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Poitiers, France, top 10 things to do (Wimup travel guide)
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Top 10 Things To Do in Poitiers

Country
France
Best months
May · Jun · Sep
Population
About 90,500
Language
French
Budget / day
$100–160
Quick answer

The best things to do in Poitiers are the carved west front of Notre-Dame-la-Grande, the Baptistère Saint-Jean (the oldest Christian building in France), the Plantagenet Gothic cathedral with its 1791 Clicquot organ, and a day at Futuroscope 10 km north. Two days covers the old town on foot. Add a third for Futuroscope or the Romanesque frescoes at Saint-Savin, and come in May, June or September for mild weather and thin crowds.

Best of Poitiers

▶ Video guide

Poitiers stacks seventeen centuries of building onto one hill above the Clain, and almost all of it is walkable in an afternoon. Below are the ten things worth your time, plus the food and the day trips that justify a second night. One caveat: Notre-Dame-la-Grande is shut inside until May 2027, though its famous facade stands outdoors.

The 10 best things to do in Poitiers

Read the facade of Notre-Dame-la-Grande, Poitiers, France
1

Read the facade of Notre-Dame-la-Grande

Church· 17 Place Charles de Gaulle, 86000 Poitiers

The 12th-century west front is why Poitiers appears on art-history syllabuses: a wall of carved stone laid out like a page, prophets along the base, Christ in glory in the gable, its restored colours picked back out. The interior is closed for restoration until May 2027, so come when the sun is low enough to throw shadow into the carving.

Time30–45 min
CostFree
Best atLate afternoon
TipInterior shut to May 2027
Map↗ Website
Stand inside the Baptistère Saint-Jean, Poitiers, France
2

Stand inside the Baptistère Saint-Jean

Historic site· Rue Jean Jaurès, 86000 Poitiers

The oldest Christian building in France, and the least showy thing on this list. The core went up around 360 on Roman substructures, in the century of Saint Hilary, the first bishop here. Inside are the octagonal pool used for baptism by immersion until the 8th century, wall paintings, and a room of Merovingian sarcophagi. Twenty minutes.

Time20–30 min
Cost€2 adult
Best atOpening
TipShut Mondays outside high summer
Map↗ Website
3

Give Futuroscope a full day

Theme park· Avenue René Monory, 86360 Chasseneuil-du-Poitou

France's immersive-cinema park, open since 31 May 1987 and still doing things no other park does: 3D and 4D screens, simulators, coasters and night shows across more than 40 attractions. Aquascope, the indoor water park at the entrance, opened in July 2024. It has its own TGV station 10 km north of Poitiers, so you can arrive without a car.

TimeFull day
CostFrom €47 adult
Best atOpening
TipDated tickets beat €59 on the gate
Map↗ Website
Hear the Clicquot organ at Cathédrale Saint-Pierre, Poitiers, France
4

Hear the Clicquot organ at Cathédrale Saint-Pierre

Cathedral· Rue Sainte-Croix, 86000 Poitiers

Begun in 1162 and not consecrated until 1369, the cathedral is Plantagenet Gothic at full size, with an immense flat chevet instead of the usual apse. The instrument is the draw: François-Henri Clicquot's largest organ, finished by his son Claude-François in 1791, after the cathedral spent more than a century without one following the 1681 fire.

Time45 min
CostFree
Best atRecital days
TipCheck the organ programme first
Map↗ Website
Find the Camille Claudel room at the Musée Sainte-Croix, Poitiers, France
5

Find the Camille Claudel room at the Musée Sainte-Croix

Museum· 15 bis Rue Jean Jaurès, 86000 Poitiers

The city's main museum holds the third-largest public collection of Camille Claudel in France: seven sculptures, acquired from the Paris collector André Brisson in 1953 and shown here long before the wider rehabilitation. In 1984 the museum staged the first retrospective devoted to her, with the Musée Rodin. Archaeology and fine art fill the rest.

