The main public square of Saint-Étienne, fronted by the Hôtel de Ville — the town hall — and flanked by café terraces. It is the social heart of the city centre, where markets are held and the trams converge. Not a grand Haussmanian set piece but a genuine working square with the unglamorous energy of a city that uses its public spaces rather than performing for tourists.
The weekly market here on Wednesday and Saturday mornings is a good place to pick up local produce, including the sausages and charcuterie of the Loire valley. The square is also the starting point for exploring the pedestrianised shopping streets of the centre.