Niort (in Poitevin-saintongeais Niort ) is a common French, chief town of the department of the Two-Sevres located in the area Poitou-Charentes.

Its inhabitants is called the Niort ones and the Niort ones.

Geography

The city is located at the south-west of the department of the Two-Sevres, on banks of the Niort Sèvre, arranged today in green Coulée. In edge of the wet marshes (“Venice green”), Niort is the principal main door of the Marais poitevin.

The city is located in a rich and fertile plain, in the south of the Vendean Gâtine. Located on a point of important passage between south-west, the Brittany and the north of France, it is in contact with several countries of the Poitou, of the the Vendée of the Aunis, and the Saintonge.

Niort is today an important node of road and railway communication:

    • N11 towards Poitiers
    • A10 towards Paris, Orleans, Turns and Bordeaux
    • A83 towards Nantes (section of the Highway of the Estuaries connecting Calais to Bayonne via Rennes and Rouen)
    • Future A810 (currently N11) towards La Rochelle
    • TGV putting Niort at 2:10 of Paris
    • Marshalling yard of Niort-Saint-Florent.

Distances between Niort and some cities:

To 50 km of the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, the city enjoys an important annual sunning (> 2400 hours per annum).

Toponymy

The origin of the name " Niort" would come from Latin Nova Ritum who means “new ford” (on Separates Niort).

Blazon

Of sown azure of flowers of gold lily, with the money tower summoned of another tower of same, stitching on the whole notched, built and openwork of sand, posed on a money river also, driving point.

External ornaments the ecu is stamped of raised a gold money heaume, tared of face, grilleté of seven parts, retaining by a pad of the lambrequins to the colors of France, summit of 3 feathers of money ostrich. It is held by two savages looking of arent, their hair and their belt of gold foliage, holding each one a bludgeon of same, that of dextral out of stake along its dextral side, the sinistral arm resting folded on the ecu, that of sinistral the bludgeon on the sinistral shoulder stitching on the lambrequins, the dextral arm resting folded on the ecu. The whole posed on the rinceaux ones of gold and money to the retroussis of azure.

No seal of the city arrived to us. In his sigillography of Poitou, Mr. Eygun quotes a seal of baillage 15th century, but which is not with the weapons of the city. On the origin of sown flowers of lily, the historians deliver different opinions. This sown of lily would be that which carried in party as of its weapons, Jean duke of Berry, count de Poitiers, brother of Saint-Louis. More tardily in 1372, the middle-class men of Niort who helped Of Guesclin to drive out the foreigner of its walls, would have received this royal concession, and made carve this blazon on the belfry of the town hall in 1393. Aliénor of Aquitaine, repudiated woman of Louis VII brought Niort to the English with the remainder of Poitou. The donjonnée tower points out the two square towers of the castle which made rebuild in 1158 Henri II of Plantagenet king d' Angleterre. In these turns this prince made lock up his Aliénor wife of Aquitaine after the revolt of his Jean son without Ground and Richard Lion-hearted. At a peak the waves evoke Separates it running with the foot of the castle. The ecu is stamped of a heaume of knighthood to recall that the mayor of Niort and the aldermen received the hereditary nobility. The two savages would be in remembering the interest which the duke of Berry sadly had for this disguise in the avoided balls, which were in reputation at the beginning of the Middle Ages and of which one, celebrates, in 1393 the ball of the Burning ones was. At the time of discovered of Canada, these savages were replaced by Indians iroquois, but wisely the municipalities gave up this not very courteous evocation for the Canadians and began again like holding the two savages.

History

Origins

Niort was initially an agglomeration Gallo-Roman marrying a loop of the Niort Sèvre, located close to the old gulf of the Pictons, basin bathed by the Atlantic Ocean and fresh water of the rivers. The village was then localized in the district of the current street Gambetta.

With, Niort was an even political and religious important relay commercial but towards 80 after J-C. the agglomeration weakened, the first stage of the romanisation having been started. It is already a center of weaving and tanning of leather.

The Francs occupied then the city as the existence testifies some to a cemetery mérovingien found in Recouvrance. Because of the invasions, the Gallo-Roman city had to be deserted and the life was established on the hills of Notre-Dame and Saint-André.
Their heights offered the possibility of a monitoring and a safety larger because Separates it navigable was used as way of penetration to the invaders Normands (9th century).

The first fortifications leave ground with the first cruel threats of invasions. In 940, the Norman ones devastate the borough.

The Middle Ages

Then, the city is English or French with the liking of the history of the Poitou.

The city as the remainder of Poitou, passes under English domination at the time of the second marriage of Aliénor of Aquitaine. This situation was not without some advantages. In 1203, Aliénor grants to Niort charter of frankness. Her royal husband, Henri II then his son Richard Lion-hearted, strengthens the citadel with a castle and an enclosure which had a 2.800 m length, is almost the double of that of Carcassonne. Only remains today imposing it double keep.

