8 essentials: what to see and do in Poitiers (France) in 1 day

There are many of us who have a special predilection for the quiet French cities, where you can stroll through the pedestrian streets of their historic center, visit their historic monuments and enjoy the charm of their shop windows.

If you like that mix of history, tranquility and charming corners, Poitiers It is a place that you should visit during your route through the western France.

But also Poitiers It has an attraction that makes it a very special place, and its heritage corners of Romanesque architecture with paintings that decorate the interiors, which can be seen in few places in the world.

Perhaps Poitiers sounds more like the French city where the Futuroscope theme park, the main focus of attraction for Spanish tourists.

Curiosities history of Poitiers

But if you want to stroll through a cozy pedestrian historic center and see Romanesque monuments truly unique, your excursion to Futuroscope must be completed with the visit of the nearby Poitiers in one day.

It is a medieval style city with Romanesque heritage, which was originally occupied by the Romans, when in the 1st century it had the largest amphitheater in Gaul.

It also has a long tradition of being visited by Spaniards, as it is located on the route between Spain and northern France, on car trips to Paris, Normandy or Loire Valley.

Nowadays Poitiers It is a city of residence for many Spaniards who go to study at its university, as well as Latin American students.

This is easy to understand if you know that during the 16th and 17th centuries Poitiers achieved great popularity for its university, which is the second oldest in France behind the Paris Sorbonne.

Today it is a city that houses high-tech companies.

The best things to see and do when visiting Poitiers

El historic center of Poitiers It is located on a hill surrounded by two rivers, as you will see in a large painting that is preserved in the Santa Cruz museum.

The old route of one of the rivers is now occupied by the train station, and in this painting you can see that a castle was located on one side of the walled city, of which there are no remains.

However, in Poitiers You can still see some buildings between them. remains of the medieval wall.

And the romanesque architectureIn addition to monuments, it is present in curious places such as the mall of the Cordeliers Passage, inside which vestiges of a old convent.

With a long tradition of being a Catholic city, in Poitiers Throughout history there were up to 70 churches.

Poitiers It is a very easy city to visit, which you will do on foot along its main axis, which are the pedestrian streets that link the Charles De Gaulle square, where is the Notre Dame churchas well as a tourist office, and the Town Hall Square.

Notre Dame Church in Poitiers

Bliss romanesque church Founded in the 10th century and rebuilt in the 11th century, it is the main monument of Poitiers.

Its spectacular façade dates back to the 12th century and in it you can see images and representations of theto Bible that were sculpted in the Middle Ages.

Its interior also holds a great surprise for you with mural paintings that decorate its vault, which date back to the 12th century, a true gem.

In 1990 the last and most recent restoration was carried out.

During your visit you should not miss the special night lighting that for 15 minutes covers the façade of Our Lady, which appears completely painted every day with a different style decoration.

Coinciding with my visit, the byzantine decor, a true spectacle of colors.

These screenings take place only during the summer season, every day of the week from June 21 to the end of September, at 10:9 p.m. from June to August, and at XNUMX:XNUMX p.m. in September.

Poitiers Cathedral

You may be surprised that the main role from a heritage point of view goes to this Romanesque church located in the heart of its historic center, and that to see the cathedral you must go to the lower area of ​​the city on the banks of the river.

But in that place there are several monuments that you should see on your visit to the city.

La Saint Peter's cathedral in Poitiers It dates back to the 12th and 13th centuries, at the time of Eleanor of Aquitaine, a character who has marked the history of the city.

Built in Gothic style, inside you will be struck by some paintings from the 2012th century discovered in 2016, which were brought to light for exhibition starting in XNUMX.

Also highlights the window located behind the presbytery, which is original from the 12th century and in which the images and decoration stand out with red and blue colors, at that time symbols of wealth.

And an organ from the late 18th century is also worth mentioning.

Church of Saint Radegonde in Poitiers

Near the cathedral you can visit another gothic church dedicated to Saint Radegond, founder of the city's first monastery, that of the Holy Cross, in the 6th century.

From the 12th century, under High altar which is elevated on a platform is the sarcophagus where his remains are supposed to be.

With a neo-Gothic façade, this church has a Gothic interior and a Romanesque presbytery with spectacular fresco decoration.

Holy Cross Museum in Poitiers

In this monumental area there is also the aforementioned Santa Cruz museum, in a modern building located on the site of the old Holy Cross monastery.

During your visit you can review the history of Poitiers and its surroundings. which begins in the rooms where archaeological remains from 15000 years ago are preserved, including rock engravings.

In Roman times Poitiers It was a very important city and in the museum you can see vestiges of it, highlighting a athena statue from the 1st century found in the area, and which can be seen in a very good state of conservation,

Other notable objects are the crystal reliquary glass from the 11th century, the only one of these characteristics from the Romanesque period that is preserved intact in Europe.

It is also curious to see a Romanesque column from the year 1070 whose capital depicts elephants.

And the museum also stands out for housing sculptures by the artist Camille Claudel from the late 19th century and early 20th century, who spent the last years of his life in a mental hospital.

In his time Claudel She was not known for her artistic contribution but for maintaining a relationship with her teacher Rodin, and it was said that he sculpted the hands and feet of the bronze sculptures made by the famous French sculptor.

It was not until 1970 when the importance of his artistic work was appreciated.

Poitiers Baptistery

In front of the museum, and on a large esplanade, you will see the oldest religious building in Poitiers.

This is the Baptistery of Saint John, building whose heart is a baptismal font which in the 4th century was found inside a Roman house (domus).

In the 5th century this house was demolished and the Baptistery; In the 11th century the building was expanded again, and from that time are the beautiful mural paintings What you will see inside.

Church of Saint Hilary in Poitiers

In the southern area of ​​the historic center you can visit a typical pilgrim church, since Poitiers part of the Camino de Santiago French and that is why it is a city that is on the list of World Heritage.

La St. Hilary's Church presents great contrasts in its architectural style, which is explained because at the time of the French Revolution The central nave was destroyed, that is, most of the original building.

In that place in the 4th century there was a first chapel, until in the 10th century a larger church was built than the one you can visit now.

It was in the middle of the 19th century when it was decided to rebuild that nave with a high ceiling and in the form of a succession of domes.

The old part that is preserved reminds us of a early christian basilica, with an ambulatory behind the columns of the presbytery, and under the High altar An urn is located with the remains of Saint Hilary.

It will be very easy for you to recognize the Romanesque building and the most current structure, with the columns and walls from the 11th century decorated with paintings.

Counts of Poitiers Palace

On your walk through Poitiers you can see another historical corner, such as the old one palace of the Counts of Poitiers, With the Maurbegeon Tower.

This building, which currently houses the courthouse, was the residence of the dukes of Aquitaine, and lived there during the 12th century Eleanor of Aquitaine, who will marry him King of France Louis VII, and after divorcing, she remarried the then king of england.

The room that you can visit in the old palace is the great Hall of Lost Steps, whose chimney wall was rebuilt at the end of the 14th century.

How to visit Poitiers with audio guide

Facing your visit of Poitiers, I will tell you that in summer you can sign up for the tourist office at guided tours which take place in French every day at 15 p.m., lasting about two hours.

You also have the alternative of downloading the Poitiers mobile app with four circuits to visit the city and up to 80 classified buildings, which you can listen in spanish.