a town of France, capital of the department of Deux-Sèvres, stands in the midst of a rich and beautiful region, on the slopes of two hills, separated by the Sèvre-Niortaise, 79 miles S.E. of Nantes, and 225 S.W. of Paris. It was formerly very meanly built; but has recently been much improved, and has now many handsome streets and two fine public squares. There are two churches, one of which is an ancient Gothic building with a lofty spire; a town-hall, formerly the palace of Eleanor of Guicenne, queen of Henry II. of England; an old castle now used as a prison, in which Madame de Maintenon was born; a prefecture, a theatre, public library, baths, cavalry barracks, civil and military hospitals, &c. Niort is the seat of courts of primary jurisdiction and of commerce, of a council of prud'hommes, an agricultural society, and a commercial college. The principal manufactures are leather and gloves, especially of doskin, of which not less than 30,000 dozen are annually made. Shoes, woollen and cotton yarn, saddles, paper, saltpetre, articles of wood and horn, &c., are also produced here. The commerce of the place is considerable in wine, corn, flour, wool, timber, manufactured goods, &c. The Sèvre is navigable as far as Niort. Pop. (1856) 18,136.