Poitiers offers culture lovers several historical perspectives: Saint-Pierre Cathedral, rebuilt in the Middle Ages; the Palais des Comtes de Poitou-Ducs d’Aquitaine, a civic architectural complex; and the Baptistère Saint-Jean, where baptisms were performed as early as the 8th century. The Musée Sainte-Croix complements this thematic range with a collection of works by Camille Claudel. This makes it possible to plan a trip around sacred architecture, medieval architecture and art collections.

Saint-Pierre Cathedral: architectural design and furnishings

The present-day Saint-Pierre Cathedral was rebuilt from the mid-12th century onward. Its east end is completely flat and 40 metres high. The choir stalls date from the mid-13th century and are considered the oldest surviving choir stalls in France; they comprise 74 oak seats arranged in two rows. At Saint-Pierre, you can compare architectural design and furnishings: the east end describes the building’s form, while the material and arrangement of the seats define the choir stalls in more detail. Their dates also differ: the rebuilding began earlier than the choir stalls were created.

Civic architecture at the palace

The Palais des Comtes de Poitou-Ducs d’Aquitaine is one of the largest civic architectural complexes of the Middle Ages in Europe. The term “complex” draws attention to an architectural whole rather than just a single building. Compared with Saint-Pierre, the palace shifts the focus from sacred to civic medieval architecture. This makes it possible to distinguish two different areas of interest when choosing which historical architectural styles to explore in Poitiers.

Baptistère Saint-Jean: building, baptismal font and collection

The Baptistère Saint-Jean is considered the oldest surviving Christian religious building in Europe. Inside is an octagonal baptismal font, used for baptisms by immersion as early as the 8th century. A collection of Merovingian sarcophagi is also on display there. These aspects raise different questions: the age ranking refers to the building, the former baptismal practice to the use of the font, and the collection to the sarcophagi. You can therefore consider the Baptistère through its building history, religious use and objects on display.

Musée Sainte-Croix and planning your visit

The Musée Sainte-Croix stands on the site of the former Sainte-Croix Abbey and houses the third-largest public collection of works by Camille Claudel. Unlike the sarcophagi on display in the Baptistère, works by a single artist form a different focus for this collection. Your options therefore include sacred architecture, a medieval civic architectural complex and works of art by Camille Claudel.

Your travel plans should also take account of the temporary closure of Notre-Dame-la-Grande: due to restoration work, the church is closed to the public from the end of September 2024 to May 2027. If you are considering a public visit there, take this period into account and do not plan a visit while it is closed.

Discover more destinations: Lussac-Les-Chateaux, Magné, Thurageau, Mignaloux-Beauvoir, Saint-Rémy-sur-Creuse, Saint-Macoux, Neuville-De-Poitou, Champagné-le-Sec

For the regional travel overview: Vienne.