View source for Poitiers

{{Infobox French commune
|name                   = Poitiers
|commune status         = [[Prefectures in France|Prefecture]] and [[Communes of France|commune]]
|image coat of arms     = Blason ville fr Poitiers (Vienne).svg
|image                  = Poitiers hill.jpg
|caption                = The old town center.
|arrondissement         = Poitiers
|canton                 = Capital of 5 cantons
|INSEE                  = 86194
|postal code            = 86000
|mayor                  = Alain Claeys<ref>{{cite web |publisher=Ville de Poitiers |title=Le Maire et ses adjoints |url=https://www.poitiers.fr/c__71_271__Le_Maire_et_ses_adjoints.html |language=French |accessdate=18 April 2017}}</ref>
|term                   = 2014&ndash;2020
|intercommunality       = Grand Poitiers
|coordinates            = {{coord|46.3555|0.2010|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
|elevation m            = 105
|elevation min m        = 65
|elevation max m        = 144
|area km2               = 42.11
|population demonym     = Poitevins
|population             = 87435
|population date        = 2014
|website                = [http://www.poitiers.fr/ www.poitiers.fr]
}}
'''Poitiers''' is a city in [[France]], the [[Prefectures in France|prefecture]] of the [[Vienne]] [[Departments of France|department]] in the [[Nouvelle-Aquitaine]] [[Regions of France|region]]. The town is picturesque; and its streets are interesting for their remains of ancient architecture, especially of the [[Romanesque]] period, and the memories of great historical events.

The city itself is very old. It already existed as a [[Gaul]]ish fort in the time when [[Julius Caesar]] came to Gaul. It was the capital of the [[Pictones]] [[tribe]].

== Geography ==
Poitiers is in the centre of the Vienne department, between the [[valley]]s of the Boivre and the [[Clain]] [[river]]s. The old town is on the [[:wikt:slope|slopes]] and the [[summit]] of a [[plateau]] which rises 130 feet (40 m) above the [[stream]]s which surround it on three sides.

Poitiers is at about {{Convert|220|km|mi|abbr=on }} from [[Bordeaux]], {{Convert|340|km|mi|abbr=on }} from [[Paris]], {{Convert|130|km|mi|abbr=on }} from [[Limoges]] and {{Convert|180|km|mi|abbr=on }} from [[Nantes]].

The ''commune'' has an area of {{Convert|42.1|km2|sqmi|abbr=on }}.<ref name="insee-geo">{{cite web |url=https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/1405599?geo=COM-86194 |title=Commune de Poitiers (86194) |work=Comparateur de territoire |publisher=Institut national de la statistique et des études économiques - INSEE |format= |language=French |accessdate=18 April 2017 |date= }}</ref> Its average [[altitude]] is {{Convert|105|m|ft|abbr=on}}; at the [[City and town halls|city hall]], the altitude is {{Convert|116|m|ft|abbr=on }}.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.map-france.com/Poitiers-86000/ |title=Poitiers |publisher=Map-France.com |language= |accessdate=18 April 2017 |date= }}</ref>

<center>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|- 
| style="border:1px solid black;" | [[File:Map commune FR insee code 86194.png|350px|Map of the ''commune'' of Poitiers]]
|}
</center>

The ''commune'' of Poitiers is surrounded by the ''communes'':

{{Geographic location|width=auto
|Centre    = Poitiers
|North     = [[Jaunay-Clan]]<br />[[Chasseneuil-du-Poitou]]<br />[[Buxerolles, Vienne|Buxerolles]] 
|Northeast = [[Montamisé]]
|East      = [[Bignoux]]<br />[[Sèvres-Anxaumont]]
|Southeast = [[Mignaloux-Beauvoir]]
|South     = [[Saint-Benoît, Vienne|Saint-Benoît]]<br />[[Ligugé]]
|Southwest = [[Croutelle]]<br />[[Fontaine-le-Comte]]
|West      = [[Biard]]<br />[[Vouneuil-sous-Biard]] 
|Northwest = [[Migné-Auxances]]<br />[[Vouneuil-sous-Biard]]
}}

===Climate===
The climate of Poitiers, in the [[Köppen climate classification]], is '''Cfb''' - [[Oceanic climate]] with template summers.

== Population ==
The inhabitants of Poitiers are known, in [[French language|French]], as ''Pictaviens'' (women: ''Pictaviennes'').<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.habitants.fr/vienne-86 |title=Vienne (86) |publisher=habitants.fr |language=French |accessdate=18 April 2017 |date= }}</ref>

With a population of 87,435,<ref name=insee2>{{cite web |url=http://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/fichier/2525755/dep86.pdf |title=Régions, départements, arrondissements, cantons et communes  |work= Populations légales 2014 |publisher=Institut national de la statistique et des études économiques - INSEE |language=French |accessdate=18 April 2017|date= }}</ref> Poitiers has a [[population density]] of {{Pop density|87435|42.11|km2|prec=0|disp=num}} inhabitants/km<sup>2</sup>.

