Saint-Léger Square

Place Saint-Léger, heart of old Chambéry

The Chambéry audio-guided tour takes you to the long Place Saint-Léger, so elongated that it could be taken for a street. It is here that the heart of the city was born, at the time when the Albanne river still flowed in its middle.

A square born of water

Like Annecy, Chambéry was once crossed by many canals, fed by the arms of the Albanne. Place Saint-Léger was then separated into two streets by a large canal. Where there is now a fountain once stood the church of Saint-Léger, which gave its name to the square. Over time, the canals were dried up, transforming the place into the vast paved esplanade we know.

What there is to see

Paved with cobblestones and lined with colourful façades, cafés and terraces, Place Saint-Léger is the lively heart of the old town. It is from here that the famous secret alleys of Chambéry start. A place of meeting and strolling, it invites you to linger to enjoy the southern atmosphere and the charm of the historic district.

Practical information

Place Saint-Léger is in the heart of old Chambéry. Entirely pedestrian, it is freely accessible at all hours and on the level. Its cafés and terraces follow their own opening hours; it is the ideal starting point to explore the alleys of the city.

Why is Place Saint-Léger so long?

Because it formed along the former bed of the Albanne river and its canals, now dried up.

Where does the name Place Saint-Léger come from?

From the former church of Saint-Léger that once stood there, on the site of the present fountain.