Returned in the French bosom, in 1244, Niort resists an attack of the count de Derby in September 1346 (Guerre One hundred Year old). It passes by again nevertheless under English banner with the signature of the Traité of Brétigny, in 1360. The city became " port franc" in 1285, allowing the continuation of its economic development and commercial.

Bertrand of Guesclin took again Niort with the hands of the English on March 23rd, 1372. For that it the USA of a stratagem, that to cover English uniforms two hundreds of its more honest soldiers. At their sight, the enemy sentinels lowered the drawbridge. The French entered the city and disarmed the English. Thus Niort reinstated the kingdom of France.
During the Praguerie (1440), rising against the reforms of Charles VII, the future dolphin Louis XI, made of Niort its general headquarter and granted many privileges to him.

At the 14th century the Clothier S, the tanner S made the reputation of Niort. The end of the Middle Ages sees the digging of the port which will ensure the commercial rise of the city by connecting it to the Atlantic Ocean. Dug by order of Jean de Berry, count of Poitou, the port dispatched in Flanders and Spain of the salt, the Poisson, the Blé, the Laine and of course of cloths and the skins… In same time, the Niort ones drew pride and profit from their fairs and markets, equipped with markets which will count among most beautiful of the kingdom.

Wars of religion

Gained by the reform in 1557, the city becomes Protestant, but is taken again by the catholics in 1569. June 20th with the July 3rd, the royal troops of the Count de Lude make the seat of the city, without success. In October, after the defeat protesting E with Moncontour, the Brush gives up the catholic city with the S.

One of the bloody episodes of Niort during the wars of religion, is held in the night of the 27 to the December 28th 1588, with the confrontations between catholics and Protestants, murder, plunderings, fires. Saint-froze and Agrippa of Aubigné seizes the city. In 1627, Niort becomes again catholic but remains an active hearth of Protestantism. The Dragonnades touch the city since 1668. They last until 1685 and force many Protestants to flee in particular towards the Canada. The port of Niort however continues to accommodate the trade of the skins and the furs coming from Canada where many poitevins settled. However, the revocation of the edict of Nantes (1685) then the loss of Canada involve the fall of this industry overall to the hands of the Protestants.

Before the Revolution, there was however still about thirty Moulin S to press and more than 30 Régiment S of Cavalerie provided here in breeches skin.

Modern history

In 1807, Napoleon I {{er}}, takes a decree of installation of the Niort Sèvre in order to consolidate its role of inland waterway. This decree is the first act having led to the total draining of the Marais poitevin.

Napoleon I {{er}} passes by Niort on the way of the exile towards the island of Grey waxbill and passes one there its last nights out of French ground (night from July 2nd to 3rd 1815) to the inn of the Gold Ball. It will have ensured the prosperity of the city during its reign while making work its industries of chamois-leather factory, in particular while making there manufacture the breeches of skin used by the Cavalerie.

This industry of the chamois-leather factory and the glove factory perdure while declining regularly until dying out at the end of the 20th century.

The city develops then the social economy and interdependent starting from second half of the 20th century through mutual insurances.

Administration

Within the framework of the municipal election of 2008, the PS invested Genevieve Gaillard (appointed First district of Two-Sevres and girl of Rene Gaillard), at the expense of the outgoing mayor Alain Baudin, which will be however candidate also. The UMP as for it invested Marc Thebault.

Demography

Niort amalgamated with several surrounding communes: Stock in 1964, Holy-Pezenne in 1965, Saint-Florent in 1969 and Saint-Liguaire in 1972. It is the most populated common 83e France.

Agglomeration

Economy

A long time important center of chamois-leather factory (testifies the name to it to the football club " The chamois niortais"), of weaving and commercial exchanges (gone and regional fairs of importance), Niort is nowadays a important shopping mall and services , mainly financial.

The service sector employs there 20.000 worker.

According to the Banque de France, these various activities make of Niort the fourth French money market , in term of exchanges of financial flows, behind Paris, Lyon and Lille.

Mutual insurances

Niort is one of the cities in the beginning and remains one of the fortified towns of the French social economy.

The city is in particular regarded since the Seventies as the capital of the mutual of Assurance S .

