Poitiers, France
Self Catering Poitiers Holiday Homes, Cottages and Gites
Poitiers is found on the Clain river in west central France. It is the capital of the Vienne department and of the Poitou-Charentes region. When you visit Poitiers you’ll be seduced by its picturesque streets, noted for their predominant remains of historical architecture, especially from the Romanesque period.
When you rent a holiday home in Poitiers you’re visiting a city which has a distinguished university tradition. The University of Poitiers was established in 1431 and welcomed many famous thinkers, including Descartes. It is the second oldest university in France.
Historic churches were traditionally the main attraction of Poitiers. Today Poitiers chief tourist attraction is the Futuroscope (European Park of the Moving Image) in nearby Chasseneuil-du-Poitou. When you stay in self catering holiday accommodation in Poitiers you’ll discover that the Futuroscope is worth a visit. It’s based upon multimedia, cinematographic and audio-visual techniques. It has several 3D cinemas and a few 4D cinemas along with other attractions and shows, some of which are the only examples in the world.
Other noted sites of interest when you stay in a Poitiers Holiday Gite include: Baptistère Saint-Jean (4th century) – the second oldest church in France. The baptistery holds a small museum which includes many stone sarcophagi dating from the fifth to seventh centuries, many of which are vividly decorated with carved designs. It also includes remnants such as pieces of Roman columns, baptismal fonts, and other stone relics. The Palace of Poitiers – the seat of the Dukes of Aquitaine is another place worth a visit. Others include: the Église Notre-Dame-la-Grande – the oldest romanesque architecture church in Europe; the Cathédrale Saint-Pierre, Poitiers's cathedral from the 12th century; and the Musée Sainte-Croix, the largest museum in Poitiers.
To get to your Poitiers Holiday Villa: Poitiers railway station is on the TGV Atlantique line between Paris and Bordeaux. The direct TGV puts Poitiers 1h40 from Paris' Gare Montparnasse. Poitiers - Biard Airport is located 2.4 kilometres (1.5 mi) west of Poitiers with Ryan air flights to Lyon-Saint Exupéry, London-Stansted and Birmingham. The A10 motorway goes through the Poitou Charentes region and enables access to many towns including Chatellerault, Poitiers, Niort and Saintes, and connecting the region to Bordeaux and Paris
The Poitou-Charentes region is renowned for having one of the most pleasant climates in France. Winters are really mild and thanks to the oceanic climate, summers are hot but not muggy. Poitou-Charentes benefits from 2,400 sunshine hours a year and is the hottest and sunniest place of the whole Atlantic coast.