Place de la Comédie is a vast public square in Montpellier city center.
Location and access
Situated to the south-east of the Écusson, in the heart of what was once the medieval city, it stretches over a former fortification area that ends at the Montpellier citadel (now the Lycée Joffre) and the Charles-de-Gaulle esplanade to the east. Roughly rectangular in shape and elongated, it measures some 230 m long by 50 m wide. Together with the Esplanade Charles-de-Gaulle (340 m long by 50 m wide, which is bordered by a boulevard), it forms one of the largest pedestrian areas in France, according to unverified local propaganda.
Origin of the name
It takes its name from the municipal theater, whose monumental façade adorns the south-western side of the square. The Place de la Comédie is the nerve center of all activity in Montpellier, making it both a magnet and a starting point for exploring the historic city in greater depth.