First employers of the city (approximately 6.000 paid), the mutual insurance companies in the beginning were intended to ensure the goods of certain precise professional categories such as the craftsmen, teachers, tradesmen, industrialists…

In years 80-90, the model mutualist is blown. But since end of the year 90, the model evolved/moved in particular by the installation of synergies (MACIF-MAIF) and commercial partnerships (MAAF- MY - GMF, Savings bank - MACIF-MAIF, MAAF- Banque Populaire…). They also opened beyond the corporations of origin and became accessible initially to the family from the policy-holders, then with the general public. They finally made evolved/moved their activity while diversifying in the insurance of the private individuals, the insurance health, the insurance life, the precaution, the management of credits. Niort shelters the head offices of:

  • founded MAIF in 1934, Mutual insurance of the Teachers of France and its subsidiary companies, FILIA MAIF, PARNASSUS MAIF (insurance life), SERENA MAIF (2,6 Md€ of CA in 2006, more than 2,6 6th insurer French car, member million) -

  • Group founded MAAF in 1950, Mutual insurance of the craftsmen of France and its subsidiary companies MAAF LIFE, MAAF HEALTH, NEXX INSURANCES (3,4 Md€ of CA in 2006, more than 3,7 paid customer million, 6800, 5th insurer French car) -. Groupe MAAF is founding member of COVEA (SGAM: Company of Group of Mutual benefit insurance), structure allowing to reinforce synergies between the mutual insurance companies composing it (MAAF-MMA in 2003, joined by GMF-Azure in 2005, Azure since having amalgamated with MY). COVEA became the first insurer damage of France with 16% of market shares.

  • the founded MACIF in 1960, Mutual insurance of the Tradesmen and Industrialists of France and its subsidiary companies MUTAVIE (), MACIF MANAGEMENT, MACIFILIA (4,7 Md€ of CA in 2006, more than 4,7 million members and more than 15 million contracts of insurance, 2nd insurer French car) -

  • the founded SMACL in 1972, Mutual insurance Company of the Local government agencies, first insurer of the local government agencies and the elected officials in France, it is also the insurer of associations (200 CA M€ in 2006) -

  • Inter Mutual insurance companies Assistance (IMA) founded in 1983, N°1 European of the assistance (with the people, the vehicles…) with a few 50 million recipients -

  • Atlantic Groupama Center (GCA): Regional case of radiant Groupama on 11 departments (Charente, Charente-Maritime, Two-Sevres, the Dordogne, the Gironde, High-Vienna, Indre, Moors, Lot-et-Garonne, the Vendée and Vienna). With 1615 paid, 415.000 customers, Atlantic Groupama Center carries out 700 CA M€ -

  • the SMIP, Services mutualists of individual and the professionals, important regional mutual insurance company of health (214 000 ensured, 64 CA M€) -

The bank

Niort is also the seat of:
  • the Banque Populaire Centers Atlantic, banks regional member of the group Banque Populaire -;
  • Socram, loan society credit to consumption diffusing its products through the networks of 10 mutual insurance companies partners -.

Services

Around these activities of insurance and bank, the city also shelters many services companies, local or antennas of international groups, related to these activities:
  • broking of insurances (François Bernard Assurances, etc),
  • to that and accountancy (Group Y, KPMG, Fiducial, etc),
  • data processing departments (Thalès, Darva, Data-processing GFI, Sopra, T-Systems, etc)…).

Niort supports the lines of business through a seedbed of companies located in the Technopole of Noron it Venice Verte. This technopolis is located beside and the Congress Exhibition site of Noron.

Commercial pole

The city is for a long time a important pole commercial in which the offer largely exceeds the standard for an agglomeration of this size (downtown area and shopping malls in periphery: Niort-is, Trente-ormeaux, Mendès France, Mendès France II).

This important marketing activity is partly ascribable on the level appreciably higher of the average wages of the inhabitants of the Niort agglomeration compared to the national average (consequence of the presence of the insurance companies and the strong wage activity of the women). It also comes to confirm the old commercial attractivity of the city.

Thus, the Fair annual Exposure (Foirexpo de Niort), which is held the first weekend of May, attracts always more than 100.000 visitors, which does of it one of the principal fairs of the West of France (20th of France). It is a survival of the medieval fairs which were held in Niort.

The agglomeration also shelters the seat, and the warehouses of CAMIF (Co-operative of Purchase of the Mutual insurance company of the Teachers of France), created by MAIF. Although in difficulty, CAMIF is the third company of remote sale in France after Redoute and 3 Swiss International. Initially held for the teaching body, it from now on is opened with all and opened a network of stores on all France -

Logistics

The agglomeration of Niort became a logistic center of first order because of its localization, of the highway infrastructures (the agglomeration is served by 5 highway exchangers on A10, A83, without forgetting future A810) and railway surrounding it (Station TGV and marshalling yard). The city also benefits from the proximity of the port of La Rochelle. The agglomeration specialized in agroalimentary and pharmaceutical logistics. New projects are in hand in order to supplement the current offer on the matter (creation of a multimode platform).

With a few kilometers in the east of the city, with the junction of the highways A10 and A83, on the commune of the Crib, is an important road and logistic center on the site of Atlansèvre, zone of activities of 450 hectares under development.

Industries

Lastly, Niort also shelters a diversified economic fabric made up of very specialized industrial companies which are often under treating great groups. These companies are related to aeronautics (ECE- Groupe Zodiac), chemistry (Arizona Chemical, Christol Grease - Group Shell), the transformation of wood (Group Rougier, owner of forestry developments in Africa), mechanics, the agro-alimentary one, electrical equipment, and electronics.

