Poitiers - Palais de Justice 2.jpg
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Poitiers (, , , ; Poitevin: ''Poetàe'') is a city on the River Clain in west-central France. It is a commune and the capital of the Vienne
department Department may refer to: * Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with specific responsibility Government and military *Department (administrative division), a geographical and administrative division within a country, ...
and the historical centre of Poitou. In 2017 it had a population of 88,291. Its agglomeration has 130,853 inhabitants in 2016 and is the center of an urban area of 261,795 inhabitants. With more than 29,000 students, Poitiers has been a major university city since the creation of its university in 1431, having hosted René Descartes, Joachim du Bellay and
François Rabelais François Rabelais ( , , ; born between 1483 and 1494; died 1553) was a French Renaissance writer, physician, Renaissance humanist, monk and Greek scholar. He is primarily known as a writer of satire, of the grotesque, and of bawdy jokes and ...
, among others. A city of art and history, still known as "''Ville aux cent clochers''" the centre of town is picturesque and its streets include predominantly historical architecture and half-timbered houses, especially religious architecture, mostly from the Romanesque period ; including notably the Saint-Jean baptistery (4th century), the hypogeum of the Dunes (7th century), the Notre-Dame-la-Grande church (12th century), the Saint-Porchaire church (12th century) or the Saint-Pierre cathedral (end of the 12th century) as well as the courthouse (12th century), former palace of the Counts of Poitou, Dukes of Aquitaine, where the Queen of France and England Eleanor of Aquitaine held her court. The city's name is associated with two major battles that took place in the area. The first, in 732, also known as the Battle of Tours (to avoid confusion with the second), saw the Franks commanded by Charles Martel defeat an expeditionary army of the Umayyad Caliphate. The second, in 1356, was one of the key battles of the
Hundred Years' War The Hundred Years' War (; 1337–1453) was a series of armed conflicts between the kingdoms of Kingdom of England, England and Kingdom of France, France during the Late Middle Ages. It originated from disputed claims to the French Crown, ...
. It saw the defeat of a larger French royal army by the English and the capture of John II by the victorious Prince of Wales. The Poitiers agglomeration, located halfway between Paris and Bordeaux, is home to the Futuroscope technopole, which includes major public ( CNED, Canopé, etc.) and private companies of national scope, as well as leading European research laboratories. With 2 million visitors annually, Futuroscope is the leading tourist site in Nouvelle-Aquitaine and the third most popular amusement park in France after Disneyland Paris and the Puy du Fou.


Geography


Location

The city of Poitiers is strategically situated on the
Seuil du Poitou The Seuil du Poitou is a geological denomination for an area in western central France where the Paris (Northeast) and Aquitaine (Southwest) sedimentary basins meet, and which also is a gap between the ancient mountain ranges Massif Armoricain (Nor ...
, a shallow gap between the Armorican and the Central Massif. The Seuil du Poitou connects the Aquitaine Basin to the South to the Paris Basin to the North. This area is an important geographic crossroads in France and Western Europe.


Situation

Poitiers's primary site sits on a vast promontory between the valleys of the Boivre and the Clain. The old town occupies the slopes and the summit of a plateau which rises above the streams which surround, and hence benefits from a very strong tactical situation. This was an especially important factor before and throughout the Middle Ages.


Inhabitants and demography

Inhabitants of Poitiers are referred to as Poitevins or Poitevines, although this denomination can be used for anyone from the Poitou province.


Climate

The climate in the Poitiers area is mild with mild temperature amplitudes, and adequate rainfall throughout the year although with a drying tendency during summer. The Köppen Climate Classification subtype for this type of climate is " Cfb" (Marine West Coast Climate/
Oceanic climate An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate, is the humid temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring cool summers and mild winters ( ...
).


