you continue past the City Hall on Rue Le-Bascle the street ends at a remarkable renaissance mansion built by the banker of the same name in 1554. Unfortunately you can’t go inside as it’s a private residence, but you can console yourself with a photo of the unusual facade.

In the middle is a staircase tower, with windows spiralling up to a conical roof.

To the right there’s another, this one topped with a cupola.

The mansion has a bit of everything, with gabled dormer windows,  busts of Roman emperors, pilasters, scrolls and medallions.

12. Église Sainte-Radegonde

Église Sainte-Radegonde

This romanesque and gothic church has enough to keep you occupied for at least a few minutes.

The bell-tower and apse are the oldest portions, dating to the 11th and 12th centuries, while the nave in the middle is gothic, from the 13th century with vaults added 100 years or so later than that.

In the crypt below the chancel is the 10th-century sarcophagus for Radegund, a Frankish queen who died in Poitiers in 587. Next to this is a statue representing the saint donated by Anne of Austria (the Queen of France) in the mid-1600s after she had come to pray at the tomb.

13. Jardin des Plantes

Jardin des Plantes

If your head is spinning from all those dates and historical personalities you can go for a meditative walk in the Jardin des Plantes, Poiters’ soothing botanical garden.

The park has 150 species of exotic plants in its greenhouse, most with medicinal properties.

That might be because the park was established by the university’s faculty of medicine, all the way back in 1621. The rest of the garden is a freewheeling English park: There’s a pond, waterfall and winding paths in woodland scattered with unusual trees like an Atlas cedar and an American bald cypress.

14. Local Walks

local walk

There are 400 kilometres of marked trails accessible from Poitiers, and the countryside that  borders the city is all woodland, meadows and farms, littered with medieval remains like chapels and old stone bridges.

There’s some pretty dramatic scenery too thanks to the Clain river, which formed the rocky outcrop on which Poitiers was built.

The Clain Valley has steep, rugged  walls that will grant the more energetic walkers exhilarating views, and the same can be said for the Auxance tributary, which joins the Clain just north of Poitiers.

If you go east along the Boivre river things get gentler as you enter the Bocage Bérugeois, a very bucolic area of hedges, meadows and orchards around the tiny village of Béruges.

15. Food and Drink

Farci Poitevin

Farci Poitevin is a distinctive local delicacy; a kind of vegetable hash made with chard, spinach, sorrel, cabbage leek and bacon wrapped in a net and cooked for hours until it sets into a pâté.

It is eaten cold and you’ll normally see it served as a starter in restaurants.

Also served as an appetiser, but occasionally eaten after a meal, is Chabichou de Poitou goats’ cheese, which you can easily spot at market stalls because it has an uncommon cylindrical shape.

The local lamb, butter and melons are all protected, and in the windows of patisseries you may be enticed by Montmorillon macarons.

Unlike Parisian-style meringues, these are denser almond biscuits with a soft centre, baked to a 17th-century recipe.

15 Best Things to Do in Poitiers (France):

  • Musée Sainte-Croix
  • Futuroscope
  • Baptistère Saint-Jean
  • Église Saint-Hilaire Le Grand
  • Parc de Blossac
  • Grande Salle - Palais de Poitiers
  • Poitiers Cathedral
  • Place du Maréchal-Leclerc
  • Hôtel Jean Beaucé
  • Église Sainte-Radegonde
  • Jardin des Plantes
  • Local Walks
  • Food and Drink

solosophie

An Insider’s Guide to the Best Things to do in Poitiers

By: Author Sophie Nadeau

Posted on Last updated: 6th June 2023

Categories France

Last Updated on 6th June 2023 by Sophie Nadeau

Poitiers is a sleepy city in western France with a rich Merovingian heritage and a mesmerising tapestry of medieval churches scattered across its historic city centre. Indeed, Poitiers is home to so many church towers that it has been nicknamed “la ville aux cent clochers” (the town of a hundred steeples) . Here’s your guide to the best things to do in Poitiers , as well as what to know before you go.

