Poitiers

Apse of St Hilaire-le-Grande (© Jaufré Rudel); splendid facade of Notre-Dame-la-Grande (© Paradoxplace.com); the oldest church in France (public domain).

Poitiers (pop. 85,000) is a city full of history. It was settled by the Romans, inhabited by early Christian saints, and it is home to the oldest surviving church in France (from 360 AD). It was in Poitiers that Charles Martel chased out the Muslims in 732 AD, altering the course of European civilization. In the Middle Ages, famous figures from England's Black Prince to Joan of Arc to Richard the Lion-Hearted passed through Poitiers. In the 12th century, Poitiers was the chief city of Eleanor of Aquitaine, who annulled her marriage to pious Louis VII so she could marry Henry II of England. The royal couple founded Poitiers Cathedral and rebuilt the splendid Church of Notre-Dame-La-Grande. And in 1356, the Battle of Poitiers between the armies of Edward the Black Prince and King John of France was one of the three great English victories in the Hundred Years' War, distinguished by the skilled use of the longbow by English archers. Today, Poitiers is a lively university town heavy on green spaces and refreshingly light on tourists. It makes a good base for exploring the surrounding region and has many interesting sights of its own, most of which are Romanesque churches. Follow a link below to learn more about Poitiers and its spiritual heritage.

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	Baptistère Saint-Jean The Baptistery of St. John was built around 360 AD, making it the oldest church in France. It was expanded in the 6th century, decorated with frescoes in the 12th century, and is now a museum.
	Cathedral of Poitiers The twin-towered Cathédrale St-Pierre was founded in 1162 and completed much later. It is not famed for its architecture, but it does have an attractive Gothic west front, long nave and some early stained glass.
	Église Notre-Dame-la-Grande This unique Romanesque-Byzantine church of the 11th and 12th centuries has one of the finest Romanesque faces in France, covered in a jumble of carvings of saints and biblical scenes.
	Église St-Hilaire-le-Grand Built in the 11th century, St-Hilaire has a fine apse surrounded by chapels, wall paintings in the choir, and several carved capitals. It is a World Heritage Site as part of the Routes to Santiago de Compostela in France.
	Église St-Jean-de-Montierneuf This 11th-century church on the north side of town originally belonged to a Benedictine monastery. The exterior features a Romanesque apse topped with a Gothic chancel and flying buttresses.
	Église Ste-Radegonde This Romanesque and Gothic church dates mostly from the 11th century, but is built over a much earlier church. It contains the ancient tomb of the town's patroness, St. Radegunda, along with some fine painted capitals.