Niort


Niort is a commune in the Deux-Sèvres department in western France.
The population of Niort is 61,044 and more than 137,000 people live in the urban area. Near Niort at Maisonnay there is one of the tallest radio masts in France.

Geography

The town is located on the Sèvre Niortaise river and is a centre of angelica cultivation in France.

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.

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. Niort is a main financial centre of France. Chemistry and aeronautics are the main industries.
Niort is a major administrative and commercial centre.

Notable people

Niort is the birthplace of the following people:
Niort is featured or mentioned in the following fictional works:
Les Diaboliques, 1955 movie by Henri-Georges Clouzot
Sérotonine, 2019 novel by Michel Houellebecq

Sports

The football team is Chamois Niortais, which plays in the Ligue 2, the second-highest league in French football. Rugby team Stade Niortais celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2009. The Dragons baseball team plays in the Regional League.

Education

Upper secondary schools:
There is a post-secondary institution, Pôle universitaire de Niort.

International relations

Twin towns – Sister cities

Niort is twinned with: