an ancient province of France, bounded on the N. by the provinces of Bretagne, Anjou, and Touraine; E. by those of Berri and Marche; S. by those of Angoumois, Saintonge, and Aunis; and W. by the Bay of Biscay. It was divided into Upper and Lower Poitou, and now forms the department of Vendée, the greater part of those of Vienne and Deux-Sèvres, and small portions of Haute-Vienne, Creuse, Charente, Charente-Inferieure, and Indre-et-Loire.