Poitiers

The Notre Dame in Poitier
http://www.flickr.com/groups/historyantiquities/discuss/72157604604019816/page2/

Yesterday I left Niort and my next stop is Poitiers! It is 76.7 km away and takes just about an hour to get there. Poitiers is a country town with a lot of charm! It sits on top of a hill and overlooks two rivers. Poitiers has a lot of popular cafés, a lively outdoor culture, and a busy food and clothes market. I definitely think this is my kind of place! 

Lobby of Le Grand Hotel

When I arrived I first decided to check into my hotel. Because Poitiers does not have any luxury hotels, I decided to stay at a hotel that I found the best reviews on, Le Grand Hotel located at 28 Rue Carnot. It wasn't anything special but I hear they have good breakfast so I'll have to try it out in the morning! 

I was a little hungry so I had lunch at Le St Nicholas. It's a nice decently priced restaurant serving traditional food. I was able to sit outside and enjoy my food peacefully!

After lunch I went to Notre Dame la Grande! Oh la la! This church was absolutely stunning! I was intrigued with all the detail. I spent so much time studying the detail of the Notre Dame that I was already ready for dinner. I went to Alain Bouti a restaurant on rue Carnot that serves regional dishes such as cailles au pineau, which is quails cooked in a brandy liquor. It was actually very delicious despite my picky tastes. 

http://culinarylab.blogspot.com/2009_02_01_archive.html

The next day I went to the Cathédrale St-Pierre. Now this was beautiful. This church started in 1162 but was not finished until 1379. It has a mix of styles including medieval, roman, transitional, and gothic. There are lots of neat carvings and beautiful stained glass. This was probably my favorite place to visit in Poitiers. 

Afterwards, I went to lunch at Bleu Sel. They serve delicious sandwiches and salads at a very reasonable price. Lots of students come here for lunch. I then went to the church of St-Hilaire-le-Grande. It was cool, but I enjoyed Cathédrale St-Pierre much more. This church was built in the 11th century over a Roman graveyard. 

Resources:

http://france-for-visitors.com/atlantic/poitiers/index.html

http://www.sacred-destinations.com/france/poitiers-notre-dame-la-grande

http://www.francebalade.com/poitou/poitieregl.htm

http://www.sacred-destinations.com/france/poitiers-cathedral

http://www.sacred-destinations.com/france/poitiers-st-hilaire-le-grand