Niort

Walkable town in western France's Deux-Sèvres department, Niort sits on the Sèvre Niortaise river and serves as the eastern gateway to the Marais Poitevin regional nature park, a large wetland stretching across three departments. The centre is dense with historic churches and a food-and-drink scene, and the waterside setting makes it a regularly photographed stop. Niort is also one of France's leading centres for mutual insurance, ranking among the country's top financial hubs.

• Population54,660
• Nearest water0.6 km