You are now in the square called Place Mitterand.
This recently renovated square was known as Place du Marché (Market Square) in the Middle Ages, and later Place Saint Germain. This is where the weekly market took place. Imagine it: in medieval times, the square would have been surrounded by timber-framed houses and would have felt a lot smaller, as in the centre stood St Germain’s Church, surrounded by a cemetery.
After this the square changed name again several times, becoming:
–place Impérial (Imperial Square) then Place Royale (Royal Square)
–place de la République (Republic Square)
–lastly place Thiers (we find it referred to like this in many documents).
During the French Revolution in 1798, the church that was dedicated to Saint Germain was destroyed. In the 19th century, military processions took place here. By the way, the SUBWAY next to the cathedral to your right used to belong to the uncle of Sainte-Thérèse of Lisieux in the early 20th century!
Later, the 1944 bombings put an end to the timber-framed houses that were built around the square.
Since 1996 the square has been known as Place Mitterand, and has been throughly renovated.
Ahead of you, you can trace the course of history from right to left :
- On the right hand side you can see timber-framed houses, and the cathedral façade.
- In the centre, the old Bishops’ Palace which has become the Law Court, then the Post Office buildings which date from 1912 and the Bank of France in a 19th century building.
- Finally, on the left hand side, you will notice the canons’ residences, known as « maisons canoniales ».
This square, overlooked by Saint Peter’s cathedral, has always been the social and commercial centre of the town! Indeed, once a year, on the first Sunday in August, there is an event called the « Foire aux Picots ». This is a regional turkey fair (« picot » is the local name for a turkey) and there are special songs to entertain the entire square for this occasion.
Go down the road on your left now, called « Rue Henri Chéron », to reach a square called « Place du Pays d’Auge ». While walking there, listen to section number 6, all about the local region.
