France – Niort (En)
We went to Niort in western France, not knowing what to expect, and we were pleasantly surprised. It’s a fairly large city with many historic medieval buildings and a 12th- and 13th-century castle. It’s very pretty because the Sèvre River runs through the city, with beautiful views. It also has a square in the old town where the central market is located, with stalls outside, which is very lively.
Where to stay
We stayed in the city’s motorhome park (46.329498, -0.464432 lat, long), which costs €14.70 and is collected early the next morning. We arrived on Saturday morning, and no one came to collect on Sunday, so weekends are free. We left early Monday so we didn’t have to pay anything. The park has an area for filling and emptying water, garbage containers and electricity. A large Leclerc supermarket is a 10-minute walk away, and in the other direction, you’ll reach the city centre and the castle in 15 minutes. Be warned that the manoeuvring space is very narrow; we hit the passenger-side mirror, so be careful. I recommend it for seeing the city.
What to see
Right next to the area, there’s a place where you pass by the park and the river, which you follow until you reach the city centre. From the river, there are beautiful views of the city and the bridge. Upon arriving in the city, we walked up a street in the old town lined with half-timbered houses and arrived at St. Andrew’s Church, which towers over the city. We were able to visit inside.
We then arrived at the square where the central market is located. This is a metal and glass hall built in 1869 and located diagonally across from the Torreón. When we arrived, there was a demonstration against fascism in the plaza and street stalls. The market has a lively atmosphere, places to eat inside, and is surrounded by cosy terraces with views of the Donjon.
We then went to see what they call the Donjon, part of a medieval castle and the most important monument in Niort. The castle was 700 meters long and had ten towers. Part of the keep dates back to the 12th century, when Henry II, King of England, began its construction. It has two square towers, 23 and 28 meters high. The rooms of the main building are currently used as a museum. It received the status of a historic monument in 1840.
Returning to the market, a straight street leads you to what they call El Pilori, a beautiful 14th-century building. It’s the former town hall built in the Renaissance style. It is clad in decorative masonry (brick). Currently, El Pilori is used as an exhibition space for local artists.
We continued touring the city until we reached Port Boinot and the Church of Saint Etienne du Port, which is very cool inside.
We left Niort and headed to Mosnac, a small town next to a river ideal for fishing and its famous Saint-Saturnin church, which you can see in the next post!
