Niort

An evening and morning in Niort before heading to Poitiers was enjoyable.  I love exploring new places.  It is a clean town with nice architecture. I intended to take a photo of the river which is certainly green like 'the venice vert' that the region is described as.
A flavour of a gentle, tranquil town where I enjoyed a wonderful 'Fre nch coffee'.  I have a story about this expression but it is too complex to record in writing.  It relates to England where I tried to order a Fre nch coffee, when really I meant an expresso!   Here in France people just say 'un café'. One learns!
It does seem a bit odd that the signwriter had to make a space in the word 'Fre nch'.  It is a franchise... (another French mot!)
Two views from the troisième étage of my Logis hotel.

 

The dungeon very imposing next to the Market Halles

The Ancient Oratory was interesting.

and  the Pillories!

This is the Mairie...

 and a Museum

It is in the Land of Melusine, hence the dragons...a clever way of allowing vehicles into a pedestrianised pavemented area of centre-ville.

 Some buildings if one looks up high have been touched and retouched!

 Towers and pinnacles on more church buildings:

 

I saw several rooftop gardens from down below.

 

I love this building because of the not quite symmetry with the open windows on one side. I haven'tseen this style in France before.  Fascinating.