Others

The principal employer of the city and the department of the Two-Sevres is the hospital (2742 paid in 2007). To note that the most important private clinic of the area Poitou-Charentes is located at Niort (Inkermann polyclinic).

Niort is also one of the principal training centres to the trades of the insurance and the risks in France, in particular through specialized establishments:

  • the CEPR - European Center of prevention of the risks,
  • the IRIAF - Institute of the industrial assurantiels and financial risks.
These sets of themes are also included in the trainings given by the local antenna of the Université of Poitiers, by the IUP and the IUT of Niort. The city accommodates a thousand of students on the whole each year.

Lastly, Niort is the seat of the Chamber of commerce and industry of Two-Sevres -.

Famous characters

  • Francoise d' Aubigné , more known under the name of M {{me}} of Maintenon (Niort 1635 - Saint-Cyr-the School 1719). Favorite, then morganatic wife in 1683 of the king Louis XIV, born has Niort in a house of the street of the Bridge, close to the castle where his/her father Constant of Aubigné, the son of the famous poet Agrippa of Aubigné, was prisoner for debts. (see the page of M {{me}} of Maintenon)

  • Jean-Pierre Louis de Fontanes (Niort 1757 - Paris 1821). Writer, president of the Senate under Napoleon 1st, which will do it Count d' Empire, and large main of the university of 1808 to 1817. It entirely reorganized the French school system, since the primary classes to the university. It is made marquis by Louis XVIII.

  • Augustin Bernard d' Agesci says Bernard d' Agesci (Niort 1757 -? 1828). Neo-classic painter of religious compositions, mythological scenes, portraits, he was also copyist. Its religious, mythological subjects and its portraits are sometimes equipped with a lyricism which makes think of art Delacroix. It is also known for its work: “Projects of organization of a new head office of Arts”, Paris, 1805. The new Museum of Niort bears its name.

  • Jacques Linen (Niort 1753 - 1810 Cabeza de Tigre - Argentinian). Viceroy of the Viceroyalty of Río of Plata (1807-1809), also known under the name of Santiago the Linen ones.

  • Antonin Proust (Niort 1832 - Paris 1905). French politician and journalist. Republican deputy of Two-Sevres, secretary of Leon Gambetta, which does it Minister for the Art schools. He founds the École of Louvre in 1882. Friend of Edouard Manet, he will be a large promoter of the work of the painter after his death.

  • Jean Victor Largeau (Niort 1842 -? 1897), explorer of the the Sahara and the Congo, it made two unfruitful attempts to cross the Sahara by Ghadamès (1874-1875) and to gain Tombouctou (1877). He was also colonial civil servant as an administrator of the Oubangui, under the orders of Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza. He left a great correspondence and published: the Sahara (Paris, 1870); country of Rirha-Ouargla (1879); the Algerian Sahara (2nd ED., 1882).

  • General Victor-Emmanuel Largeau , wire of the precedent (Irun 1867 - Avocourt, Verdun 1916). Organizer and peacemaker of the Chad (1903-1913). He dies during the Bataille of Verdun and is buried with Magné. The Chadian city of Faya-Largeau bears its name.

  • Louis Tardy , born with Coulon, raises with the college Fontanes de Niort, he sees himself entrusting in 1920 the head office of the National office of the Agricultural credit of which he is named director and who will become in 1926 the National bank of Agricultural credit. He will durably mark the institution of his print. In 1946, it assumes the chairmanship of regional Case of Agricultural credit of Two-Sevres (become since 1995 the Regional Case of Agricultural credit Charente-Maritime Two-Sevres). It takes part in addition in the foundation of the National federation of the Agricultural credit in May 1945.

  • Gaston Barred (Cholet 1864 -?). Industrialist, pioneer of the car. Very young person, it was interested in the vélocipède which was a locomotion mode considered to be revolutionary at the time and is established in Niort at the end of the 19th century like “hirer out and manufacturing cycles” and launches out in the manufacture of motor vehicles. Before the Great War the Barré cars gain several successes in the very new Tour de France car. The company experiences a significant development until in the years 1920, where it counts 250 workmen. True visionary, it launches one of the first services after sale of France. He also launches the first commercial vehicles. Gaston Barré could have been one of largest French manufacturers the. The more so as it largely had financial means and that at the top of its glory, its factories left a car/day. However, the Barré house disappears in 1930. A vocational school specialized in body and trades of the car bears its name in Niort.

