Niort has good road links to the airports at La Rochelle (40 miles - 64 km about 50 mins) and Poitiers (45 miles - 75 km - less than an hour). The following companies have services to the UK.
Ryanair.
Click to our web-site
La Rochelle - Stansted. Poitiers - Stansted. Click on the web site link above for full details of services.
Flybe.
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La Rochelle - Southampton; Birmingham. Click on the web site link above for full details of services.
Brittany Ferries.
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St Malo is the closest of the Normandy Coast ports being just over 200 miles (330 km) with a journey time of about 4 hrs. Caen/Ouistreham is about an hour further - 280 miles (450 km).
Eurotunnel.
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The journey from the terminal to Niort should take a little less than seven hours the distance being about 440 miles (700 km).
Railway Services.
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Niort is on the main TGV route to la Rochelle. Direct journey times to Paris are less than 2 hr 30 min. There are connections at Poitiers to Charles de Gaulle Airport (about 4.5 hrs) and Lille (5.5 hrs) for Eurostar.
Niort & Lion Heart's Castle.
Acres of green space within the boundary.
The name Niort derives from the Roman Novium Ritum or otherwise 'the new ford' - referring to a crossing of the river Sèvre. In that epoch one would imagine that it would have been the most seaward point at which the currents could be crossed. Such a feature is a classic justification for the growth of defences, a town and eventually a major conurbation. Its status survived the centuries and was sufficient for it to become the Prefecture town when they defined the Département of Deux-Sèvres despite the fact that it was located in the far south west corner of the new administrative district. Yet Niort does reflect the character of the area. It is spread out gently on the hillsides beside the river and has many acres of green space within its boundaries. That certain peace and tranquillity might have been what made the modern town a bastion for insurance companies.
Some further information...
The Donjon (Castle).
Niort City Centre.
Tel: 0549-787200
Known by the French as Eleanor of Aquitaine's Castle since the end of the 19th century it has housed an ethnological museum (artefacts from local life) and some archaeological treasures. Somehow one cannot but feel that from the point of view of visitors raised in the Anglo-Saxon tradition the current custodians are missing a trick. Nevertheless visiting children will doubtless want to scamper over this physical link with the legendary Richard the Lion Heart. Explaining the dynastic history of mediaeval royal families may be a bit more difficult not to mention why English kings spent much of their time in France and built such vast edifices there. Open every day but closed 12.00 - 14.00 even in high summer.
L'aire du Poitou-Charentes - Maison des Ruralies.
Tel: 0549-756827 Click to email us
Linked to the motorway service area (accessible from both directions) and also from the D948 at Vouillé just south of the city the 'Maison des Ruralies' is an exhibition of rural life and agricultural production together with an extensive collection of agricultural implements from tractors to harrows, hay-rakes and threshing machines mostly from between the 1900's and the 1950's. Open all year.
Is this the only time you'll make a special visit to a Motorway Service Area?
Le Chateau de Coudray-Salbart.
Just off the D743 Parthenay road. Signposted.
Tel: 0549-257107 Click to our web-site
Extensively restored 13th century castle and an excellent illustration of military architecture and technology of the time. Open 9 am - 7 pm Summer; 10 am to 5 pm winter. Closed January.
Angelica - the Niort speciality.
Tel: 0549-257107
The long association with angelica is still maintained and practised at the Établissement Thonnard (Tel: 0549 734742) to be found in Avenue Sevreau which is part of the D9 leaving the city for Coulon (aee our Area 'Marais Poitevin and a forest'). The business produces sweets, treats, jams and creams all based on the locally grown herb as well as a liquor and drinks.