An Insider's Guide to the Best Things to do in Poitiers

I didn’t do much research about what to do in Poitiers prior to my visit. I had passed through once before on a bus journey back from Biarritz to Paris and had seen nothing of the French city save for a single crumbling ruin and a few classic French houses- and to be honest, it didn’t leave much of an impression.

However, the city is pretty well connected to the rest of western France thanks to its international airport and so it made sense to visit as something of a gateway into the wider Nouvelle-Aquitaine region.

poitiers coffee view

According to my dad, some of our ancestors come from Poitiers (I have no idea if this is true or not!) , and so I set out to discover the best of the city and see where some of my roots *may* have originated from.

And what I found truly astounded me. Despite being a lesser-visited city, Poitiers amazed and thrilled me in equal measure with its cobbled lanes, rich architectural offerings, and sheer beauty of the churches- I have never seen so many well-preserved frescoes in French churches before!

street in central poitiers

What is Poitiers known for?

A brief history of poitiers, eglise notre-dame, cathédrale saint-pierre de poitiers (poitiers cathedral), baptistère saint-jean (baptistery of saint john), musée sainte-croix (museum), hôtel de ville (town hall), palais des comtes de poitou-ducs d’aquitaine (palace of the aquitaine dukes), eglise saint-hilaire, statue of liberty, how long do you need in poitiers, getting to poitiers, getting around poitiers, where to stay in poitiers, watch the poitiers video.

If I’m honest, Poitiers lies a little off the beaten path (unless you’re following the Way of Saint James) and isn’t really famous for as many things as other cities in the region; Anglouême (famed for its comics) , Limoges (world-renowned for its pottery) , or La Rochelle (known for its pastel hued port) .

With this being said, the quiet town is pretty attractive and is famed for its Romanesque architecture, boasting one of the greatest collections of Romanesque architecture in France.

If you look hard enough, you can also find neat examples of Gothic architecture too. There’s ecclesiastical history to be found around almost every turn and so this is definitely the city for history buffs.

church in poitiers

The leading industries are electronics manufacturing, food processing, and printing, though tourism is also common enough thanks to the fact that the Church of Saint-Hilaire the Great Poitiers is a fine example of Romanesque architecture and is on the Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France.

It’s also worth noting that most people (especially French tourists) venture into the area surrounding Poitiers to visit Futuroscope, which is an amusement park, which boasts attractions such as 4D cinemas and spectacles. Poitiers also enjoys its own microclimate, meaning that temperatures throughout the year rarely go below 15 degrees.

poitiers busy town square

Just an hour and a half’s drive inland from the Atlantic coastline, Poitiers has seen plenty of inhabitants over the Millennia, and today remnants of the past can be found all over the city..

Poitiers was originally inhabited by the Celtic tribe the Pictones and was known as   Lemonum (after the elm tree). After the Romans took over, the town became known as Pictavium , for the Celtic tribe.

In the Middle Ages, there were a staggering 27 parishes within the city and each of these churches had their very own steeple.

In the 15th-century (in 1431 to be precise), Poitiers university was established. Founded by Pope Eugene IV and chartered by King Charles VII, the University was once one of the most prestigious in France, second only to Paris.

Though the university was briefly closed down during the French Revolution, today Poitiers enjoys a status as a university city, with the highest student/inhabitant ratio in France!

Poitiers was once the capital of Poitou-Charentes, a now-defunct region of France that was absorbed into the fabric of the larger Nouvelle-Aquitaine region following an administrative shakeup in 2016. The city remains part of the Vienne department.

architecture in centre of poitiers

Best things to do in Poitiers

The church of Notre Dame is undoubtedly the star of the show when it comes to attractions in Poitiers. Conveniently located just a stone’s throw away from the tourist office, the first thing to greet you when it comes to Notre Dame is its impressive façade, which features 12th-century carvings recounting scenes from the bible.