History


Antiquity

Poitiers was founded by the
Celtic Celtic, Celtics or Keltic may refer to: Language and ethnicity *pertaining to Celts, a collection of Indo-European peoples in Europe and Anatolia **Celts (modern) *Celtic languages **Proto-Celtic language * Celtic music *Celtic nations Sports Fo ...
tribe of the Pictones and was known as the oppidum ''Lemonum'' before Roman influence. The name is said to have come from the Celtic word for elm, ''Lemo''. After Roman influence took over, the town became known as ''Pictavium'', or later "Pictavis", after the original Pictones inhabitants themselves. There is a rich history of
archeological Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscape ...
finds from the Roman era in Poitiers. In fact until 1857 Poitiers hosted the ruins of a vast Roman amphitheatre, which was larger than that of
Nîmes Nîmes ( , ; oc, Nimes ; Latin: ''Nemausus'') is the prefecture of the Gard department in the Occitanie region of Southern France. Located between the Mediterranean Sea and Cévennes, the commune of Nîmes has an estimated population of 148,5 ...
. Remains of
Roman bath In ancient Rome, (from Greek , "hot") and (from Greek ) were facilities for bathing. usually refers to the large imperial bath complexes, while were smaller-scale facilities, public or private, that existed in great numbers throughout ...
s, built in the 1st century and demolished in the 3rd century, were uncovered in 1877. In 1879 a burial-place and tombs of a number of Christian martyrs were discovered on the heights to the south-east of the town. The names of some of the Christians had been preserved in paintings and inscriptions. Not far from these tombs is a huge
dolmen A dolmen () or portal tomb is a type of single-chamber megalithic tomb, usually consisting of two or more upright megaliths supporting a large flat horizontal capstone or "table". Most date from the early Neolithic (40003000 BCE) and were somet ...
(the ''Pierre Levée''), which is long, broad and high, and around which used to be held the great fair of
Saint Luke Luke the Evangelist (Latin: '' Lucas''; grc, Λουκᾶς, '' Loukâs''; he, לוקאס, ''Lūqās''; arc, /ܠܘܩܐ לוקא, ''Lūqā’; Ge'ez: ሉቃስ'') is one of the Four Evangelists—the four traditionally ascribed authors of t ...
. The Romans also built at least three aqueducts. This extensive ensemble of Roman constructions suggests Poitiers was a town of first importance, possibly even the capital of the Roman province of ''
Gallia Aquitania Gallia Aquitania ( , ), also known as Aquitaine or Aquitaine Gaul, was a province of the Roman Empire. It lies in present-day southwest France, where it gives its name to the modern region of Aquitaine. It was bordered by the provinces of Gallia ...
'' during the 2nd century. As Christianity was made official and gradually introduced across the Roman Empire during the 3rd and 4th centuries, the first
bishop of Poitiers The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Poitiers (Latin: ''Archidioecesis Pictaviensis''; French: ''Archidiocèse de Poitiers'') is an archdiocese of the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church in France. The archepiscopal see is in the city of Poitiers. Th ...
from 350 to 367, Hilary of Poitiers or
Saint Hilarius Pope Hilarius (or Hilary) was the bishop of Rome from 19 November 461 to his death on 29 February 468. In 449, Hilarius served as a legate for Pope Leo I at the Second Council of Ephesus. His opposition to the condemnation of Flavian of Constanti ...
, proceeded to evangelize the town. Exiled by Constantius II, he risked death to return to Poitiers as Bishop. The first foundations of the
Baptistère Saint-Jean The Baptistère Saint-Jean (Baptistery of St. John) is a Roman Catholic church in Poitiers, France. It is reputed to be the oldest existing Christian building in the West and one of the most prominent examples of Merovingian architecture. His ...
can be traced to that era of open Christian evangelization. He was named "Doctor of The Church" by Pope Pius IX. In the 4th century, a thick wall 6m wide and 10m high was built around the town. It was long and stood lower on the naturally defended east side and at the top of the promontory. Around this time, the town began to be known as Poitiers. Fifty years later Poitiers fell into the hands of the Arian Visigoths, and became one of the principal residences of their kings. Visigoth King Alaric II was defeated by
Clovis I Clovis ( la, Chlodovechus; reconstructed Frankish: ; – 27 November 511) was the first king of the Franks to unite all of the Frankish tribes under one ruler, changing the form of leadership from a group of petty kings to rule by a single kin ...
at Vouillé, not far from Poitiers, in 507, and the town thus came under Frankish dominion.


Middle Ages

During most of the Early Middle Ages, the town of Poitiers took advantage of its defensive tactical site and of its location, which was far from the centre of Frankish power. As the seat of an '' évêché'' (bishopric) since the 4th century, the town was a centre of some importance and the capital of the Poitou county. At the height of their power, the Counts of
Poitiers Poitiers (, , , ; Poitevin: ''Poetàe'') is a city on the River Clain in west-central France. It is a commune and the capital of the Vienne department and the historical centre of Poitou. In 2017 it had a population of 88,291. Its agglomerat ...
governed a large domain, including both Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Poitou. The town was often referred to as ''Poictiers'', a name commemorated in warships of the Royal Navy, after the battle of Poitiers. The first decisive victory of a Western European Christian army over a
Muslim Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...
power, the Battle of Tours, was fought by Charles Martel's men in the vicinity of Poitiers on 10 October 732. For many historians, it was one of the world's pivotal moments. Eleanor of Aquitaine frequently resided in the town, which she embellished and fortified, and in 1199 entrusted with communal rights. In 1152 she married the future King Henry II of England in Poitiers Cathedral. During the
Hundred Years' War The Hundred Years' War (; 1337–1453) was a series of armed conflicts between the kingdoms of Kingdom of England, England and Kingdom of France, France during the Late Middle Ages. It originated from disputed claims to the French Crown, ...
, the Battle of Poitiers, an English victory, was fought near the town of Poitiers on 19 September 1356. Later in the war in 1418, under duress, the royal parliament moved from Paris to Poitiers, where it remained in exile until the Plantagenets finally withdrew from the capital in 1436. During this interval, in 1429 Poitiers was the site of Joan of Arc's formal inquest. The University of Poitiers was founded in 1431. During and after the Reformation,
John Calvin John Calvin (; frm, Jehan Cauvin; french: link=no, Jean Calvin ; 10 July 150927 May 1564) was a French theologian, pastor and reformer in Geneva during the Protestant Reformation. He was a principal figure in the development of the system ...
had numerous converts in Poitiers and the town had its share of the violent proceedings which underlined the Wars of Religion throughout France. In 1569 Poitiers was defended by Gui de Daillon, comte du Lude, against
Gaspard de Coligny Gaspard de Coligny may refer to: *Gaspard I de Coligny Gaspard I de Coligny, Count of Coligny, seigneur de Châtillon (1465/1470–1522), known as the Marshal of Châtillon, was a French soldier. He was born in Châtillon-Coligny, the second son ...
, who after an unsuccessful bombardment and seven weeks, retired from a siege he had laid to the town.