<center>
'''Evolution of the population in Poitiers'''
<timeline>
Colors=
  id:lightgrey value:gray(0.9)
  id:darkgrey  value:gray(0.7)
  id:sfondo value:rgb(1,1,1)
  id:barra value:rgb(0.6,0.7,0.8)

ImageSize = width:500 height:373
PlotArea = left:50 bottom:30 top:30 right:30
DateFormat = x.y
Period = from:0 till:95000
TimeAxis = orientation:vertical
AlignBars = justify
ScaleMajor = gridcolor:darkgrey increment:10000 start:0
ScaleMinor = gridcolor:lightgrey increment:5000 start:0
BackgroundColors = canvas:sfondo 

BarData=
 bar:1968 text:1968
 bar:1975 text:1975
 bar:1982 text:1982
 bar:1990 text:1990
 bar:1999 text:1999
 bar:2006 text:2006
 bar:2014 text:2014

PlotData=
 color:barra width:30 align:left

 bar:1968 from:0 till: 70681
 bar:1975 from:0 till: 81313
 bar:1982 from:0 till: 79350
 bar:1990 from:0 till: 78894
 bar:1999 from:0 till: 83448
 bar:2006 from:0 till: 88776
 bar:2014 from:0 till: 87435

PlotData=
 bar:1968 at: 70681 fontsize:S text: 70,681 shift:(-12,5)
 bar:1975 at: 81313 fontsize:S text: 81,313 shift:(-13,5)
 bar:1982 at: 79350 fontsize:S text: 79,350 shift:(-13,5)
 bar:1990 at: 78894 fontsize:S text: 78,894 shift:(-13,5)
 bar:1999 at: 83448 fontsize:S text: 83,448 shift:(-13,5)
 bar:2006 at: 88776 fontsize:S text: 88,776 shift:(-13,5)
 bar:2014 at: 87435 fontsize:S text: 87,435 shift:(-13,5)
</timeline>
</center>

Poitiers forms, with seven other ''communes'', the [[urban area]] of Poitiers with a population of 128,111 inhabitants (2013) and an area of {{Convert|172.3|km2|sqmi|abbr=on }}.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/1405599?geo=UU2010-86601 |title=Unité urbaine de Poitiers (86601) |work= Comparateur de territoire |publisher=Institut national de la statistique et des études économiques - INSEE |format= |language=French |accessdate=18 April 2017|date= }}</ref> This urban area is the centre of the [[metropolitan area]] of Poitiers, formed by 97 ''communes'', with a population of 257,233 inhabitants (2013) and an area of {{Convert|2303.4|km2|sqmi|abbr=on }}.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/1405599?geo=AU2010-039 |title=Aire urbaine de Poitiers (039) |work= Comparateur de territoire |publisher=Institut national de la statistique et des études économiques - INSEE |format= |language=French |accessdate=18 April 2017|date= }}</ref>

== Administration ==
Poitiers is the [[Prefectures in France|prefecture]] of the Vienne department, the capital of the ''arrondissement'' of [[Arrondissement of Poitiers|Poitiers]] and the [[administrative centre]] ({{lang-fr|chef-lieu}}) of five [[Cantons of France|canton]]:
* [[Canton of Poitiers-1|Poitiers-1]], with 23,086 inhabitants <small>(2014)</small>.
* [[Canton of Poitiers-2|Poitiers-2]], with 25,371 inhabitants <small>(2014)</small>.
* [[Canton of Poitiers-3|Poitiers-3]], with 26,843 inhabitants <small>(2014)</small>.
* [[Canton of Poitiers-4|Poitiers-4]], with 20,756 inhabitants <small>(2014)</small>.
* [[Canton of Poitiers-5|Poitiers-5]], with 22,170 inhabitants <small>(2014)</small>.

It is part of the [[Communes of France|intercommunality]] ''Grand Poitiers'' ({{lang-fr|Communauté d'agglomération Grand Poitiers}}).

=== Sister cities ===
Poitiers is twinned with:<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.poitiers.fr/c__70_208__Poitiers_et_ses_villes_jumelles.html |title=Poitiers et ses villes jumelles  |publisher=Ville de Poitiers |language=French |accessdate=18 April 2017 |date= }}</ref>
* {{Flagicon|UK}} [[Northampton]], [[UK]]
* {{Flagicon|GER}} [[Marburg]], [[Germany]]
* {{Flagicon|USA}} [[Lafayette, Louisiana|Lafayette]], [[USA]]
* {{Flagicon|POR}} [[Coimbra]], [[Portugal]]
* {{Flagicon|RUS}} [[Yaroslavl]], [[Russia]]
* {{Flagicon|CHA}} [[Moundou]], [[Chad]]
* {{Flagicon|ROM}} [[Iaşi]], [[Romania]]

==Notable people==
This is a list of people of interest who were born or resided in Poitiers:
*[[René Descartes]] studied law at the University of Poitiers
*[[Michel Foucault]], French [[philosopher]]
*[[Jean-Pierre Thiollet]], French author
*[[Brian Joubert]], French [[ice skating]] champion

==Gallery==
<center>
<gallery widths=180>
File:Poitiers Cathédrale Saint Pierre.jpg|[[Cathedral]] of St. Peter, west side.
File:PoitiersEglise Notre Dame.JPG|''Notre-Dame-La Grande'' [[church]].
File:PA00105619poitiers-hotel-deville2.JPG|Poitiers [[City and town halls|town hall]].
File:PA00105586poitiers-cathedrale-saint-pierre2.JPG|Saint Pierre de Poitiers cathedral.
</gallery>
</center>

== Related pages ==
* [[Arrondissement of Poitiers]]
* [[Communes of the Vienne department]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== Other websites ==
{{commonscat|Poitiers}}
* [http://www.mairie-poitiers.fr/ City council website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210618135346/https://www.mairie-poitiers.fr/ |date=2021-06-18 }} (in French)
* [http://france-for-visitors.com/atlantic/poitiers/index.html Visiting Poitiers] (in English)
* [http://www.tourisme-vienne.com/poitiers.php Tourisme Poitiers] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071225180917/http://www.tourisme-vienne.com/poitiers.php |date=2007-12-25 }} (official site, in French)
* [http://en.tourisme-vienne.com/poitiers.php Tourism Poitiers] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081225225737/http://en.tourisme-vienne.com/poitiers.php |date=2008-12-25 }} (official site, in English).

{{Préfectures of départements of France}}
{{authority control}}
[[Category:Poitiers| ]]
[[Category:Former regional capitals in France]]