Place Marechal-Foch (Marshal Foch Square), Nantes
Marshal Foch Square is one of the city鈥檚 most architecturally refined public spaces, originally designed in the 18th century. Known until 1929 as Place Louis-XVI鈥攁 name still used informally by many older residents鈥攊t features an elegant urban layout situated between the Cours Saint-Pierre and Cours Saint-Andr茅, near the Malakoff鈥揝aint-Donatien district. The square is lined with grand 18th-century mansions built from plans by Jean-Baptiste Ceineray, a key figure in Nantes' classical urban development.
At the center of the square stands the striking Colonne Louis-XVI, a 28-meter-high column erected in 1790 as a 鈥淐olumn of Liberty鈥� during the early days of the French Revolution. In 1823, during the Bourbon Restoration, the column was crowned with a statue of King Louis XVI, sculpted by Dominique Molknecht. The monarch is depicted in the style of a Roman emperor, holding a scroll and a baton of command. This statue is one of only five known public depictions of Louis XVI still standing in France, making it a rare and historically significant monument.
Surrounding the square are several important buildings that reflect different layers of Nantes' history. The H么tel Montaudouin, designed by Mathurin Crucy, and the H么tel d'Aux, where Napoleon I and Empress Josephine stayed in 1808, speak to the city's imperial connections. The H么tel de Charette, constructed in 1824, became notorious during the Nazi occupation as the headquarters of the Gestapo. Nearby, the Saint-Pierre Gate, a vestige of Nantes' medieval fortifications, adds further historical depth to this architecturally rich and politically symbolic square.
At the center of the square stands the striking Colonne Louis-XVI, a 28-meter-high column erected in 1790 as a 鈥淐olumn of Liberty鈥� during the early days of the French Revolution. In 1823, during the Bourbon Restoration, the column was crowned with a statue of King Louis XVI, sculpted by Dominique Molknecht. The monarch is depicted in the style of a Roman emperor, holding a scroll and a baton of command. This statue is one of only five known public depictions of Louis XVI still standing in France, making it a rare and historically significant monument.
Surrounding the square are several important buildings that reflect different layers of Nantes' history. The H么tel Montaudouin, designed by Mathurin Crucy, and the H么tel d'Aux, where Napoleon I and Empress Josephine stayed in 1808, speak to the city's imperial connections. The H么tel de Charette, constructed in 1824, became notorious during the Nazi occupation as the headquarters of the Gestapo. Nearby, the Saint-Pierre Gate, a vestige of Nantes' medieval fortifications, adds further historical depth to this architecturally rich and politically symbolic square.
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Place Marechal-Foch (Marshal Foch Square) on Map
Sight Name: Place Marechal-Foch (Marshal Foch Square)
Sight Location: Nantes, France (See walking tours in Nantes)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Nantes, France (See walking tours in Nantes)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Nantes, France
Create Your Own Walk in Nantes
Creating your own self-guided walk in Nantes is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Nantes Introduction Walking Tour
Dubbed 鈥淭he Sleeping Beauty of France,鈥� Nantes is a city that found rebirth through culture and creativity. Straddling the Loire River in western France, its history stretches across two millennia. The city's name comes from the Namnetes, a Celtic tribe that made their home here before the Romans arrived. The latter incorporated the settlement into their empire in the 1st century BC,... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.1 Km or 1.3 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.1 Km or 1.3 Miles