You're now standing in Place des Laitiers. Here once stood the forum of the Gallo-Roman city and the forecourt of the first Saint Stephen’s Cathedral, which was destroyed in the 19th century. For centuries, the square has been a central crossroads in Agen, where several streets meet, including the wide Boulevard de la République. It nearly disappeared in the 19th century when Baron Eugène Haussmann redesigned parts of Agen, cutting broad new avenues through the city. This little square miraculously escaped demolition, to the delight of locals. Today, it’s the perfect place to pause for a coffee, watch the world go by, or admire the statue of a pilgrim on the road to Santiago de Compostela. This is a tribute to a medieval pilgrimage route between Agen and Moissac, known as the ‘walkers of mercy”. The name, Place des Laitiers, literally “Dairymen’s Square”, refers to the milk sellers who gathered here each morning.