Overview

This is a beautiful 12th century Romanesque church built on the site of a Gallo-Roman temple; some evidence of the original temple still exists both inside and outside the church in its walls. The painted walls and pillars inside are unmissable too. I visited both during the day when it was quiet and also at night for the exterior illumination of what the church would have looked like before the paint faded; this is extremely beautiful and I would recommend a visit. I was also lucky in that a free candlelit concert was given inside the church afterwards by a young pianist who played Bach, Brahms and Mozart. The organisers (Poitiers tourist office) approached me outside the church and told me that I would be assisted inside before everyone else was seated to ensure that I had a good view! It was absolutely beautiful and transported me to another place.

Transport & Parking

We drove there and found quite a few disabled spaces dotted around the town centre; we parked opposite the police station and meandered through Poitiers which was about a ten minute wander from there to the church. Meandering is highly recommended as there are lots of architectural treasures, museums and shops throughout Poitiers. There is a train station but it was at the foot of the city and it would be a steep uphill climb and although there are buses, I'm not sure if they were accessible.

Access

There is a level access through one door but it needs someone to hold it open as it is very old and heavy, however, for a 12th century building, the interior is accessible with a few uneven flagstones as you would expect. There is also ramp access inside to inaccessible areas so they have clearly made an effort to ensure accessibility.

Toilets

N/A

Staff

The staff I met for the illumination and concert event were fantastic and helpful and even gave my P.A. a seat reserved for the presenter of the concert!

Anything else you wish to tell us?

Poitiers has much more to offer than you might think and it's also more accessible than it might first appear. There were a couple of churches which were inaccessible to me but strangely enough one had a ramp after an inaccessible narrow doorway and if we had contacted staff, there might have been ways in I didn't see; it was great to be able to access this lovely church. Well worth a visit (my third) and I plan to return.

Photos