16th century

The type of political organisation existing in Poitiers during the late medieval or early modern period can be glimpsed through a speech given on 14 July 1595 by
Maurice Roatin Maurice Roatin was mayor of Poitiers in France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and ...
, the town's mayor. He compared it to the Roman state, which combined three types of government: monarchy,
aristocracy Aristocracy (, ) is a form of government that places strength in the hands of a small, privileged ruling class, the aristocracy (class), aristocrats. The term derives from the el, αριστοκρατία (), meaning 'rule of the best'. At t ...
, and democracy. He said the Roman consulate corresponded to Poitiers' mayor, the Roman Senate to the town's peers and ''échevins'', and the democratic element in Rome corresponded to the fact that most important matters "can not be decided except by the advice of the ''Mois et Cent''" (broad council). 1 The mayor appears to have been an advocate of a mixed constitution; not all Frenchmen in 1595 would have agreed with him, at least in public; many spoke in favour of absolute monarchy. The democratic element was not as strong as the mayor's words may seem to imply: in fact, Poitiers was similar to other French cities, Paris,
Nantes Nantes (, , ; Gallo: or ; ) is a city in Loire-Atlantique on the Loire, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the sixth largest in France, with a population of 314,138 in Nantes proper and a metropolitan area of nearly 1 million inhabita ...
, Marseille,
Limoges Limoges (, , ; oc, Lemòtges, locally ) is a city and Communes of France, commune, and the prefecture of the Haute-Vienne Departments of France, department in west-central France. It was the administrative capital of the former Limousin region ...
, La Rochelle, Dijon, in that the town's governing body (''corps de ville'') was "highly exclusive and oligarchical": a small number of professional and family groups controlled most of the city offices. In Poitiers many of these positions were granted for the lifetime of the office holder. 2 The city government in Poitiers based its claims to legitimacy on the theory of government where the mayor and ''échevins'' held jurisdiction of the city's affairs fief from the king: that is, they swore allegiance and promised support for him, and in return he granted them local authority. This gave them the advantage of being able to claim that any townsperson who challenged their authority was being disloyal to the king. Every year the mayor and the 24 ''échevins'' would swear an
oath of allegiance An oath of allegiance is an oath whereby a subject or citizen acknowledges a duty of allegiance and swears loyalty to a monarch or a country. In modern republics, oaths are sworn to the country in general, or to the country's constitution. For ...
"between the hands" of the king or his representative, usually the lieutenant général or the sénéchaussée. For example, in 1567, when
Maixent Poitevin Maixent Poitevin (a.k.a. Maixent de La Bidollière), was a 16th Century French squire and jurist. Barrister and alderman (avocat and ) of Poitiers in Poitou, France since September 9, 1559, he eventually became mayor of the town in 1564. He ser ...
was mayor, king Henry III came for a visit, and, although some townspeople grumbled about the licentious behaviour of his entourage, Henry smoothed things over with a warm speech acknowledging their allegiance and thanking them for it. 2 In this era, the mayor of Poitiers was preceded by sergeants wherever he went, consulted deliberative bodies, carried out their decisions, "heard civil and criminal suits in first instance", tried to ensure that the food supply would be adequate, visited markets. 2 In the 16th century, Poitiers impressed visitors because of its large size, and important features, including "royal courts, university, prolific printing shops, wealthy religious institutions, cathedral, numerous parishes, markets, impressive domestic architecture, extensive fortifications, and castle." 3 16th-century Poitiers is closely associated with the life of
François Rabelais François Rabelais ( , , ; born between 1483 and 1494; died 1553) was a French Renaissance writer, physician, Renaissance humanist, monk and Greek scholar. He is primarily known as a writer of satire, of the grotesque, and of bawdy jokes and ...
and with the community of Bitards.


17th century

The town saw less activity during the Renaissance. Few changes were made in the urban landscape, except for laying way for the '' rue de la Tranchée''. Bridges were built where the inhabitants had used '' gués''. A few '' hôtels particuliers'' were built at that time, such as the hôtels Jean Baucé, Fumé and Berthelot. Poets Joachim du Bellay and
Pierre Ronsard Pierre de Ronsard (; 11 September 1524 – 27 December 1585) was a French poet or, as his own generation in France called him, a "prince of poets". Early life Pierre de Ronsard was born at the Manoir de la Possonnière, in the village of C ...
met at the University of Poitiers, before leaving for Paris. During the 17th century, many people emigrated from Poitiers and the Poitou to the French settlements in the new world and thus many Acadians or Cajuns living in North America today can trace ancestry back to this region.


