An excellent position was chosen.

It consisted of rising ground commanding the country towards Poitiers, and naturally defended by the hedges of a vineyard.

It was only accessible from Poitiers by a sunken road flanked by banks and fences, and but wide enough to admit of four horsemen riding abreast along it.

The ground on either side of this hollow way was rough and broken so as to impede the movements even of infantry, and to render the maneuvers of a large body of cavalry nearly impracticable.

On the left of the position was a little hamlet called Maupertuis.