Deux-Sèvres

Deux-Sèvres is a department in the western part of Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in France, spreading between the towns of Bressuire, Niort and Parthenay. Niort serves as the capital of this administrative unit, which covers gentle hills, river valleys and wide agricultural lands.

The administrative unit was created on March 4, 1790, during the French Revolution and took its name from two rivers, Sèvre Nantaise and Sèvre Niortaise, that originate within its borders. This division replaced the old provincial boundaries and built a new territorial organization following the revolutionary government principles.

Today farmlands cover much of the territory, with fields growing wheat and oats while potatoes thrive in clayey soils. Cattle breeders raise the traditional Parthenais breed here, and you can see its reddish-brown animals grazing in pastures between the river valleys.

Two TGV railway stations connect the area with Paris and regional destinations along the La Rochelle route, giving travelers direct links to the capital. The flat countryside suits cycling well, while towns are reachable by car or public transport.

Niort developed into a national center for insurance companies, and many financial institutions set up their headquarters in the city. This concentration of insurers makes the capital an unusual economic focus within a largely rural region.

Location: Nouvelle-Aquitaine

Inception: March 4, 1790

Capital city: Niort

Reference: 79

Shares border with: Charente, Charente-Maritime, Maine-et-Loire, Vendée, Vienne

Website: http://deux-sevres.pref.gouv.fr

GPS coordinates: 46.32500,-0.46222

Latest update: December 14, 2025 22:48