18th century

During the 18th century, the town's activity mainly depended on its administrative functions as a regional centre: Poitiers served as the seat for the regional administration of royal justice, the évêché, the monasteries and the intendance of the ''
Généralité du Poitou ''Recettes générales'', commonly known as ''généralités'' (), were the administrative divisions of France under the Ancien Régime and are often considered to prefigure the current ''préfectures''. At the time of the French Revolution, there ...
''. The
Vicomte de Blossac A viscount ( , for male) or viscountess (, for female) is a title used in certain European countries for a noble of varying status. In many countries a viscount, and its historical equivalents, was a non-hereditary, administrative or judicial ...
, intendant of Poitou from 1750 to 1784, had a
French garden The French formal garden, also called the (), is a style of garden based on symmetry and the principle of imposing order on nature. Its epitome is generally considered to be the Gardens of Versailles designed during the 17th century by the ...
landscaped in Poitiers. He also had
Aliénor d'Aquitaine Eleanor ( – 1 April 1204; french: Aliénor d'Aquitaine, ) was Queen of France from 1137 to 1152 as the wife of King Louis VII, Queen of England from 1154 to 1189 as the wife of King Henry II, and Duchess of Aquitaine in her own right from 11 ...
's ancient wall razed and modern boulevards were built in its place.


19th century

During the 19th century, many army bases were built in Poitiers because of its central and strategic location. Poitiers became a
garrison town A garrison (from the French ''garnison'', itself from the verb ''garnir'', "to equip") is any body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it. The term now often applies to certain facilities that constitute a mil ...
, despite its distance from France's borders. The Poitiers train station was built in the 1850s, and connected Poitiers to the rest of France.


20th century and contemporary Poitiers

Poitiers was bombed during World War II, particularly the area around the railway station which was heavily hit on 13 June 1944. From the late 1950s until the late 1960s when
Charles de Gaulle Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle (; ; (commonly abbreviated as CDG) 22 November 18909 November 1970) was a French army officer and statesman who led Free France against Nazi Germany in World War II and chaired the Provisional Government ...
ended the American military presence, the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force had an array of military installations in France, including a major Army logistics and communications hub in Poitiers, part of what was called the Communication Zone (ComZ), and consisting of a logistics headquarters and communications agency located at Aboville Caserne, a military compound situated on a hill above the city. Hundreds of graduates ("Military Brats") of Poitiers American High School, a school operated by the Department of Defense School System (DODDS), have gone on to successful careers, including the recent commander-in-chief of U.S. Special Forces Command, Army General Bryan (Doug) Brown. The Caserne also housed a full support community, with a theater, commissary, recreation facilities and an affiliate radio station of the American Forces Network, Europe, headquartered in Frankfurt (now Mannheim, Germany). The town benefited from industrial ''
décentralisation In French Fifth Republic, France, the policy of decentralisation was initiated by acts of the French parliament known as Gaston Defferre Laws in 1982. Prior to the new laws French municipalities and departments enjoyed a limited autonomy under l ...
'' in the 1970s, for instance with the installation during that decade of the
Michelin Michelin (; ; full name: ) is a French multinational tyre manufacturing company based in Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes ''région'' of France. It is the second largest tyre manufacturer in the world behind Bridgestone and la ...
and Compagnie des compteurs Schlumberger factories. The '' Futuroscope'' theme-park and research park project, built in 1986–1987 in nearby
Chasseneuil-du-Poitou Chasseneuil-du-Poitou (, literally ''Chasseneuil of Poitou'') is a commune in the Vienne department, administrative region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, western France. It lies 7 km north of the centre of Poitiers. Its inhabitants are called the '' ...
, after an idea by René Monory, consolidated Poitiers' place as a
touristic Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tours. The World Tourism Organization defines tourism mor ...
destination and as a modern university centre, and opened the town to the era of information technology.


Landmarks and attractions

*
Baptistère Saint-Jean The Baptistère Saint-Jean (Baptistery of St. John) is a Roman Catholic church in Poitiers, France. It is reputed to be the oldest existing Christian building in the West and one of the most prominent examples of Merovingian architecture. His ...
(4th century), the oldest church in France * Palace of Poitiers, the seat of the dukes of Aquitaine * Église Notre-Dame-la-Grande, oldest romanesque architecture church in Europe * Cathédrale Saint-Pierre, Poitiers's cathedral (12th century) * Musée Sainte-Croix, the largest museum in Poitiers * Church of St. Radegonde (6th century) *
Église Saint-Hilaire-le-Grand The Église Saint-Hilaire-le-Grand is a church in Poitiers, France. It was named after Hilary of Poitiers (Hilaire in French). The church dates back to the 11th century, and was consecrated in 1049.Hypogée des Dunes L'Hypogée des Dunes is an underground chapel (Hypogeum) in Poitiers, France. The chapel is one of the few surviving structures from Merovingian The Merovingian dynasty () was the ruling family of the Franks from the middle of the 5th centur ...
(underground chapel) * Jardin des Plantes de Poitiers, a park and botanical garden *
Église de Montierneuf The Church of Saint-Jean de Montierneuf is a Roman Catholic church in Poitiers, France. The church was built in the 11th century and is notable for its Romanesque architecture. It has been listed as a ''Monument historique'' since 1840. ] See a ...
* :fr:Ancien Théâtre Municipal de Poitiers, Théâtre Municipal de Poitiers, by the French architect Édouard Lardillier * Parc du Futuroscope (European Park of the Moving Image, some north of Poitiers; theme is visual communication technology in ultramodern buildings) * Le Confort Moderne


