Bourges's city hall stands on Rue Jacques Rimbault, in a former episcopal palace dating from the 17th century. The building is dignified rather than spectacular — restrained classical facade, a courtyard, and a garden that opens directly onto the south side of the cathedral.
The garden is the best part: a calm, well-kept lawn under the cathedral's flying buttresses, with a few benches. It is open during office hours and is the easiest way to see the cathedral's vast east end without paying for a tour.