Place de la Poissonnerie, Pedestrian square in the historic center of Chartres, France
Place de la Poissonnerie is a small cobblestone square in the historic center of Chartres, part of a pedestrian zone. Narrow streets converge on it from several directions, and old half-timbered buildings line its edges, some with shops or cafes at street level.
The square takes its name from a fish market that operated here since the Middle Ages, after the Count of Chartres granted exclusive selling rights to certain fish traders in 1164. Over the centuries it carried different names, such as Grande-Poissonnerie or Poissonnerie-de-Mer, depending on whether freshwater or sea fish were sold there.
The square sits in the oldest part of Chartres and is easy to reach on foot from the surrounding streets. The cobblestone surface can be uneven, so comfortable walking shoes are a good idea.
Around 1800, roughly 28 women worked as fish sellers on the square, and the market followed a weekly rhythm with Friday sales being the busiest. By the early 20th century, only a handful of stalls remained before the trade disappeared entirely.
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