Notre-Dame-la-Grande
In the heart of Poitiers, Notre-Dame-la-Grande spreads a finely carved Romanesque façade, considered a masterpiece of twelfth-century art. On summer evenings, a Polychromies show brings the original colours back to life: the figures light up, and the square below becomes a true open-air lounge. A date at that precise moment, drink in hand, leaves a memory that stays intact.
From the Counts’ Palace to the Baptistery
The former Counts’ Palace, long a courthouse, holds the grand so-called Eleanor of Aquitaine Hall, a sumptuous Gothic room. Nearby, the Saint-Jean Baptistery, one of the oldest Christian monuments in France, invites quiet contemplation. Between two visits, the cobbled lanes of the centre, Place du Maréchal-Leclerc and lively terraces keep the town at a walker’s pace, ideal for extending a conversation.
Blossac Garden and the Clain banks
For gentler air, the Blossac Garden rolls out lime-tree alleys, a basin and varied plantings above the Clain valley. You can follow the river on foot down to the old riverside taverns. On Lyad, Poitevins share their favourite walks; it is up to you to find someone to stroll on to the Pont Neuf with and head back up to the palace.
Date ideas
- Poitiers
- Notre-Dame-la-Grande
- Counts’ Palace
- Blossac
- Blossac Garden
- Saint-Jean Baptistery
- Clain river
