Sited for seemingly an eternity in the heart of France, the city of Poitiers is relatively tiny by today’s standards, with a population of only around 130000. However this tiny city is strategically located, being only an hour’s train journey from Paris and not far from the Atlantic coast. It is thus a major economic center, plus a most pleasing tourist destination.

Poitiers has lent its name to three great battles. The least well-known is the first battle of Poitiers in AD 507, a battled initiated by Clovis I against Alaric II, king of the Visigoths. The second battle was in 732, resulting in the victory of the Francs lead by Charles Martel over the Moors and their allies. The third battle of Poitiers was in 1356, when the English, commanded by the Black Prince, defeated the French and King John the Good.

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 months, you will encounter spectacles on the corner of every street and in every square. These are often free and, most of the time, are in the open air, in public gardens, on the monumental esplanade or on caf terraces. It is a real opportunity to meet the locals - from theatre, the Musette ball in the old style, to exhibitions or debates in the “philosophical cafs”. In this way, it’s plain to see that art and culture are alive and well throughout Poitiers.

As for museums, Poitiers also houses several major collections in its large range of museums, galleries and exhibition centers. Of these, particular mention must be given to the St John Baptistry which houses a fascinating collection of sculptures and also sarcophagi from the Merovingian and Carolingian dynastic periods of French history.

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 the theatre, Poitiers has more than its fair share, with over 20 theatre groups in the city catering for all tastes including amateur and professional productions. These theatres provide year-round entertainment for an audience ranging from youth - in the many schools and the university - to the culturally aware citizenship, to the highly developed tourist industry. The many theatre groups also welcome and enjoy regular contact with the public through a host of programmes and workshops designed to put writer, actor and director in direct contact with the appreciative audience.

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.

As for history, not for nothing is Poitiers also known as the “city of a hundred bells”. The city is home to approaching a hundred monuments in the city center alone. From the attractive medieval streets to Roman-style churches, from imposing Parisian-style boulevards to contemporary edifices, every historical period has left its stamp on the city, making the city a veritable architectural treasure-trove.

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.