Time1.5–2 hrs
Cost€10
Best atMorning
TipReduced rate €4
Map↗ Website
Walk the pilgrim route into Saint-Hilaire-le-Grand, Poitiers, France
6

Walk the pilgrim route into Saint-Hilaire-le-Grand

Church· 24 Rue Saint-Hilaire, 86000 Poitiers

A stop for Santiago pilgrims since the 12th century and inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list as part of the Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France. The interior is the reason to come: a forest of columns carrying a run of small domes, an engineering answer to a nave that was widened after the roof burned.

Time30 min
CostFree
Best atMidday light
TipTen minutes downhill from the centre
Map↗ Website
Climb the Tour Maubergeon at the Palais des ducs d'Aquitaine, Poitiers, France
7

Climb the Tour Maubergeon at the Palais des ducs d'Aquitaine

Palace· 10 Place Alphonse Lepetit, 86000 Poitiers

The seat of the counts of Poitou and dukes of Aquitaine, with a great hall raised around 1200 under Eleanor of Aquitaine and a keep begun by William IX the Troubadour in 1104, rebuilt in flamboyant Gothic for Jean de Berry. It served as the law courts for two centuries and only opened to the public in 2019, tower included.

Time1 hr
CostFree
Best atLate morning
TipOpen Tuesday to Sunday, 11am to 6pm
Map↗ Website
Take the terrace at Parc de Blossac, Poitiers, France
8

Take the terrace at Parc de Blossac

Park· 1 Rue Léopold Thézard, 86000 Poitiers

The largest park in Poitiers, laid out in the 18th century by Paul Esprit Marie de La Bourdonnaye, count of Blossac, on the line of the old ramparts. Formal avenues on top, an English garden dropping away below, and a view over the Clain valley that explains the site better than any map of the old town does.

Time45 min
CostFree
Best atEarly evening
TipEnter from rue de la Tranchée for the view
Map↗ Website
Go down to the tomb at Sainte-Radegonde, Poitiers, France
9

Go down to the tomb at Sainte-Radegonde

Church· Impasse Sainte-Radegonde, 86000 Poitiers

Radegund, a Thuringian princess who became a Frankish queen and then a nun, founded the abbey of Sainte-Croix here in the 6th century, the oldest women's monastic community in France. She was buried in this church in 587 and her tomb is still in the crypt below the choir. The building around it is late 11th century, with a 13th-century Gothic nave.

Time30 min
CostFree
Best atAfternoon
TipBetween the cathedral and the river
Map↗ Website
Book a planetarium session at Espace Mendès France, Poitiers, France
10

Book a planetarium session at Espace Mendès France

Science centre· 1 Place de la Cathédrale, 86000 Poitiers

The regional science centre, with exhibitions, workshops and a planetarium projecting a sky of more than 4,000 stars. Sessions run 90 minutes, mostly at weekends and daily in French school holidays, and the programme is pitched from about age four upward. It is the one indoor stop here that works in bad weather with children in tow.

Time1.5 hrs
Cost€7, children €5
Best atWeekends
TipSessions sell out in holidays
Map↗ Website

All 10, mapped

Poitiers · 10 spots
AllLandmarksMuseumsFoodFree

Poitiers travel FAQ

How many days do you need in Poitiers?+
Two. The first covers Notre-Dame-la-Grande, the Baptistère Saint-Jean and the cathedral quarter on foot; the second the Musée Sainte-Croix, the Palais des ducs d'Aquitaine and Parc de Blossac. Add a third day for Futuroscope, and a fourth if you want the frescoes at Saint-Savin and the medieval town of Chauvigny.
Is Notre-Dame-la-Grande open to visitors?+
Not inside. The church closed at the end of September 2024 for a 6.5 million euro restoration of the nave, aisles, choir and axial chapel, and is due to reopen in May 2027. The carved west front, which is what most people come to see, is outdoors and visible at any hour.
When is the best time to visit Poitiers?+
May, June and September. The festivals cluster either side of summer (Bruisme in late June, Les Expressifs in early October), and the Musée Sainte-Croix drops its €10 entry entirely from 21 June to 20 September 2026, which makes early summer the best value of the year.
Is Futuroscope worth the trip from Poitiers?+
Yes with children, and yes if immersive cinema interests you at all. The park is about 10 km north at Chasseneuil-du-Poitou and has its own TGV station, so no car is needed. Dated one-day tickets start at €47 for an adult against €59 bought on the gate, so book the date.
How do you get to Poitiers from Paris?+
By train from Paris Montparnasse. Around 18 services run daily over the 292 km, the fastest taking about 1 hr 21 min, operated by TGV INOUI and OUIGO. Poitiers-Biard airport handles a short list of routes including London, Lyon and Edinburgh in summer.
Stone and light