Sports

The
Stade Poitevin Stade Poitevin FC is a French football team based in the city of Poitiers, which was established in 1921. It was known as Poitiers FC between 2007 and 2018, and had a number of other names in its history. The club (as Stade Poitevin PEPP) spent the ...
, founded in 1900, is a multi-sports club, which fields several top-level teams in a variety of sports. These include a volleyball team that play in the French Pro A volleyball league, a basketball team, an amateur
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
team and a professional
rugby Rugby may refer to: Sport * Rugby football in many forms: ** Rugby league: 13 players per side *** Masters Rugby League *** Mod league *** Rugby league nines *** Rugby league sevens *** Touch (sport) *** Wheelchair rugby league ** Rugby union: 1 ...
team (as of the 2008–2009 season.) The PB86 or Poitiers Basket 86 (www.pb86.fr) play in the French Pro A basketball league. In the 2009–10 season, three Americans played for PB86: Rasheed Wright, Kenny Younger and Tommy Gunn. The team played the French championship playoffs in the 2009–10 season and was the Pro B French Champion for the 2008–2009 season. The team's communication strategy is considered by some to be one of the best in the French basketball league. Brian Joubert, the figure skating champion, practices at Poitiers' ice rink and lives with his family in the city.


Tourism

Historic churches, in particular Romanesque church buildings, are the main attraction inside Poitiers itself. The town's centre is picturesque, with generally well-preserved architecture and a recently re-zoned pedestrian area. There are numerous shops, cafes and restaurants in the town centre. Since 1987, Poitiers' tourist industry has indirectly benefited from the '' Futuroscope'' theme-park and research park in nearby
Chasseneuil-du-Poitou Chasseneuil-du-Poitou (, literally ''Chasseneuil of Poitou'') is a commune in the Vienne department, administrative region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, western France. It lies 7 km north of the centre of Poitiers. Its inhabitants are called the '' ...
. The centre of town receives visits in complement to the theme-park and benefits from a larger proportion of European tourists, notably from the United Kingdom. In conjunction, Poitiers' tourism has directly benefited from the TGV high-speed rail link to Paris.


Transport

Poitiers' railway station lies on the
TGV Atlantique The TGV Atlantique (TGV-A) is a class of high-speed trains used in France by SNCF; they were built by Alstom between 1988 and 1992, and were the second generation of TGV trains, following on from the TGV Sud-Est. 105 bi-current sets, numbered ...
line between Paris and Bordeaux. The station is in the valley to the west of the old town centre. Services run to
Angoulême Angoulême (; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Engoulaeme''; oc, Engoleime) is a communes of France, commune, the Prefectures of France, prefecture of the Charente Departments of France, department, in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of southwestern Franc ...
,
Limoges Limoges (, , ; oc, Lemòtges, locally ) is a city and Communes of France, commune, and the prefecture of the Haute-Vienne Departments of France, department in west-central France. It was the administrative capital of the former Limousin region ...
and La Rochelle in addition to Paris and Bordeaux. The direct
TGV The TGV (french: Train à Grande Vitesse, "high-speed train"; previously french: TurboTrain à Grande Vitesse, label=none) is France's intercity high-speed rail service, operated by SNCF. SNCF worked on a high-speed rail network from 1966 to 19 ...
puts Poitiers 1h40 from Paris' Gare Montparnasse.
Poitiers–Biard Airport Poitiers–Biard Airport (french: link=no, Aéroport de Poitiers – Biard, ) is an airport located at Biard, west of Poitiers, in the Vienne department of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in France. Facilities The airport stands at an elevatio ...
is located west of Poitiers with flights to Lyon—Saint Exupéry, London Stansted, Edinburgh and Shannon, Ireland on
Ryanair Ryanair is an Irish ultra low-cost carrier founded in 1984. It is headquartered in Swords, Dublin, Ireland and has its primary operational bases at Dublin and London Stansted airports. It forms the largest part of the Ryanair Holdings family ...
. Urban transportation in Poitiers is provided by a company called Vitalis. Regional ground transportation in the department of the Vienne is provided by private bus companies such as "Ligne en Vienne". Rail transportation in the region is provided by the public TER Nouvelle-Aquitaine (regional express train). From January 2009 to December 2012, Poitiers' town centre went through deep changes to make it less accessible to motor vehicles. The project, named "Projet Coeur d'Agglo", focused on re-thinking the way people use individual cars to access the town centre and as an everyday way of transportation. On 29 September 2010, 12 streets were permanently closed off to motor vehicles and transformed into an entirely pedestrian zone. Eventually, a new line of fast buses will be added around 2017.