  • Pierre-Marie Poisson (Niort 1876 - Paris 1953). Sculptor. Author inter alia war memorial of Le Havre, carry-lights of the Collège de France, fountain of Dreux, Faith and the Hope of the church Saint-Nicolas-of-Hanging-post, great unit placed at the bottom of the water tower of the palate of Chaillot, low-reliefs of the dining room steamer Normandy …

  • Henri-Georges Clouzot (Niort 1907 - Paris 1977). Realizer, scenario writer, dialogist and producer of cinema. Its name is attached to the realization of masterpieces of the French cinema such as Quai of the Goldsmiths , the Wages of the fear , the Corbel , Diabolic the …

  • Ségolène Royal , candidate with the town hall of Niort in 1995, where it obtains the nomination of the Socialist party. It fails vis-a-vis the outgoing socialist mayor Bernard Bellec which had refused to be withdrawn. It will remain municipal adviser. She makes a success of however her local anchoring as a deputy of the second district of Two-Sevres (Saint-Maixent-the School) and with Miss, springboard in her conquest of the area Poitou-Charentes in 2004. Candidate with the presidential election of 2007, it loses with the second turn, vis-a-vis Nicolas Sarkozy with 46,94% of the voices.

Tourist monuments and places

The Keep

At the edge of the Niort Separates, draws up one of the most beautiful whole of Romance twin keeps of France. They formed the central tiny room of a vast castle in form of quadrilateral which was 700 m long.

It is Henri II Plantagenêt which, wanting to put in value and defense the fields that his wife, Aliénor of Aquitaine, brought to him by her marriage, decided to make build at the end of the 12th century the castle of Niort and to make an impregnable fortress of it. It was a true city including of the dwellings, the Jardin S and a place of weapon on which there was the Collégiale Saint-Gaudens, which was destroyed during the wars of religion. Later the castle will be used as Prison.

The two keeps are roughly square. The southern keep measures 28 meters height, the northern keep 23 meters. Their plan is similar: a full cylindrical tower includes each angle and a median buttress consolidates the walls. The southern keep is a typical example of the military architecture of this time: thick walls, buttresses, openings very few and of reduced size. It is armed under its crenellation with machicolation on arcs (north-eastern faces and south-west). The northern keep which will collapse partially in 1749 was rebuilt in 1750. It is less high than the southern keep and its general pace is a little less austere. At the origin, the two keeps, surmounted of a crenelated terrace and distant of 16 meters were connected between them by curtains between which extended a paved interior court. It is only at the 15th century, that the body of central building was high.

The Keep is today classified historic building. Old museum, it is currently in the course of restoration and shelters temporary exhibitions. Platform, réouverte with the public there is little, there is a very beautiful sight on the city and on the Sèvre.

The Pilori

the pilori it is old the Town hall, invaluable example of Renaissance architecture, built at the place where was the medieval pilori, it was altered at the 16th century by the architect Mathurin Berthomé. The upper part of the Belfry date of the 17th century. After having sheltered a time of the temporary exposure S, it is today, temporarily, a Librairie. Of trapezoidal plan, the building on three levels presents in particular a pretty decoration higher with its windows than carved pediments, candelabra, crenels and merlons constant by consoles, waste-gas mains.

At the base of the belfry, side street Saint-Froze, behind crenellation are the old armorial bearings of Niort (fine 14th century) with two savages confining a tower.

At the time of the restoration of 1885, the painted decoration of the big room of the first stage was entrusted to Charles Lameire. One notices a chimney of painted vegetable decoration there, as well as the blazons of the mayors and aldermen of Niort, under the Old Mode. The Pilori is classified historic building. See the site of the city

Religious buildings

  • the church Notre-Dame
The Gothic church of style blazing goes back to the 14th century, but owes of good part her aspect current in XVe and XVIe S. Ancienne Romance church , its plan presents a central nave, rather broad, confined of two secondary naves where vaults are open. The unit is covered with vaults with eight veins according to the process of the Gothic angevin or " Plantagenêt". It has a Clocher with conical arrow of 75 meters. The main entrance on the Northern side, is decorated of a remarkable gate of the 16th century, dedicated to the Virgin, where the decorative elements a finishing Gothic and those of the Rebirth are interfered. The architect Maturin Berthomé is the author, he raised also the bell-tower as well as an interior platform, destroyed, southern part. It is into 1771 that the Master furnace bridge was transferred to the West and that one disorientated the church thus. Two gates were then on both sides open of the important stained glass (XVIe S. - XVIIe S.) lighting the nave and whose topic is the Tree of Jessé (restored). Southern part, one will notice in the first vault, marble the tombs (S.) of the family of Baudéan-Parabère, as well as the copper epitaph of Francoise Tiraqueau (17th century). Further two important tables painted by Lattainville (18th century). With the entry of the bell-tower, a Deposition of good invoice due to the brush of Bernard d' Agesci (1810). The neo-gothic pulpit of style (1877) like the way of cross, in carved oak, are of a remarkable execution. Presence of tapestries of Aubusson (18th century).

  • the church Saint-Florent of the 5th century decorated with a Bell-tower - Porch of the 11th century of which the two bays shelter each one a bell, probably replaced in XIe century, a building of Ve century. Low-relief S going up at the time préromane and whose naive invoice is not without resemblance to the figurations of the Gallic time, were embedded in the walls.

