André Chénier Square Square André Chénier
Travellers stepping off the train at the Carcassonne SNCF station usually encounter this manicured plaza before anything else. André Chénier Square serves as the green handshake between the industrial railway and the old Bastide Saint Louis. At its centre stands a heavy red marble column from Caunes Minervois that was originally carved for the royal estate of Versailles but somehow ended up here. Water cascades down the restored Omer Sarraut fountain, masking the noise of suitcases rolling over the pavement. The local council recently spent millions ripping up old concrete to plant fresh plane trees, trying to undo decades of harsh urban planning. Taking a short rest on one of the wooden benches provides an excellent vantage point for watching narrowboats drift into the nearby Canal du Midi port.
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