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Park in the Promenade des Cours car park.
(S/E) Take the path leading to Tison, cross the small footbridge and walk alongside the buildings on your left. Turn left and follow the road uphill. A few metres after the bend on the left, climb the stairs. At the top, turn left and walk up Boulevard de Tison to the roundabout. Take Rue de Blossac on the right and walk up the street towards the main gate of Blossac Park to admire the majestic entrance.
(1) Enter the park and choose:
- let your instincts guide you as you stroll through the park; on the right as you enter, enjoy a small animal park and a charming little cave,
- take the path on the left and walk along the ramparts with a magnificent view of Poitiers.
Exit via the south gate and cross the street, taking Rue des Douves opposite on the right, which slopes downwards.
(2) Admire the remains of the old ramparts surrounding the city of Poitiers. Retrace your steps to the gate of Parc de Blossac. Walk up Rue de la Tranchée to Rue Le Cesve. Take this street and then turn right onto Rue Saint-Hilaire.
(3) Take a good look at the Church of Saint-Hilaire, then continue straight on to Rue Théophraste Renaudot and turn right onto Rue Victor Hugo. Pass in front of the magnificent Vienne Prefecture, then turn right onto Place du Maréchal Leclerc, which all Poitevins call Place d'Arme, with its town hall. Then turn left onto Rue Gambetta, a pedestrian street. You will arrive at Sainte-Porchaire Church.
(4) Stay on Rue Gambetta, passing in front of the former Palais de Justice, which was once the castle of our famous Eleanor of Aquitaine. Take the street that goes down in front of the steps of the courthouse and turn right at the end of this street. Walk up this street and at thesecond intersection, take the street on the left, Rue René Descartes. Note: at number 8 on this street, you will see the Hôtel Fumé, a very pretty building. Continue straight ahead on Rue de la Chaine, then Rue Jean Bouchet. You will then reach Place Montierneuf. Turn right to reach the church of Montierneuf.
(5) Return to the square and, before reaching it, turn left onto Rue de la Bretonnerie. Continue to the intersection with
Rue Guillaume VII le Troubadour.
(6) Turn left at almost 180° into this street and walk down it to Boulevard Chasseigne. Turn right onto it to reach the entrance to the Jardin des Plantes.
(7) Enter the garden, note that the route is not described, to:
- visit the tropical plant greenhouse, free admission,
- return to the entrance and take Rue Guillaume VII le Troubadour to return to the previous crossroads.
(6) Continue straight ahead on Rue de la Bretonnerie, passing Saint-Germain Church; then join Rue Saint-Germain. Turn left onto this street, then turn right onto Rue Pierre Rat until you reach Place de la Liberté. Turn left onto Rue des Flageolles and continue straight ahead onto Rue de la Tête Noire to reach Place du Général de Gaulle, known locally as the market square.
(8) Here, opposite, discover the jewel of Poitiers, the famous Notre-Dame-la-Grande. Walk down Rue du Marché Notre-Dame to see the rear of the Château d'Aliénor d'Aquitaine. Then turn left onto Rue Jean Jaurés, cross the intersection with Rue Arsène Orillard, then turn left onto Rue Saint-Paul and right onto Rue de la Cathédrale. Here you can visit the cathedral, then continue on to Place de la Cathédrale and Place du Cardinal Pie.
(9) Continue right along this street, then follow Rue Sainte-Radegonde. Turn left for a stop at the Church of Sainte-Radegonde. Return to Rue Arthur de la Mauvinière, then turn left onto Rue Sainte-Croix. Then take Rue Jean Jaurès on the right, leave it on the left and turn onto Rue Roche d'Argent. Pass in front of the Saint-Jean Baptistery, then walk along the university campus. Turn right onto Rue du Jardinet, then immediately left onto Rue de la Trinité. At the end of this street, turn right, then immediately left onto Rue de l'Arceau and finally left again onto Rue Saint-Cyprien. Take the Pont Saint-Cyprien bridge to cross the Clain river. You will then find yourself back on the Promenade des Cours.
(10) Turn right and continue along the Clain to return to the promenade car park (S/E).
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