Best churches in Poitiers

Poitiers is still called the ville aux cent clochers. These five are the ones to walk between.
All 5 churches →
Notre-Dame-la-Grande Place Charles de Gaulle

Notre-Dame-la-Grande

12th century · Free

The carved west front is one of the great Romanesque facades in France. Interior closed to May 2027.

Map↗ Website
Baptistère Saint-Jean Rue Jean Jaurès

Baptistère Saint-Jean

4th century · €2

The oldest Christian building in France, with its immersion pool and Merovingian sarcophagi.

Map↗ Website
Saint-Hilaire-le-Grand Rue Saint-Hilaire

Saint-Hilaire-le-Grand

UNESCO · Free

UNESCO listed on the Santiago routes, and a pilgrim stop since the 12th century.

Map
Sainte-Radegonde Below the cathedral

Sainte-Radegonde

11th century · Free

The queen who founded Sainte-Croix in the 6th century lies in the crypt below the choir.

Map↗ Website
Cathédrale Saint-Pierre Rue Sainte-Croix

Cathédrale Saint-Pierre

Gothic · Free

Plantagenet Gothic on a huge scale, and the 1791 Clicquot organ that fills it.

Map↗ Website
Indoors

Best museums in Poitiers

One large civic museum, two small ones, and a 5th-century tomb chamber on the edge of town.
All 4 museums →
Musée Sainte-Croix Rue Jean Jaurès

Musée Sainte-Croix

€10 · Free in summer

The city museum: archaeology, fine art and seven Camille Claudel sculptures.

Map↗ Website
Musée Rupert de Chièvres 14 Rue Victor Hugo

Musée Rupert de Chièvres

Small museum

A 19th-century collector's house and cabinet, kept close to how he left it.

Map↗ Website
Espace Mendès France Cathedral quarter

Espace Mendès France

€7 planetarium

Science centre and planetarium beside the cathedral, with a 4,000-star sky.

Map↗ Website
Hypogée des Dunes Les Dunes

Hypogée des Dunes

Late antique

A 5th-century underground funerary chapel on the far bank, rarely busy.

Map
Where to eat

Best restaurants in Poitiers (2026)

Six tables in and around the old town, from a neogothic chapel to a bistronomic auberge.
All 6 restaurants →
Les Archives City centre

Les Archives

Gastronomic · €€€

French cooking under the vaults of the 19th-century Gesù chapel, the most theatrical room in town.

Map↗ Website
Historic centre

Eutopia

Market menu · €€€

Solenne and François Vaudeschamps cook a daily menu built on Vienne producers, after 25 years in starred Paris kitchens.

Map↗ Website
City centre

Auberge Le Cul de Paille

Bistronomy · €€

Creative bistronomy from chef Benjamin, working textures harder than most kitchens here.

Map
Near the town hall

Taste Buds

Michelin Guide · €€€

Sébastien Boireau cooks seasonal local produce with wines from small growers. Recently into the Michelin Guide.

Map
City centre

Le Vingélique

Semi-gastronomic · €€€

Semi-gastronomic and seasonal, with a courtyard by a small fountain. Lobster, foie gras and pigeon are regulars.

Map
City centre

La Serrurerie

Brasserie · €€

Vintage brasserie in the middle of town, French plates alongside global ones, open late.

Map
Green space

Best parks and gardens in Poitiers

Where the city goes when the weather turns, all four within reach of the centre.
All 4 parks and gardens →
Parc de Blossac Rue Léopold Thézard

Parc de Blossac

18th century · Free

The city's largest park, laid out in the 18th century on the old ramparts.

