Car Hire in Niort - Mini guide to Niort

Niort

Niort, in the Aquitaine region of France, is a medieval town that once served as a garrison for Henry II after his marriage to Eleanor of Aquitaine. Now the headquarters of major insurance firms, it is considered one of the most bourgeois towns in France. With good shopping and dining and a medieval town centre, it has many attractions for travellers to this region.

The streets around rue Victor-Hugo and rue St-Jean are full of stone fronted and half timbered houses from medieval times. This mostly pedestrian area is a good place for a stroll and contains the old town hall, a triangular building from the 16th century with lantern, belfry and protruding machicolations for pouring boiling oil on intruders.

The Sévre Niortaise river that runs through the town is lined with trees and gardens and over the bridge lies the ruins of a glove factory that once kept 30 cavalry regiments supplied with breeches.

Niort is particularly known for its Château de Niort begun by Henry II and finished by Richard the Lionhearted. Today its donjon de Niort (keep) consists of two towers connected by a 15th century building. The castle contains museums with an important collection of costumes, archaeological finds from the Bronze and Gallo-Roman ages and a museum of chamois leather and glove making.

There are many restaurants that cater to the affluent locals and shopping is lively in the pedestrianised streets of the town. The market hall has a good café that is popular with budget travellers, and Niort is the last place to find provisions before reaching the marshlands of the coast. Niort has a range of mid-level hotels as well as some larger chain hotels. Holiday homes are plentiful in the region.

If you want to see the surrounding marshland, the countryside is flat and easy to tour by bicycle. To cover a wider range, a hire car is the most convenient way to get around. Local car rental firms tend to be expensive, making it wiser to book your Niort car hire online in advance.

Car hire deals in: France

We rent the following types of cars: Economy (Vauxhall Corsa or equiv.), Mini, Small family (Ford Focus or equiv.), Medium family (Toyota Avensis or equiv.), large family (BMW 5 series), 4x4, SUV, Convertible, Van, Sports car, Luxury cars.

Hire cheap cars from the following suppliers, Ebookers, Opodo, Avis, Expedia, Sixt, Thrifty and budget rental prices from EasyCar, Budget, Holiday Autos, Economy, 121carhire.