Niort Explained

Niort
Native Name:Niàu (Poitevin–Saintongeais)
Commune Status:Prefecture and commune
Image Coat Of Arms:Blason ville fr Niort (Deux-Sèvres).svg
Arrondissement:Niort
Canton:3 cantons
Insee:79191
Postal Code:79000
Mayor:Jérôme Baloge[1]
Term:2020 - 2026
Intercommunality:CA Niortais
Coordinates:46.3258°N -0.4606°W
Elevation M:28
Elevation Min M:2
Elevation Max M:77
Area Km2:68.20

Niort (in French pronounced as /njɔʁ/; Poitevin: Niàu; Occitan (post 1500);: Niòrt; Latin: Novioritum) is a commune in the Deux-Sèvres department, western France. It is the prefecture of Deux-Sèvres.

The population of Niort is 58,707 (2017) and more than 177,000 people live in the urban area.[2]

Geography

The town is located on the river Sèvre Niortaise and is a centre of angelica cultivation in France. Near Niort at Maisonnay there is one of the tallest radio masts in France (height: 330 metres).

Transport

Niort has a railway station on the TGV route between Paris and La Rochelle, Gare de Niort. Direct TGV to Paris Montparnasse station takes 2 hours and 15 minutes. Niort is a road and motorway junction, connected to Paris and Bordeaux by the A10 motorway, with Nantes by the A83, and with La Rochelle by the N11. It is the largest French city to offer free mass transit.[3]

Population

The population data in the table and graph below refer to the commune of Niort proper, in its geography at the given years. The commune of Niort absorbed the former commune of Souché in 1964, Sainte-Pezenne in 1965, Saint-Florent in 1968 and Saint-Liguaire in 1971.

Economy

Niort is the French capital of mutual insurance and bank companies, with the headquarters of MAAF, MAIF, MACIF, SMACL and regional branches of national mutual companies such as Groupama, Banque Populaire. Despite its small size, Niort is a main financial centre of France (ranked fourth after Paris, Lyon and Lille). Chemistry and aeronautics are the other main industries.

Niort is a major administrative and commercial centre. There has been a covered market in the town since at least the 13th century.[4] The present-day Halles de Niort, a steel and glass pavilion atop a vaulted stone base building, opened in 1871 and has been listed as a monument historique since 1987.

Notable people

Niort is the birthplace of the following people:

Fictional works

Niort is featured or mentioned in the following fictional works:

Sports

The football team is Chamois Niortais, which plays in National, the third-highest league in French football. Rugby team Stade Niortais celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2009. The city also is home to a professional basketball club named ASN Niort. The team plays at the second highest league in French basketball. The team celebrated its 100th birthday in 2021.

Education

Upper secondary schools:[5]

There is a post-secondary institution, Pôle universitaire de Niort.[6]

International relations

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in France.

Niort is twinned with:

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Répertoire national des élus: les maires. data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises. 13 September 2022. fr.
  2. https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/1405599?geo=AAV2020-063 Comparateur de territoire Aire d'attraction des villes 2020 de Niort (063)
  3. Web site: Niort devient la plus grosse agglomération à proposer la gratuité des transports en commun. lemonde.fr. 1 September 2017.
  4. Web site: Les Halles de Niort célèbrent leurs 150 ans en cette année 2021. Xavier. Le Roux. 16 July 2021. lanouvellerepublique.fr. La Nouvelle République du Centre-Ouest. 3 October 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20231003040336/https://www.lanouvellerepublique.fr/niort/les-halles-de-niort-celebrent-leur-150-ans-en-cette-annee-2021. 3 October 2023. live. French.
  5. Web site: Enseignement secondaire. Municipality of Niort. 30 September 2019.
  6. Web site: Enseignement supérieur. Municipality of Niort. 30 September 2019.