4 days / 3 nights : romanesque heritage, innovation and peaceful nature

ITINERARY USING POITIERS AS A BASE

  • Poitiers
  • All year round

©Les Dunes à Poitiers / Agence Zebrelle Bastien Sauve - ADT Vienne

Table of contents

Poitiers is a Town of Art and History in central Poitou with the best of both worlds:
the intrigue of Romanesque heritage and the buzz of a university town.

The neighbouring Futuroscope has become a holiday resort in itself with themed hotels and the Aquascope indoor water park, named the best water park in the world.

©Eglise Notre-Dame-la-Grande Poitiers / CRTNA -FEDER

DAY 1 – POITIERS, TOWN OF ART AND HISTORY

Morning – Poitiers old town
Guided tour of the old town: Notre-Dame-la-Grande and its unique architecture (video mapping in
summer and over the festive season), Poitiers Cathedral and Baptistère Saint-Jean (one of the oldest Christian buildings in Europe).
Time in the medieval district, Palace of the Counts of Poitou and Dukes of Aquitaine and Clain riverbanks.

Afternoon – Putting the “art” into “heart”
Travel back in time from the Gallo-Roman era to modern art at Musée Sainte-Croix (fantastic collection of sculptures by Camille Claudel). Free time to go for a walk or go shopping on Rue de la Cathédrale and La Grand Rue.

Overnight stay in Poitiers.

©Collégiale Saint-Pierre de Chauvigny / CRTNA – FEDER

DAY 2 – SAINT-SAVIN AND CHAUVIGNY: ROMANESQUE WONDERS
(45 min drive)

Morning – Saint-Savin-sur-Gartempe, the Romanesque Sistine Chapel
Guided tour of Saint-Savin Abbey and its 11th century frescoes listed as UNESCO World Heritage. Visit the digital visitor centre to learn about life in the monastery and how the paintings were restored.

Afternoon – Chauvigny, history and falconry
Visit medieval Chauvigny and feast your eyes on the row of five castles above it. Birds of prey show in the Château des Évêques ruins (Les Géants du Ciel). Time to relax in the old town or the Vienne riverbanks.

Back to Poitiers for the evening.

©Coulon / Dari

DAY 3 – MARAIS POITEVIN ADVENTURE: THE GREEN VENICE
(1 hr 45 drive)

Morning – Marais Poitevin, peace and nature
Head to the lovely villages of Coulon or Arçais in the Marais Poitevin.
Your skipper on your traditional flat-bottomed boat introduces you to the canals, pollarded ash
trees and meadows.

Afternoon – Local heritage and crafts
Visit the Maison du Marais Poitevin in Coulon or a local craft studio (wicker, honey, jam). Stop in Niort for a quick tour of the medieval keep and Place de la Brèche in the wetland’s historic capital.

Back to Poitiers for the evening.

©Chasseurs de tornades / Futuroscope

DAY 4 (OPTION) – FUTUROSCOPE & AQUASCOPE: THRILLS AND SPILLS
(20 min drive from central Poitiers)

Day trip to Futuroscope.
40 award-winning rides and shows including Tornado Chasers, Destination Mars, space adventure and Mission Bermudes.
Free time at the resort’s new Aquascope water park: wellness, sensory experiences, wave pools, immersive light spaces, relaxation areas.

Back to Poitiers for the evening.

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