Located in a small town in the Poitou region, the magnificent abbey of St-Savin is nicknamed the "Romanesque Sistine Chapel" for its murals showing biblical scenes dating from the 11th and 12th centuries. They are almost perfectly preserved and well worth a closer look, even though you have to crane your neck, since most of them are on the abbey's ceiling. There is also a quite interesting exhibit on the history and preservation of the murals on the upper floor (in French only, of course), as well as a small garden. The best views of this quite large building can be enjoyed from the opposite bank of the Gartempe River. St-Savin can be reached by bus from Poitiers (about a 50-minute ride), but this has to be planned carefully, since there are only a handful of buses every day (no more than 4). Still, a very worthwhile excursion.