Poitiers - Futuroscope - Marais Poitevin

Poitiers and the Marais Poitevin share a rare talent: fitting seamlessly into the holiday route… while being well worth the journey in their own right. Just 1 hour 30 minutes from Paris or Bordeaux by train, on the way to the coast, the destination offers a highly appealing combination of joyful energy and deep calm—an uncommon ability to bring together culture, entertainment, and reconnection with oneself, nature, and others: millennia-old heritage, family-friendly experiences, remarkable Romanesque art, and a truly unique nature break.

In Poitiers, the “city of a hundred bell towers,” two thousand years of history unfold through the streets: ancient remains, medieval churches, the Palace of the Dukes of Aquitaine… an ideal setting for culture lovers and city-break enthusiasts

Nearby, the UNESCO-listed Abbey of Saint-Savin, the lively medieval towns of Parthenay or Chauvigny, and Melle with its silver mines further enrich heritage itineraries. And for families, Futuroscope adds a playful and spectacular dimension: flying over the world in just a few minutes, launching towards Mars, chasing tornadoes, dancing with robots… here, the extraordinary becomes a playground.

Then comes the striking contrast: the Marais Poitevin, designated a Regional Natural Park, unfolds its canals lined with pollarded ash trees and its inhabited silences. By boat or by bike, the pace shifts, breathing deepens, senses awaken, and you feel closer to the living world—guided by a grey heron or the swift flight of a kingfisher. Here, holidays take on a sustainable, deeply restorative quality.