Inside, even greater treasures await the curious travellers. The interior of the church is free to visit and is honestly a must. As well as painted columns, there are various chapels which were paid for by wealthy merchant families in the 15th and 16th-centuries.

Eglise Notre-Dame

Bells have been ringing out in Poitiers since the 11th-century. One of the grandest churches in town is the impressive Saint Pierre (Saint Peter Cathedral), which was constructed in 1162 on the ruins of a former Roman basilica. The cathedral is free to visit.

Cathédrale Saint-Pierre de Poitiers (Poitiers Cathedral)

The Baptistery of Saint John is alleged to be the oldest surviving Christian building in the west and probably dates back to between 630-700.

The building is not only a rare surviving example of a baptistery (octagonal baptismal pool which was used up until the 8th-century still intact) but is also pretty unique in that it’s a fine example of Merovingian architecture.

You have to pay a small fee to enter the hexagonal building today, and be aware that the entrance is cash only, but there are plenty of amazing things to see once inside. This includes murals from the Middle Ages and Merovingian sarcophagi.

Baptistère Saint-Jean (Baptistery of Saint John)

The largest museum in Poitiers was built in the 1970s, is situated close to the baptistery and cathedral, and features exhibitions showcasing the history of Poitiers and its surroundings. The true star of the show is all of the Roman artefacts and ruins, though there are plenty more modern exhibitions too.

Musée Sainte-Croix (Museum)

Like many important towns and cities in France, the town hall of Poitiers is a well appointed building standing firmly in pride of place in a central square. The edifice itself was constructed in the latter half of the 19th-century and is still used for many important functions today, including weddings.

Directly outside the front façade of the town hall, the Place du Maréchal-Leclerc is one of the more happening places in town, particularly on Friday and Saturday evenings. Here, bars spill out onto the streets and it’s a pleasant spot to sit and people watch.

Hôtel de Ville (town hall)

The fortified and splendid grandeur of the Palace Of The Aquitaine Dukes has not been diminished by time and still today the Palace stands in pride of place in the very heart of old Poitiers.

The entire complex is surrounded by ditches and was once one of the principal residences of the Dukes of Aquitaine. Several parts of the buildings are free to visit (including the Salle des Perdus), and there are daily tours of The Maubergeon Tower.

The jewel in the crown of this Gothic masterpiece is the Salle des Pas Perdus, which was rebuilt by the Plantagenêt family just before the 13th-century and remains one of the best examples of non-church Gothic architecture in France.

Palais des comtes de Poitou-Ducs d'Aquitaine (Palace Of The Aquitaine Dukes)

One of the most important churches in town is to be found in the form of Saint-Hilaire, which is named for Hilary of Poitiers. The original church was built in the 12th-century, though it was heavily modelled in the 15th and 16th.

The church is free to visit and is of the utmost importance thanks to the fact that it is one of the churches on the Way of St James on the pilgrimage route from France to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Step inside during opening hours and you can find painted frescoes, sacristy-museum, and the tomb of Saint-Hilaire.

Eglise Saint-Hilaire

The Statue of Liberty in Upper New York Bay was a gift from France to the US, and so it’s perhaps not surprising that there are countless Statue of Liberty replicas in France today. One such replica is in Poitiers in Place de la Liberté.

Since Poitiers is a fairly small city with just a handful of attractions, the attractive old town and its accompanying highlights can easily be seen over the course of a day.

If you’re particularly interested in church history, then set aside two full days as the frescoes within the churches and their accompanying museums are truly breathtaking. If you’re looking to take further day trips into the surrounding area, then you’ll want to set aside two or three days to explore.

poitiers in spring

Poitiers is served by its very own international airport (Poitiers-Biard), which connects to destinations such as London. The actual flight time between London and Poitiers is just over an hour (actually in the air), meaning that it’s the perfect destination for a weekend getaway.

You should note that there is no airport bus to get to the city centre and so you can take a taxi or walk (like I did- though I don’t recommend this as the first part is along a busy road).

