Place Carnot
On Gingerguide's self-guided Carcassonne audio tour, Place Carnot is a stop worth about ~30 min. Stand in front of it, press play for a short narrated story, and put any follow-up question to the built-in AI guide.
- Type square
- Suggested visit ~30 min
- Carcassonne Carcassonne guide
About Place Carnot
The living heart of the lower town, a market square since medieval times. Its marble Neptune fountain of 1770 is ringed by cafes and a lively Saturday market.
Place Carnot is the main square and historic heart of the Bastide Saint-Louis, the central node of the lower town's grid since its medieval foundation. Long the market square, once known as the Place aux Herbes, it is ringed by cafes, restaurants and arcaded houses. At its centre stands a monumental Neptune fountain, completed in 1770 and carved by the Italian Barata family under a contract of 1767, with a white Carrara marble Neptune above basins of pink Caunes-Minervois marble.
The square has weathered the 1355 sack by the Black Prince and a fire in 1622, the day after a visit by Louis XIII. It has changed name over the centuries, taking Place Carnot in 1894. Markets fill it on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings, the Saturday market being the largest, and cafe terraces make it the social centre of the Bastide.
Did you know? The Neptune fountain at the square's centre was completed in 1770, carved by the Italian Barata family. It replaced an earlier fountain with a colossal Neptune that had stood here since 1675.
How much time do you need at Place Carnot?
Around ~30 min works well for Place Carnot — time to look properly and listen to its story on the spot. Linger if you like; nothing on a self-guided walk is on a clock.
Should you stop at Place Carnot?
Yes — Place Carnot made the cut as one of 13 places the Gingerguide team researched and narrated across Carcassonne. The story tells you why it is worth the stop, and the AI guide fills in anything you still wonder.
Nearby stops in Carcassonne
Day 2 of the Carcassonne in 2 days itinerary →
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Hear the story of Place Carnot
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