The Poitou
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The Poitou |
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The Poitou is a region on the west coast of France. It is an old province of France and the capital was Poitiers. In more recent history it was included in the Poitou-Charentes administrative region, made up of 4 departments, but this has now been replaced by the larger Nouvelle-Aquitaine since January 1st 2016. The area enjoys good weather and lovely countryside and is popular with the British. The Poitou is a lovely part of France to live and work. Nouvelle-Acquitaine comprises 12 departments, the 4 from Poitou-Charentes and also Corrèze, Creuse, Dordogne, Gironde, Landes, Lot-et-Garonne, Pyrénées-Atlantiques and Haute-Vienne. |
La VienneThe department to the North-east of the region – the main town is Poitiers and the department, number 86, is so named because of La Vienne, the large river that runs through the department. |
CharentesThe southerly department, number 16, stretching down to the Cognac producing region, with Angouleme the main town, sitting on the river Charentes which gives the department its name. |
Charente-maritimeThe coastal department of the region, number 17. Its main town is the port of La Rochelle and it includes the lovely islands off the French coast. |
Deux-SèvresThe least well known of the departments, its main town is Niort – gateway to the Venise Vert or Marais Poitevin. Department number 79, Deux-Sèvres is named after the two river ‘Sèvres’. The Sèvres Nantaise to the north and the Sèvres Niortais which flows to the main departmental town of Niort, which is in the South of the department.The Poitou has habitations that date back to 4800 BC |