Education

The city of Poitiers has a very old tradition as a university centre, starting in the Middle Ages. The University of Poitiers was established in 1431 and has welcomed many famous philosophers and scientists throughout the ages (notably
François Rabelais François Rabelais ( , , ; born between 1483 and 1494; died 1553) was a French Renaissance writer, physician, Renaissance humanist, monk and Greek scholar. He is primarily known as a writer of satire, of the grotesque, and of bawdy jokes and ...
; René Descartes; Francis Bacon; Samir Amin). Today Poitiers has more students per inhabitant than any other large town or city in France. All around, there are over 27,000 university students in Poitiers, nearly 4,000 of which are foreigners, hailing from 117 countries. The University covers all major fields from sciences to geography, history, languages economics and law. The
law degree A law degree is an academic degree conferred for studies in law. Such degrees are generally preparation for legal careers. But while their curricula may be reviewed by legal authority, they do not confer a license themselves. A legal license is gra ...
at the University of Poitiers is considered to be one of the best in France. The program was ranked second by ''l'Étudiant magazine'' in 2005. In addition to the University, Poitiers also hosts two engineering schools and two business schools: * the
École nationale supérieure de mécanique et d'aérotechnique The École Nationale Supérieure de Mécanique et d'Aérotechnique (ISAE-ENSMA) is a grande école founded in 1948 and located near Poitiers, France. Graduates generally work as R&D engineers for corporations in the aerospace (60%), transportat ...
(ENSMA) * the École nationale supérieure d'ingénieurs de Poitiers (ENSIP) * the
France Business School France Business School (fBS) was a French Business School, founded in 2012 by a meanwhile cancelled merger of four French business schools: *l'École supérieure de commerce et management (ESCEM) in Tours, Poitiers and Orléans *l'École supérie ...
(FBS) * the Institut d'Administration des Entreprises de Poitiers (IAE). Since 2001, the city of Poitiers has hosted the first cycle of "the South America, Spain and Portugal" program from the Paris Institute of Political Studies, also known as Sciences Po.


International relations

Poitiers is twinned with: *
Northampton Northampton () is a market town and civil parish in the East Midlands of England, on the River Nene, north-west of London and south-east of Birmingham. The county town of Northamptonshire, Northampton is one of the largest towns in England; ...
, England, United Kingdom * Marburg, Germany * Lafayette, United States * Coimbra, Portugal * Yaroslavl, Russia *
Iași Iași ( , , ; also known by other alternative names), also referred to mostly historically as Jassy ( , ), is the second largest city in Romania and the seat of Iași County. Located in the historical region of Moldavia, it has traditionally ...
, Romania * Moundou, Chad