  • the Holy-Pezenne church . This church of the beginning of the 12th century is oldest of Niort, and preserves Romance time an antiquated chorus of structure. Its Romance bell-tower-porch is a rare type in the area.

  • the church Saint-Andrew

Important Romance building, there remains only some carved fragments preserved at the museum. Modified and increased at the time Gothic, then under the Rebirth, the building was ruined by the Protestants in 1588. After a first restoration, the church was rebuilt and increased in 1685. It was used as store of fodder during the wars of the Vendée, dates to which was prolonged towards the Chanzy place, the street Saint-Andrew, which, crossing the parochial cemetery which surrounded the church, allowed the direct access with the barracks of cavalry. The high current building of 1855 to 1863 by the Niort architect Segrétain, is regarded rightly as a rather happy pastiche of a Gothic building of the 13th century. Inside towards the bedside, of the southern part, one can still see the remainders of vaults of Renaissance time. To notice a Christ in cross, painting of the 18th century by Lattainville, a Christ out of wooden of the 18th century, as well as a remarkable carved pulpit of the 17th century.

  • the old abbey of Roussille or Saint-Liguaire, private property located dead end of the Abbey: chapter house and crypt.

  • the Temple protesting

Sold in 1800 at the town of Niort, the church of the old convent of Cordeliers (XIIIe S.) was given to the Protestants in 1805 to celebrate their worship there. The Gothic building, strongly damaged during the wars of religion, was restored under Henri IV and at the 19th century. The single nave, with flat bedside, shelters an important decorated pulpit of a sober decoration of panels.

Markets

the markets , built in 1869 by Durand, cast iron and of steel in the style of Baltard are the third market hall of Niort (the medieval markets of Niort were regarded as vastest of the kingdom). The formed current building of a vast central nave and two low sides was confined subsequently of two galleries open on the place of the Keep and the street Brisson. Each frontage is decorated in its center of three blind arcades sheltering a main door. This one is surmounted by a cast iron pediment decorated of the figures of Mercury, god Commercial and robbers, and of Cérès surrounded of the attributes of agriculture, fruits, vegetables, etc Good example of ancient survival in a modern architecture, the whole of the site of the markets is registered with the additional inventory of the historic buildings. With the the Middle Ages, one called them “the most beautiful mob of the kingdom of France”, they shelter the Marché of the Tuesday to Sunday, the morning and until 14:00. Thursday and saturdays, the market is also spread out over the square.

Military buildings

  • the barracks Of Guesclin , Chanzy place. Name of Bertrand Of Guesclin, barracks of the type Vauban whose construction was started in 1734. She was ordered by the mayor Thibault de Bouteville, on the place of the old market, so called place Saint-Froze. The barracks were composed of only one body of building on three floors which can shelter 720 men; rooms of the ground floor being used as stables. This plan was increased successively in 1779,1830, and 1894. The district will shelter 43 regiments of cavalry which follow one another during 160 years: To note the presence of the seventh regiment of hussards which marked the daily life of Niort of 1862 to 1919. The barracks also sheltered the middle-class militia of Niort which was organized since 1572 and which, in 1621, was set up by Louis XIII in regiment under the title of Royal Niort. The command of this regiment belonged to the Niort mayor who saw himself allotting the rank of colonel.

Currently in work to accommodate the general advice of the Two-Sevres.

Civil buildings

  • Place of Brêche , old place of Fair, superb and vast place which was overhung of pretty a public Jardin decorated Statue S to which one reached by a monumental Escalier as well as an immense carpark of more than 1000 places. The place is currently in the course of transformation to create an underground car park, a center of conferences, a brewery, a cinematographic complex of 12 rooms managed by the group CGR and an immense public garden, thus replacing the carpark of surface.
The bottom of the place formerly opened to the traffic motor vehicle was transformed into esplanade with terraces of bars and restaurants.

The name of the place comes from the “brêche” open in the ramparts of the city in order to increase the space dedicated to the important royal fairs.

  • the strong Foucault , located on a small island in the middle of Separates Niort, below the keep.

Notched tower, vestige of a fortress built at the 12th century apart from the ramparts, in front of the castle, and which included/understood four turns formerly. With its strategic position, this advanced work, connected to the castle by a footbridge in the prolongation of the drawbridge of the known as castle, defended the passage of Sèvre. It was on this side that the garrison could communicate with the countryside and undertake, if necessary, some exits. It is with the site of this fortress that was built, in 1811, the villa of Strong Foucault, neo-classic style. Auguste Tolbecque (1830-1878), type-setter, violoncellist and leader became the owner in 1875 about it. It installed there a workshop of stringed-instrument trade where it could restore the old musical instruments which it collected with passion. Property of the town of Niort, strong Foucault is currently a residence of artists.

