Poitiers City Map Poster

About Poitiers

The city has been awarded two flowers by the National Council of Towns and Villages in Bloom in the Competition of cities and villages in Bloom. Poitiers is a major centre for higher education, with one of France's largest universities (Université de Poitiers) and several colleges. The area was already populated during the Neolithic Age; remains were found at "Saint-Hilaire" (in Vieux Poitiers), "Saint-Pierre" near Puymoyen, as well as stone tools discovered on various sides around Vienne which suggest that an industry specializing on flint extraction existed here since prehistoric times. Following Julius Caesar's conquest of Gaul in 51 BC, this region was included within Gallia Aquitania; according to some historians it was precisely here where Latin developed before spreading to all parts of Europe with Roman civilization.