Notable people

This is a list of people of interest who were born or resided in Poitiers: * Oklou (born 1993), musician, singer, music producer, DJ, composer and actress * Hilary of Poitiers (c300–367), elected bishop of
Poitiers Poitiers (, , , ; Poitevin: ''Poetàe'') is a city on the River Clain in west-central France. It is a commune and the capital of the Vienne department and the historical centre of Poitou. In 2017 it had a population of 88,291. Its agglomerat ...
around the year 350, exiled and returned to die there *
Saint Radegonde Radegund ( la, Radegundis; also spelled ''Rhadegund, Radegonde, or Radigund''; 520 – 13 August 587) was a Thuringian princess and Frankish queen, who founded the Abbey of the Holy Cross at Poitiers. She is the patron saint of several churche ...
or Radegund (c. 520 to 587), Thuringian princess and queen of France, founded an abbey in Poitiers and performed miracles there * Charles Martel, French general who defeated the Muslim Umayyad army in the Battle of Tours in 732 * Eleanor of Aquitaine, queen consort of France (1137-1152) and England (1152-1204), was born, periodically lived, and died in Poitiers. *
François Rabelais François Rabelais ( , , ; born between 1483 and 1494; died 1553) was a French Renaissance writer, physician, Renaissance humanist, monk and Greek scholar. He is primarily known as a writer of satire, of the grotesque, and of bawdy jokes and ...
, Renaissance writer and humanist * Pope Clement V *
St. Venantius Fortunatus Venantius Honorius Clementianus Fortunatus ( 530 600/609 AD; french: Venance Fortunat), known as Saint Venantius Fortunatus (, ), was a Latin poet and hymnographer in the Merovingian Court, and a bishop of the Early Church who has been venerated ...
, 6th-century Latin poet and
hymnodist A hymnwriter (or hymn writer, hymnist, hymnodist, hymnographer, etc.) is someone who writes the text, music, or both of hymns. In the Judeo-Christian tradition, the composition of hymns dates back to before the time of David, who composed many of ...
and Bishop in the Roman Catholic Church *
Blessed Blessed may refer to: * The state of having received a blessing * Blessed, a title assigned by the Roman Catholic Church to someone who has been beatified Film and television * ''Blessed'' (2004 film), a 2004 motion picture about a supernatural ...
Marie Louise Trichet Marie Louise Trichet, also known as ''Marie-Louise de Jésus'' (1684–1759), was a French Catholic figure who, with Louis de Montfort, founded the Congregation of religious women called Daughters of Wisdom and since the age of seventeen devoted ...
* William Longchamp, buried at the abbey of Le Pin, 1197 * René Descartes studied law at the University of Poitiers * Saint Louis de Montfort * Michel Aco, explorer, was born in Poitiers *
Ribar Baikoua Ribar Baikoua (born May 6, 1991, in Poitiers, France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Ameri ...
, basketball player *
Camille Berthomier Jehnny Beth (born Camille Berthomier, 24 December 1984), is a French musician, singer-songwriter, producer, presenter and actress, best known as half of the duo John & Jehn and front woman of the English rock band Savages. Her debut solo album ...
, singer in English rock band Savages * Antoine Brizard, born in Poitiers in 1994, member of the France men's national volleyball team. *
Susann Cokal Susann Cokal is an American author. She is best known for having written the novels ''The Kingdom of Little Wounds'', ''Mirabilis'', ''Mermaid Moon'', and ''Breath and Bones'', along with short stories, literary and pop-culture criticism, and book ...
, novelist, lived in Poitiers in mid-1980s and based her first novel ''Mirabilis'' on the geography of the city * Lionel Charbonnier, footballer (goalkeeper), World Cup winner for France. Played most notably for AJ Auxerre and Rangers. * Romain Édouard, chess player and grandmaster *
Éric Élisor Éric Élisor (born 11 April 1971) is a French former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He is now a youth football trainer.foot-mediterraneen.forumactif.com/ "Éric Élisor, milieu de terrain istréen en 2000-01 (National, 33mat ...
, former professional footballer *
Maryse Éwanjé-Épée Maryse Éwanjé-Épée (born September 4, 1964, in Poitiers, France) is a retired high jumper from France. Biography Maryse Éwanjé-Épée set her outdoor personal best on July 21, 1985, jumping 1.96 metres at the French National Athletics Cha ...
, athlete *
Monique Éwanjé-Épée Monique Éwanjé-Épée Lewin (née Éwanjé-Épée, formerly Tourret; born 11 July 1967) is a retired French track and field athlete who competed in the 60m hurdles and 100m hurdles, and is the co-holder (as of 2016) of the French records in ath ...
, athlete *
Fernand Fau Fernand Fau (13 July 1858 - 27 November 1915) was a French illustrator and cartoonist whose work was widely published in popular journals around the turn of the 19th century. Biography Fau was born in Poitiers in 1858. He produced copious illus ...
, born in Poitiers in 1858, illustrator and cartoonist *
Michel Foucault Paul-Michel Foucault (, ; ; 15 October 192625 June 1984) was a French philosopher, historian of ideas, writer, political activist, and literary critic. Foucault's theories primarily address the relationship between power and knowledge, and how ...
, philosopher * Marie-France Garaud, born in Poitiers in 1934, politician *
Hélène Grémillon Hélène Grémillon (born 8 February 1977 in Poitiers) is a French writer. Biography Hélène Grémillon was destined very young to literature. She studied letters and obtained a master's degree, then turned to history, thus obtaining a DEA. Sh ...
, (born 1977), writer, winner of the 2011
Prix Emmanuel Roblès The Prix Emmanuel Roblès, readers's prize of Blois, is a French literary award established in 1990 whose aim is to reward an author of first novel. It is baptized as a tribute to writer Emmanuel Robles. High school students, students, librarians, ...
*
Camille Guérin Jean-Marie Camille Guérin (; 22 December 1872 – 9 June 1961) was a French veterinarian, bacteriologist and immunologist who, together with Albert Calmette, developed the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG), a vaccine for immunization against tuber ...
, born in Poitiers in 1872, discovered a vaccine against tuberculosis with
Albert Calmette Léon Charles Albert Calmette ForMemRS (12 July 1863 – 29 October 1933) was a French physician, bacteriologist and immunologist, and an important officer of the Pasteur Institute. He discovered the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin, an attenuated for ...
in 1924 *
Bruce Inkango Bruce Pascal Inkango (born 18 May 1984) is a French-Congolese former professional footballer who played as a forward. Career Born in Poitiers, Inkango began his career at AS Cannes. On 21 September 2010, Inkango joined English side Gillingham ...
, footballer *
Yassine Jebbour Yassine Jebbour (born 24 January 1991) is a former professional footballer who played as a right back. Born in France, he represented Morocco at international level. Club career In July 2015 Jebbour joined SC Bastia on a three-year contract, a ...
, footballer * Brian Joubert, ice skating champion * Natan Jurkovitz (born 1995), French-Swiss-Israeli basketball player for
Hapoel Be'er Sheva Hapoel Be'er Sheva Football Club ( he, מועדון הכדורגל הפועל באר שבע, ''Moadon HaKaduregel Hapoel Be'er Sheva'') is an Israeli football club from the city of Be'er Sheva, that competes in the Israeli Premier League. The cl ...
of the
Israeli Basketball Premier League Ligat HaAl ( he, ליגת העל, lit., ''Supreme League or Premier League''), or the Israeli Basketball Premier League, is the top-tier level league of professional sports, professional competition in Israeli sports club, club basketball, making ...
*
Hervé Lhommedet Hervé Lhommedet (born September 28, 1973 in Poitiers, France) is a former professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder. See also *Football in France Association football is the most popular sport in France. The French Foot ...
, footballer *
Frédéric Mémin Frédéric Mémin (born October 13, 1979, in Poitiers, France) is a retired professional footballer. He played as a midfielder. Mémin made 9 appearances in Ligue 2 with Niort. See also *Football in France Association football is the most ...
, footballer *
Blanche Monnier Blanche Monnier (; 1 March 1849 – 13 October 1913), often known in France as ''la Séquestrée de Poitiers'' (roughly, "The Confined Woman of Poitiers"), was a woman from Poitiers, France, who was secretly kept locked in a small room by her a ...
, Socialite. Known for being locked by her mother for 25 years *
Mahyar Monshipour Mahyar Monshipour ( fa, مهیار منشی‌پور; born 21 March 1975 in Tehran, Iran) is an Iranian-born French boxer who was the World Boxing Association's super bantamweight champion for nearly three years between 2003 and 2006. He lost ...
, World Boxing Association super bantamweight champion from 2003 to 2006 *
Francis N'Ganga Francis N'Ganga (born June 16, 1985) is a Congolese footballer who plays as a left back in Belgium for Lokeren. Club career On 12 July 2019, he signed with Lokeren. International career His debut in the national team was on 7 September 2008 in ...
, footballer * Elsa N'Guessan, swimmer *
Simon Pagenaud Simon Pagenaud (born 18 May 1984) is a French professional racing driver. He is contracted to drive the No. 60 Honda for Meyer Shank Racing in the IndyCar Series. After a successful career in sports car racing that saw him taking the top class ...
, race car driver *
Jean-Pierre Raffarin Jean-Pierre Raffarin (; born 3 August 1948) is a French politician who served as Prime Minister of France from 6 May 2002 to 31 May 2005. He resigned after France's rejection of the referendum on the European Union draft constitution. Howeve ...
, politician and senator for Vienne, former
prime minister of France The prime minister of France (french: link=no, Premier ministre français), officially the prime minister of the French Republic, is the head of government of the French Republic and the leader of the Council of Ministers. The prime minister ...
(2002–2005) * Joël Robuchon, born in Poitiers in 1945, French chef and restaurateur *
Paul Rougnon Paul-Louis Rougnon (24 August 1846 – 11 December 1934) was a French composer, pianist and music educator. Biography Paul Rougnon was born in Poitiers the son of Louis Rougnon and Claire Clotilde Robin. A student at the Lycée Bonaparte (now t ...
, composer and professor at the Conservatoire de Paris * Jean-Pierre Thiollet, born in Poitiers in 1956, French author * Louis Vierne, organist & composer, eventually at the Notre Dame cathedral, Paris *
Romain Vincelot Romain Marcel Georges Vincelot (born 29 October 1985) is a French former footballer who played as a midfielder in France and England across a 17-year career. He played for Chamois Niortais, Gueugnon, Dagenham & Redbridge, Brighton & Hove Albio ...
, footballer