  • the turn of the telegraph Cap , 22 rue du Vivier. Located on the ground of the hospital service " Terrasses" this crenelated tower which supported the Sémaphore is in enough good state of conservation in spite of an absence of restoration.

  • old the baths June, 28 rue Baugier. This very beautiful building of the first Niort public baths, built in 1804 between two arms of Separates Niort, is particularly remarkable by its former part in form of turn which sheltered the machines. Esthetics hispanisante of its frontage would be the work of a Mexican architect. The establishment of baths ceased its activity in the Fifties to become a dwelling house. A project of transformation into hotel serit currently being studied. (private property registered with the Inventory of the Historic buildings.)

  • the firm of Chey , to the place says Chey was a smallholding depending on the abbey of Saint-Liguaire. A windowsill profiled would date from the end of the Middle Ages and a door with framing chamfered of the 18th century.

  • the street Ricard and its bronze dragons. In the principal commercial street of the city draw up four dragons bronzes straight of it left Sèvre Niort. The origin of these dragons is drawn from a legend which tells the victory of a knight having overcome one of these animals who haunted the Marais poitevin at the end of the 12th century.

These four figures raised with the row of work of art continue, as in the legend, to haunt the city, but with a more practical function: that to separate pedestrian space from that reserved for the cars.

  • old Houses :

    • the Home of Hercules . This tavern of the 16th century is famous to have been the place where the first case of the Peste at the 17th century would have been declared. (Private property)
    • With 30 rue Saint-Jean, it there with the house known as of the Governor , who dates from the 15th century. (Private property)
    • With the n° 3 of the street Petit Midsummer's Day is the hotel of Estissac elegant residence Renaissance. (Private property)
    • With the n° 5 of the street of the Bridge is the hotel of Chaumont , of the end of the 15th century, native house of Francoise d' Aubigné. Royal prison since the middle of the 16th century until the middle of the 19th century. (private property)
    • With the n° 55 of the street Saint-Froze, the house of the Virgin : this residence with wood sides of the 15th century, currently almost ruins some, belonged to a very known family. She draws her name from a statue of the Virgin located in a niche of the frontage. A beam out of wooden, in the low part, gives him an aspect even more remarkable. Inside, only the staircase is of origin.
    • With the n° 63 of the street Saint-Froze, the hotel of Carrying the , built in 1830 by the architect Pierre-Theophilus Segretain for the mayor of Niort, Jean-Victor Chebrou of the Carrying one.
    • Old Hotel of Marcardière , 13 rue Jean-Jacques-Rousseau. With ionic twin columns, its gate, single vestige of the old hotel of Marcadière, is characteristic of the 18th century. It gives access at a court where is a house gone back to 1878 and one dwelling house of second half of the 19th century. (Private property)
    • 27 rue de la Juiverie, an old house and turn of staircase of the end of the Middle Ages and beginning of the Rebirth,
    • the villa of Agesci known as la House Rose, 50bis avenue Alsace-Lorraine, of Tuscan influence to the walls covered with a pink rough coat, it is registered with the additional inventory of the Historic buildings.

A city in the countryside

  • flowered City: 3 flowers allotted by the National council of the Cities and Flowered Villages of France.

  • Green Casting , tour through the city made up of quays and banks arranged, footbridges to the evocative names (the bridge of arts, waters running…) allowing to pass from a bank to the other, or small islands in small islands. Today it is possible to connect the center of Niort to Magné, first city of the Marais poitevin.

  • communal Way of Thousand-year-old IIIe . Girdling the city on 53 km, this way, opened with the public in 2000, is a place of walk to feet or bicycle. The Way proposes 9 courses making it possible to discover the variety of the landscapes, the fauna and the flora of the neighborhoods of Niort.

Education

Schools of Niort:

Nursery schools

Private establishments

  • Notre-Dame
  • Saint-Florent
  • Saint-Hilaire
  • Holy-Macrine
  • Holy-Therese

Public corporations

  • Louis-Aragon
  • Clutched of Aubigné
  • Paul-Bert
  • Brizeaux
  • Ferdinand-Bush
  • Pierre-with-Coubertin
  • Jules-Ferry
  • Jean-Jaurès
  • Langevin - Walloon
  • Jean-Macé
  • Jean-Mermoz
  • Jules-Michelet
  • Mirandelle
  • Louis-Pasteur
  • Ernest-Pérochon
  • Jacques-Prévert
  • Edmond-Proust
  • George-Sand
  • Jean-Zay
  • Emile-Zola

Elementary schools

Private establishments

  • Notre-Dame
  • Saint-Florent
  • Saint-Hilaire
  • Holy-Macrine
  • Holy-Therese

