Place Saint-Louis, Square in the center of Aigues-Mortes, France
Place Saint-Louis is a cobblestone square at the heart of the walled medieval town of Aigues-Mortes, in southern France. It is framed by old stone buildings with shuttered windows and lined with cafe terraces that open onto the pedestrian area.
Aigues-Mortes was founded in the 13th century by King Louis IX as a Mediterranean departure point for the Crusades. The square stood at the center of this planned town from the start, laid out within the grid of streets that still exists today.
The name Aigues-Mortes comes from Occitan and means "dead waters," a reference to the still waters of the surrounding marshes. The square holds a statue of King Louis IX, the saint who founded the town, and locals still gather around it on warm evenings.
The square sits within a pedestrian zone, so the best way to reach it is on foot from any of the town gates. Morning visits tend to be quieter, while the afternoon brings more activity around the cafe terraces.
The town's port slowly closed over the centuries as silt filled the channels, cutting off Aigues-Mortes from the sea and freezing its development in time. This is why the street plan visible from the square today is almost exactly as it was laid out in the 13th century.
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