See also

* Communes of the Vienne department * Pierre-Marie Poisson *
The works of Maxime Real del Sarte This article is a list of public sculptures designed by Maxime Real del Sarte. War Memorials using the composition entitled "Je t'ai cherché" The plaster model entitled "Je t'ai cherché" was first exhibited in 1920 at the Salon des Artistes Fr ...


References


Bibliography

# ''Archives communales de Poitiers'', reg. 54, pp. 211–213; in Harry J. Bernstein, ''Between Crown and Community: Politics and Civic Culture in Sixteenth-Century Poitiers''. 2004, Ithaca N.Y., USA: Cornell University Press, p. 22. # Harry J. Bernstein, ''Between Crown and Community: Politics and Civic Culture in Sixteenth-Century Poitiers''. 2004, Ithaca N.Y., USA: Cornell University Press, pp. 22–30. # ''ibid''., p. 2.


External links


Official website of the City of Poitiers

Grand-Poitiers website

Prefecture of the Vienne

Vitalis Official website (Urban Transportation)

Les lignes régulières dans la Vienne (Vienne transportation)

Official website TER Nouvelle-Aquitaine
*
Site of the Tourist Office of Poitiers

The University of Poitiers website


{{Authority control Communes of Vienne Prefectures in France Gallia Aquitania Poitou Cities in Nouvelle-Aquitaine