Map↗ Website
Jardin des Plantes Rue du Jardin des Plantes

Jardin des Plantes

Botanical · Free

One and a half hectares of English-style garden with a pond, waterfall and grotto, on this site since 1869.

Map↗ Website
Bois de Saint-Pierre Grand Poitiers

Bois de Saint-Pierre

248 ha · Free

About 248 hectares of woodland and leisure ground on the edge of the city.

Map↗ Website
Grand Poitiers

La Roseraie

Rose garden · Free

A rose garden for a short, deliberate detour rather than a whole afternoon.

Map
With children

Best things to do in Poitiers with kids

A theme park, a water park, a planetarium and a riverside island with free games.
All 4 with kids →
Chasseneuil-du-Poitou

Futuroscope

From €47 adult

More than 40 immersive attractions, simulators and night shows, 10 km north with its own TGV station.

Map↗ Website
Aquascope Chasseneuil-du-Poitou

Aquascope

Indoor · 2024

The indoor water park at the Futuroscope entrance, open since July 2024.

Map↗ Website
Espace Mendès France planetarium Cathedral quarter

Espace Mendès France planetarium

€7 · children €5

90-minute sky sessions from around age four, plus hands-on science workshops.

Map↗ Website
On the Clain

Îlot Tison

Free games

A river island park where the Guinguette Pictave puts out more than 500 free games, a beach and water activities.

Map
After dark

Best bars and cafes in Poitiers

A student city drinks well. Start on Place Charles de Gaulle and work outward.
All 4 bars and cafes →
185 Rue du Faubourg du Pont-Neuf

Le Confort Moderne

Live music

Concert hall, gallery, record shop and bar across 6,500 m2, running 60 to 70 gigs a year from September to June.

Map↗ Website
City centre

Le Zinc

Wine & beer

Natural wine, an 85-strong beer and spirits list, charcuterie, and a medieval vaulted cellar that doubles as a stage.

Map
Café des Arts Place Charles de Gaulle

Café des Arts

Terrace

One end of the terrace run on Place Charles de Gaulle, busiest the moment the sun reaches it.

Map
Cluricaume Café Place Charles de Gaulle

Cluricaume Café

Pub

The other end of the same square, and the student default on a Thursday.

Map
Out of town

Best day trips from Poitiers

A UNESCO abbey, a medieval hill town, a primate park and the marshes, all inside two hours.
All 6 day trips →
Vienne

Chauvigny

24 km · East

A walled upper town on a spur above the Vienne, with the ruins of five castles and a Romanesque collegiate church. 24 km east.

Map↗ Website
Abbaye de Saint-Savin Saint-Savin-sur-Gartempe

Abbaye de Saint-Savin

UNESCO · 45 km

UNESCO listed since 1983 for 700 m2 of 11th and 12th-century frescoes, more than 400 m2 of it on the vault, 17 metres up. 45 km east.

Map↗ Website
Vienne

Angles-sur-l'Anglin

50 km · East

One of the Plus Beaux Villages de France, and the third corner of the Poitou golden triangle. 50 km.

Map
Romagne

La Vallée des Singes

€22 adult · 55 km

450 primates of 34 species across 22 hectares of open woodland enclosures, no cages. 55 km south.

Map↗ Website
Chauvigny

Les Géants du Ciel

Falconry show

Falconry in the amphitheatre of the Château des Évêques at Chauvigny: macaws, storks, falcons and eagles.

Map↗ Website
Coulon, Deux-Sèvres

Marais Poitevin

Wetlands

The green Venice, flat-bottomed boats under poplars in the marshes around Coulon.

Map
What's on

Festivals & annual events in Poitiers (2026)

Time your trip around the city's biggest dates.
Late February

Filmer le travail

International documentary festival on work, screenings and debates at the TAP. The 17th edition runs 20 February to 1 March 2026.

Late March

Festival À Corps

Contemporary dance and the body, staged by the TAP. The 31st edition runs 25 March to 2 April 2026.

Late June

Bruisme

Three days of free improvised music from Jazz à Poitiers, across the Confort Moderne, the Lieu Multiple and the Palais.