Public corporations

  • Louis-Aragon
  • Clutched of Aubigné
  • Paul-Bert
  • Brizeaux
  • Ferdinand-Bush
  • Pierre de Coubertin
  • Jules-Ferry
  • Jean Jaurès
  • Langevin - Walloon
  • Jean-Macé
  • Jean-Mermoz
  • Jules-Michelet
  • Mirandelle
  • Louis-Pasteur
  • Ernest-Pérochon
  • Jacques-Prévert
  • Edmond-Proust
  • George Sand
  • Jean-Zay
  • Emile-Zola

Colleges

  • Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
  • Fontanes (old college)
  • Jean-Zay
  • Notre-Dame
  • Pierre-and-Marie-Curie
  • Saint-Hilaire
  • Rabelais
  • Philippe de Commynes
  • Gerard-Philippe

Colleges

  • Jean-Macé
  • Paul-Guerin
  • Venice Green
  • Gaston-Baré
  • Saint-Andrew Notre-Dame
  • Thomas Jean horticultural Hand
  • College

Culture

Niort belongs to the network Ville and Trades of Article the Regional pole of the Trades of Arts (PRMA) is charged by the Communauté with agglomeration with Niort and the area Poitou-Charentes to promote the trades of arts of the area (mechanical arts, graphic arts, pottery or the instrumental invoice). Each summer, proceeds a demonstration putting at the honor the craftsmen arts of the area.

Cultural establishments

  • National scene the Mill of the Rock, with its cinema of art and test.
  • general Media library (books & audio-visual),
  • regional Media library,
  • 5 libraries of district, mobile library and game library.
  • Museum Bernard-in Agesci with in particular a room devoted to the sculptor Pierre-Marie Poisson, as well as a history of the teaching and an exceptional collection of natural history on regional fauna.
  • Museum of the Keep (currently in work)
  • Pilori, temporary exhibitions.
  • Leclerc Cultural center, concerts and spectacles.

The museums of the town of Niort were rewarded in 1990 for their action in favor of the Non-voyant S. They were gathered in the old college of young girls Jean Macé (which occurred of Limoges) under the name of museum Bernard d' Agesci open to the public since 2006.

Cinemas

  • the Mill of the Rock
  • CGR Rex
  • CGR Keep

These two last will close their doors at the end of 2007, whereas will open one multiplexes of 12 rooms in downtown area (place of the Breach), managed by CGR.

Cultural events

  • Diary of the cultural events

  • Niort Thursdays, concerts at the edge of the Separates Niort

  • the Very Large World council of the Clowns which meets every two years since 2003
  • Foirexpo de Niort
  • photographic Rencontres of Niort
  • Festival A2Bulles - the day of the Cartoon with Niort

Sports

  • Sports equipment of the town of Niort. In 2007, the city launched the realization of a Pole of the Sports. From here into 2012, on a site of 122 hectares along the avenue of Limoges, this pole should integrate new sports equipment (market of the sports, development center of the sport, wall of climbing, in the second time a stage from 12000 to 20000 places) as well as equipment of leisures.
  • Trophy Jacky Braud: 24 Hours not stop of Hockey
  • Niort Chamois: Football club which plays in League 2
  • A.P.N.E.E, club of diving under navy
  • Baseball Niort Club " Dragons"
  • Niort Stage Rugby which plays into Federal 2
  • Niort Hockey Club
  • Roller Hockey Niort
  • Horse Club Niort
  • Niort Ultimate Club, club of Frisbee
  • Niort Athletics, club of Athletics, twice organizing Stade of the Championnats of France of athletics elite (1999 and 2007), once of the championship of France junior.
  • Cnpva : Niort committee for the promotion of community life
  • Karting.79 - Pole of piloting mechanical sports

Local specialities

The Angélique is a grass green, long, fine, a kind of root, rich in fibers which would be connected with cardoon and which one uses in confectionery, jam, pastry making and liquor. Nuns of the town of Niort, at the 18th century, would have had the idea to preserve angelica and to give to this plant with the virtues considered medicinal the fame of a delicacy.

Bleaches on grass with liquor, angelica, only or associated with other aromatic species, gives its perfume to number of ratafias, elixirs, creams like to liquors. It is the principal component of angelica liquor of Niort.

Generations of Niort market-gardeners had selected the plant for the confectionery. It needs a fertile, always fresh but sunny ground and attentive farming ways.

Today, Niort maintains the tradition and the crystallized receipt of angelica residence a trade secret. However, the urbanization moved away this delicate culture, in periphery of the commune. Presentation of angelica on the site of the Interregional park of the Marsh poitevin

Twinnings

Quotations

  • “To go in Niort. To take the way of Niort”. It is to deny, contradict, lie.

See too

External bonds

  • Plane Site of the town hall
  • of the town of Niort
  • the Community of agglomeration of Niort
  • Niort on the site of the national geographical Institute
  • Niort on the site of INSEE
  • Niort on the site of Quid
  • Localization of Niort on a chart of France and communes bordering
  • Plane on Niort on Mapquest

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© 2007-2008 speedlook.com; article text available under the terms of GFDL, from fr.wikipedia.org