Poitiers - City of History and Culture

By: Antonio Bonito..


The French city of Poitiers is the capital of the Poitou-Charentes region and head of the department of the Vienne. Having only 130000 inhabitants it is often called "the smallest of the big towns". However Poitiers is only an hour from Paris by TGV and it benefits from an enviable economic and geographical environment.

Poitiers is also famous for several battles which bear its illustrious name. In the first battle, the Visigoths under Alaric II were vanquished by King Clovis I of France in AD 507. In the second battle of Poitiers, Charles Martel in his turn defeated the Moors in 732 AD. But perhaps the most well-known Battle of Poitiers was in 1356, when the Black Prince of England defeated the French army under King John.

Something many might know is that Poitiers is also an old university city. Indeed the University of Poitiers was founded in 1431. It was soon to become a center of learning famous throughout Europe with many of the world's greatest thinkers and philosophers having studied there. The modern-day Poitiers University in fact is responsible for around 14% of the entire population of the city during term time! It is thus one of the most important universities in France and home to a range of faculties in most disciplines.

During the summer tourist season, the city is thronging with theatrical spectacles. Very often these spectacles are free and in public areas such as squares and gardens. But it's not just limited to theatre, there are also balls, artistic events, and even philosophical debates hosted in several cafs. Poitiers really is a thriving cultural center!

With regard to museums, the classified museums and art centers are a delight to all enthusiasts. The Saint John Baptistry also invites you to see a major collection of tombs and sculptures from the Merovingian and Carolingian periods of the city. Also in the city there are numerous galleries with exhibitions on a whole range of subjects.

Not limited to the summer months, but also held throughout the year, are several dance spectacles and festivals. For Dance is a major component in the artistic life of the city. And this is particularly so for contemporary dance, which is well represented.

As for theatre, Poitiers and the theatre are a real love story, whether your interest is amateur or professional. With more than twenty theatre companies, a rich and diverse programming, festivals, meetings between the public, artists actors and directors, theatrical creations in Poitiers always play a major role in the life of the city. And for all this artistic activity, a large and appreciative audience is always guaranteed.

One destination not to be missed when in the Poitiers region is the Futuroscope park, European Park of the Image, which was inaugurated in 1987. Every year Futuroscope attracts ever increasing numbers of visitors from throughout Europe, all keen to discover the latest technologies in a very educational way. Indeed much of the technology employed at Futuroscope is the first of its kind in the world and making an impressive debut at Poitiers.

Justly known as the "city of a hundred bells", Poitiers is home to 78 protected monuments in its center alone. From imposing monuments, Romanesque churches, pretty medieval streets, wood-clad houses, Haussmann-style boulevards, and contemporary architecture, each poque has left its mark. So in Poitiers you will find a veritable treasury of architecture from throughout the centuries.

With regard to food, or should we say gastronomy, Poitiers is a veritable meeting between the town and the countryside. At the heart of a region still green and very rural, each citizen of Poitiers knows the "real recipe for the real Poitiers farci"! But a warning to enthusiasts: the region is a real French microcosm with all the ingredients potentially repugnant to outsiders, such as snails, frogs, eels, etc.

So, if the city excites your interest, if Roman art touches you, if you are passionate about history, if culture transports you... it's clear that the city of Poitiers and you are destined to meet. We wish you a wonderful time in this beautiful and interesting city.

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For further information on France, the French lifestyle and Quebec in French, please visit Rencontres Quebec at Antonio Bonito's QuePourToi.com rencontres libertines web site.
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