July to August

Poitiers l'été

Two months of open-air programming put on by the city, spread across squares and parks.

Early August

Saxophone en Mouvement

A week of concerts built entirely around the saxophone. The 26th edition runs 3 to 11 August.

Early October

Les Expressifs

Free street arts since 1996: more than 65 shows of theatre, circus, dance, puppetry and digital art in the centre.

Late November

Poitiers Film Festival

Film-school cinema from around the world at the TAP, 27 November to 4 December 2026.

Late November to early January

Marché de Noël

Chalets on Place du Maréchal-Leclerc, plus a big wheel, rides and brass bands through the centre.

Getting around

Poitiers transport & airports

How to arrive and move around the city.
PIS

Poitiers-Biard

The city's own airport, west of the centre, on a short schedule to London, Edinburgh and Lyon. A Vitalis bus runs into town in about 20 minutes.

Map↗ Website
TGV

Gare de Poitiers

Around 18 trains a day to Paris Montparnasse over 292 km, the fastest in about 1 hr 21 min, on TGV INOUI and OUIGO. The station sits at the foot of the hill the old town stands on.

Map↗ Website
Bus

Vitalis buses

The city network runs 75 lines across Poitiers and the Grand Poitiers communes, including the airport link. Buy before boarding where you can.

↗ Website
Walk

On foot

The old town is compact and genuinely steep. Notre-Dame-la-Grande, the cathedral quarter and Parc de Blossac all sit on the same plateau, with the station and the Clain below it.

↗ Website
Traditional food

Must-try dishes in Poitiers, France

The classics to order before you leave.
Broyé du Poitou, Poitiers (Wimup travel guide)

Broyé du Poitou

A wide, dry butter shortbread topped with flaked almonds. You break it by punching the middle, then share.

Tourteau fromagé

A goat-cheese cake under a deliberately blackened dome. The burnt crust is the recipe, not an accident.

Chabichou du Poitou, Poitiers (Wimup travel guide)

Chabichou du Poitou

The region's AOP goat cheese, a small truncated cone with a firm, nutty paste. The end of a Poitevin meal.

Farci poitevin

Greens and pork wrapped in a cabbage leaf and poached. Cold as a starter, hot as a main course.

Macarons de Montmorillon, Poitiers (Wimup travel guide)

Macarons de Montmorillon

Soft almond macarons from the town east of Poitiers, made to a recipe families have kept for generations.

Mogettes, Poitiers (Wimup travel guide)

Mogettes

Flat white beans, the regional side, slow-cooked until they collapse into their own liquor.

Beurre Charentes-Poitou, Poitiers (Wimup travel guide)

Beurre Charentes-Poitou

The AOP butter of the region, and the reason so much local baking tastes the way it does.

Pineau des Charentes, Poitiers (Wimup travel guide)

Pineau des Charentes

Grape must fortified with cognac, served chilled before dinner. Order it where you would order a kir.

Poitiers fact sheet

Poitiers at a glance

The essentials worth knowing before you go.
Country
France
Region
Nouvelle-Aquitaine (Vienne)
Population
About 90,500
Founded
Celtic oppidum Lemonum
Nickname
Ville aux cent clochers
Language
French
Currency
Euro (€)
Time zone
CET · UTC+1
Calling code
+33 5
Airports
PIS
Power
230V · Type E
Emergency
112
Ideal length
2–3 days
Getting around
Walking & Vitalis buses
Tourism board
Official site

Interesting facts

  • The Baptistère Saint-Jean is reckoned the oldest Christian building in France. Its core went up around 360 on Roman substructures.
  • Before Rome, the hill was the Pictones' oppidum Lemonum. The scale of the surviving Roman works suggests a town of first importance.
  • The University of Poitiers was founded in 1431 by Pope Eugene IV, with five colleges: theology, canon law, civil law, medicine and arts.
  • Radegund, a Thuringian princess turned Frankish queen, founded Sainte-Croix here in the 6th century: the oldest women's community in France.
  • Futuroscope opened on 31 May 1987 about 10 km north of the city and added Aquascope, an indoor water park, in July 2024.

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