Parthenay

This article is about the town in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of France. For the commune in Brittany, see Parthenay-de-Bretagne.
Parthenay
Subprefecture and commune
The west side of the Partenay citadel from the Saint-Paul Bridge over the River Thouet
The west side of the Partenay citadel from the Saint-Paul Bridge over the River Thouet
Coat of arms of Parthenay
Coat of arms
Location of Parthenay
Map
Parthenay is located in France
Parthenay
Parthenay
Parthenay is located in Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Parthenay
Parthenay
Coordinates: 46°38′46″N 0°14′52″W / 46.64620°N 0.247800°W / 46.64620; -0.247800
CountryFrance
RegionNouvelle-Aquitaine
DepartmentDeux-Sèvres
ArrondissementParthenay
CantonParthenay
IntercommunalityCC Parthenay-Gâtine
Government
 • Mayor (2020–2026) Jean Michel Prieur[1] (AC)
Area
1
11.38 km2 (4.39 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[2]
10,058
 • Density880/km2 (2,300/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
79202 /79200
Elevation114–184 m (374–604 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
The Saint-Paul district and the River Thouet from the battlements of the citadel
The Saint-Jacques Gate and Bridge, by which mediaeval pilgrims would have entered the town from the north
The Rue de la Vau Saint-Jaques from the upper chamber of the Saint-Jacques Gate, with the town centre on the skyline ahead, and the east side of the citadel to the right
The Rue de la Vau Saint-Jaques from street level
The western town walls
Inside the citadel during FLIP 2010; from left to right the Mairie, the Porte de l'Horloge, the law courts, and the Église Sainte-Croix.

Parthenay (French: [paʁtənɛ] ⓘ; Poitevin: Partenaes) is an ancient fortified town and commune in the Deux-Sèvres department of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in western France. It is sited on a rocky spur that is surrounded on two sides by the River Thouet, and is the sub-prefecture of the Parthenay arrondissement.

It is situated some 40 km (25 mi) north of Niort, 50 km (31 mi) west of Poitiers, 120 km (75 mi) south-east of Nantes, and 350 km (220 mi) south-west of Paris.[3]

Each July, Parthenay hosts the Festival Ludique International de Parthenay, otherwise known as the Festival de Jeux or FLIP, in which the town's streets and squares are filled with games of many types. The shorter indoor FLIP d'hiver runs in November.

  1. ^ "Répertoire national des élus: les maires" (in French). data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises. 13 September 2022.
  2. ^ "Populations légales 2021" (in French). The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 28 December 2023.
  3. ^ French Atlantic Coast. Michelin Apa Publications Ltd. October 2007. pp. 332–335. ISBN 978-1-906261-17-7.