Alternatively, Poitiers has its own train station which is served by the TGV (high speed train). Within an hour and a half of the city, you can be by the seaside at La Rochelle. There’s also a direct high speed train from Poitiers to Paris Montparnasse and the journey takes just 1.5 hours.

There are regular bus routes which pass through Poitiers as well (buses can often be a more affordable, albeit more time consuming, way of travelling through France)

poitiers-biard airport

As with many historic towns in France, the best way to get around the city is on your own two feet. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes (trainers are fine- especially if they’re in a neutral colour) and avoid heels as cobbled streets are pretty abundant!

Your first port of call when arriving in the town should be the tourist information office, which is right outside one of the greatest attractions Poitiers has to offer: the Romanesque church of Notre Dame.

You can pick up a free tourist map, and if you speak French, there are other detailed brochures about the history of the town and further attractions to look out for when wandering around Poitiers.

As a medium sized city, there are a few options when it comes to staying in Poitiers. Since the real draw of the town is its historic city centre, I personally recommend to opt staying right in the heart of all the action. Plus, it won’t be too long to walk back to your accommodation after you’ve been out for your evening meal!

ibis Styles Poitiers Centre: I personally stayed in the Ibis Styles Poitiers Centre and personally found the rooms to be clean, comfortable, and enjoyed the complimentary breakfast the next day. The best thing about the hotel is that it is very conveniently located just a short walk away from many important monuments in town. Check prices and availability here.

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Sophie Nadeau loves dogs, books, travel, pizza, and history. A Francophile at heart, she runs solosophie.com when she’s not chasing after the next sunset shot or consuming something sweet. She splits her time between Paris and London and travels as much as she can! Subscribe to Sophie’s YouTube Channel.

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A general view of the city of Poitiers with the cathedral of Saint Pierre at the top of the hill, Poitiers, Vienne, Poitou-Charentes, France, Europe

Getty Images/Robert Harding World Imagery

History-steeped Poitiers was founded by the Pictones, a Gaulish tribe, and rose to prominence as the former capital of Poitou. A pivotal turning point came in AD 732, when somewhere near Poitiers (the exact site is not known) the cavalry of Charles Martel defeated the Muslim forces of Abd ar-Rahman, governor of Córdoba, thus ending Muslim attempts to conquer France. Until the Revolution, this sublimely beautiful city was known as the 'town of 100 bell towers'; the remarkable Romanesque churches that remain today are in part a legacy of Eleanor of Aquitaine's financial support.

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Attractions

Must-see attractions.

Église Notre Dame la Grande

Église Notre Dame la Grande

The celebrated western façade of this Romanesque church was exquisitely sculpted in soft gold stone between 1115 and 1130. Spot the temptation of Adam and…

Baptistère St-Jean

Baptistère St-Jean

Constructed in the 4th and 5th centuries on Roman foundations, this ginger-stone baptistery formed part of the episcopal ensemble with the cathedral, 100m…

Église St-Hilaire le Grand

Église St-Hilaire le Grand

Consecrated in 1049, used as a warehouse during the Revolution and partly rebuilt in the 19th century, this grandiose Romanesque church appears on Unesco…

Palais de Justice

Palais de Justice

Today it houses the law courts, but nearly a thousand years ago this stunning building was the seat of the Counts of Poitou and Dukes of Aquitaine. Its…

Musée Ste-Croix

Musée Ste-Croix

The 1970s Brutalist architecture of this art museum, built from reinforced concrete, is a shock after the elegance of its ancient episcopal neighbours…

Cathédrale St-Pierre

Cathédrale St-Pierre

The town's grand Gothic cathedral safeguards beautiful 13th-century oak-carved choir stalls, an 18th-century organ with more than 3000 pipes and…

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COMMENTS

  1. Visit Poitiers

    Visit the Grand Poitiers Tourist Office, 45 place Charles de Gaulle, Poitiers, to try out our life-size adventure games, which we're offering in partnership with Odyssée Prod! In Viking 2.0, the idea is simple: you're Igor Dehors, descendant of Viking hero King Hagnar.

