Place Lafayette is the centre of medieval Villeneuve, a perfect bastide square laid out in 1264 as the marketplace of the new town. Brick houses on stone arcades line all four sides, with shops, cafes, and a couple of restaurants tucked under the covered walks. The square has been the social heart of the town for seven and a half centuries and on a Tuesday or Saturday morning still serves its original purpose.
Aim to be here on market day. Local prune-growers, cheesemakers, butchers, and bakers fill the central square and the arcades; the prepared food stalls run a low brisk trade in confit, foie gras, magret, and chestnut cake. On other days the square is calm — sit out at a cafe terrace and watch the locals come and go.