Place Gaillon, Pedestrian square in the 2nd arrondissement, Paris, France
Place Gaillon is a small pedestrian square in the 2nd arrondissement of Paris, enclosed on all sides by streets and roughly trapezoidal in shape. It connects Rue de Port-Mahon and Rue de La Michodière, opening at its southern end into a small triangular junction at Rue Saint-Augustin.
From around 1700 to 1778, the site was known as Carrefour Gaillon, simply a crossing of two streets with no particular standing. It was only in 1936 that the name Place Gaillon was officially given, recognizing it as a proper square in the city.
The square has the Fontaine Gaillon built into the facade of a neighboring building, which serves as the natural focal point of the space. Just steps away, at nos. 16-18, the restaurant Drouant is where the Prix Goncourt, France's most famous literary prize, is announced every year.
The square is within walking distance of several metro stations, including Opéra (lines 3, 7, and 8) and Quatre-Septembre (line 3), making it easy to reach on foot. Since no cars are allowed, it can be crossed at a leisurely pace, and the surrounding neighborhood lends itself well to continued walking.
Place Gaillon appears in Émile Zola's novel "Au Bonheur des Dames", where the main character Denise works in a large department store set on this very square. This gives the site a place in the literary map of Paris that most passersby never suspect.
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