  2. Battle of Tours

    Battle of Tours (October 732), victory won by Charles Martel, the de facto ruler of the Frankish kingdoms, over Muslim invaders from Spain. The battlefield cannot be exactly located, but it was fought somewhere between Tours and Poitiers, in what is now west-central France.

  3. THE 5 BEST Poitiers Tours & Excursions for 2024 (with Prices)

    These places are best for tours in Poitiers: 1122 - Premium patrimonial experiences; VTC Poitiers Futuroscope; Parc de Saint Cyr; Mobilboard by Segway Poitiers; Drive Session Racing; See more tours in Poitiers on Tripadvisor

  4. Battle of Tours

    The Battle of Tours, also called the Battle of Poitiers and the Battle of the Highway of the Martyrs (Arabic: معركة بلاط الشهداء, romanized: Maʿrakat Balāṭ ash-Shuhadā'), was fought on 10 October 732, and was an important battle during the Umayyad invasion of Gaul.It resulted in the victory for the Frankish and Aquitanian forces, led by Charles Martel, over the invading ...

  5. Train Tours

    Train Dernière Minute Tours - Poitiers. Réserver un billet à l'avance, comme par exemple lors des ouvertures des ventes est une solution pour trouver votre billet plusieurs semaines ou mois en avance. Pour les billets de trains de dernière minute de Tours à Poitiers effectuez une recherche sur notre site pour afficher les plus petits prix des 5 à 7 jours suivants la date de départ ...

  6. THE 15 BEST Things to Do in Poitiers

    Glorious cathedral that is a must-see on a visit to Poitiers. This is a remarkable structure which dominates the skyline of Poitiers, but in a curiously under-stated way. The cathedral is not typically blingy, but is airy and jaw-dropping in it scale. There are some beautiful stained glass windows, remarkable (if weather-beaten) carvings and ...

  7. The BEST Poitiers Tours and Things to Do in 2023

    Find the top-rated and best-reviewed tours and activities in Poitiers for 2023. From prices and availability to skip-the-line options and mobile tickets, get all the information you need to make the most of your trip to France.

  8. THE 5 BEST Poitiers Tours & Excursions for 2024 (with Prices)

    Mar 7, 2024 - Find & Book the top-rated and best-reviewed tours in Poitiers for 2024. From prices and availability to reviews and photos, Tripadvisor has everything you need to create that perfect itinerary for your trip to Poitiers.

  9. Guided tours Grand Poitiers and Grand Poitiers

    Discover the program of guided tours to discover the city center of Poitiers and around accompanied by a guide. A Decrease font size. A Reset font size. A Increase font size ... Meet at Saint-Hilaire de Cenan Church in La Puye // Free guided tour (7km walk) // Contact: 0549463545 or [email protected]. Tuesdays, February 20 and 27 ...

  10. Train timetables Tours-Poitiers

    Train timetables Tours-Poitiers Friday 8 March 2024; Departure Arrival Duration Carrier; 06h00: 07h26: 01h26: TER: direct Booking. 06h00. Tours TER 63031. 06h08. Monts Ind Et Loire 06h14. Villeperdue 06h21. Ste Maure Noyant ...

  11. 15 Best Things to Do in Poitiers (France)

    And then you can leave the past behind, at least for a few hours, at the ultramodern Futuroscope theme park. Lets explore the best things to do in Poitiers: 1. Musée Sainte-Croix. Source: wikipedia. Musée Sainte-Croix. The biggest museum in the city is in a labyrinthine brutalist building from the 1970s.

  12. Tours to Poitiers

    TGV inOui operates a train from St Pierre Des Corps to Poitiers hourly. Tickets cost €24 - €55 and the journey takes 32 min. Two other operators also service this route. Alternatively, BlaBlaCar Bus operates a bus from Tours to Poitiers 3 times a day. Tickets cost €6 - €10 and the journey takes 1h 20m. FlixBus also services this route ...

