Poitiers, city of art and history

A label to reward the efforts made to promote the local heritage.

Initiated by the National Monuments Authority (Caisse Nationale des Monuments Historiques et des sites patrimoniaux) and managed since 1995 by the Ministry of Culture and Communication, the label "Ville et Pays d’Art et d’Histoire" (City and Region of Art and History) is granted to local authorities that implement a policy to promote, showcase and communicate information about their heritage.
It was granted to the city in 1985 and to its wider urban area in 2004. Grand Poitiers, in collaboration with the Tourist Office, organises throughout the year a programme of actions (lectures, guided tours, workshops, exhibitions, etc.) whose purpose is to present the heritage in all its diversity.
During the school year and the holidays, young people can also be introduced to the city’s heritage, architecture and urban features through guided tours, workshops, games and courses.
Popular events in and around monuments, concerts, street shows, awareness-raising events, guided tours: a wide range of activities is organised to communicate the rich cultural heritage of the city and its monuments to all kinds of audiences.

The permanent exhibition presented in the Heritage Room (in the 1st floor of the Tourist Office) uses different media to help visitors to understand the city, regularly backed up by temporary exhibitions.
22 panels combining text and illustrations give an overview of the urban development of Poitiers, presented through 3 principal themes that highlight its key religious, political and cultural aspects :
- Temples and churches
- A region’s capital city
- Knowledge and University

The consultation of these chronological and thematic guidelines offers a useful introduction and framework that enables visitors to grasp the key facts about the city. Its natural prolongation is to join in a guided tour with a qualified guide.