Here you are on Place Chavanelle, right in the heart of Saint-Étienne. Today, it feels like a big breath of fresh air in the middle of the city, lined with cafés and dotted with pieces of contemporary art. But imagine it a few centuries ago: a bustling open-air market, noisy and lively, where people came to sell wood, livestock, or vegetables. It was one of the city’s beating hearts. Later, in the 1970s, the square was transformed into a bus station, before becoming fully pedestrianised in 2006. Since then, it has been reborn as a place for strolling, sprinkled with modern sculptures, some a little enigmatic, like those big red cubes you might spot, or the group of stone pigeons frozen mid-stride. Just steps away stands Notre-Dame Church, whose discreet yet elegant presence reminds us that this has long been a place of gathering. Its sober, imposing architecture offers a constant visual landmark in a setting that’s always changing. A small market still takes place here on certain days, and if you’re feeling peckish, this could be the perfect moment to try a “râpée stéphanoise” or a potato pâté, two local classics that are perfect for discovering the flavours of the region.