  13. Poitiers

    Practical Info. Poitiers Tourist Office: 45, place Charles de Gaulle. Open Sept 20¬¬-June 20 Mon-Sat 9.30am-6pm; June 21-Sept 19 Mon-Sat 10am-7pm, Sun 10am-6pm. Futuroscope: Avenue René Monory, 86360 Chasseneuil-du-Poitou. Open daily 10am-around 6.30pm. Family tickets start at €90.

  14. An Insider's Guide to the Best Things to do in Poitiers

    Cathédrale Saint-Pierre de Poitiers (Poitiers Cathedral) Bells have been ringing out in Poitiers since the 11th-century. One of the grandest churches in town is the impressive Saint Pierre (Saint Peter Cathedral), which was constructed in 1162 on the ruins of a former Roman basilica. The cathedral is free to visit.

  15. Poitiers travel

    Poitiers. France, Europe. History-steeped Poitiers was founded by the Pictones, a Gaulish tribe, and rose to prominence as the former capital of Poitou. A pivotal turning point came in AD 732, when somewhere near Poitiers (the exact site is not known) the cavalry of Charles Martel defeated the Muslim forces of Abd ar-Rahman, governor of ...

  16. Tours to Poitiers train tickets from €14.85

    The cheapest tickets we've found for trains from Tours to Poitiers are €14.85, and there isn't much difference in price depending on when you book. If you book 30 days in advance, tickets will cost around €14. The cost is usually the same if booking is done 7 days in advance. Booking on the day of travel is likely to be more expensive, so ...

  17. トゥール・ポワティエ間の戦い

    トゥール・ポワティエ間の戦い (トゥールポワティエかんのたたかい、 フランス語: Bataille de Poitiers 、 アラビア語: معركة بلاط الشهداء ‎)は、 732年 に フランス 西部の トゥール と ポワティエ の間で、 フランク王国 と ウマイヤ朝 の間で起こった ...

  18. Cheap train Poitiers

    Travel from Poitiers to Tours with TER, the low-cost regional train company that covers the whole of France. Perfect for discovering a region and frequent journeys to nearby towns. Reserving is easy: do a search and book your next trip in one of France's 11 regions. You can access your tickets via the SNCF Connect app!

  19. Tours → Poitiers by Train from £12.95

    Tours to Poitiers by train. It takes an average of 1h 5m to travel from Tours to Poitiers by train, over a distance of around 58 miles (94 km). There are normally 17 trains per day travelling from Tours to Poitiers and tickets for this journey start from £9.01 when you book in advance. First train. 06:00.

  20. Train timetables Poitiers-Tours

    Train timetable info Poitiers-Tours. Number routes per day. 12. Average route time. 01h00. Shortest route time. 00h41. First hour of departure. 06h32.

  21. Tours to Poitiers by Train from $16.30

    The average journey time from Tours to Poitiers by train is 1 hour 10 minutes, although on the fastest services it can take just 42 minutes. You'll usually find 17 trains per day traveling the 94 km between these two destinations. Direct trains are usually available every day on the route to Poitiers. During your journey, you'll either be ...

  22. Cheap train Tours

    Tips for choosing 1st or 2nd class. The good news is that all TGV INOUI trains from Tours to Poitiers provide a comfortable journey, with plenty of legroom, headrests, Wi-Fi (on certain services) and power sockets at every seat. Standard class has access to a buffet car and dedicated family areas. First class service includes adjustable seats, footrests, fold-down tables, personal reading ...

  23. Poitiers to Tours

    TGV inOui operates a train from Poitiers to St Pierre Des Corps every 2 hours. Tickets cost €24 - €55 and the journey takes 32 min. Two other operators also service this route. Alternatively, BlaBlaCar Bus operates a bus from Poitiers to Tours every 4 hours. Tickets cost €6 - €10 and the journey takes 1h 20m.