Place Carnot is a name given to several public squares in France, most notably in the cities of Lyon and Carcassonne. The name honors the Carnot family, particularly Lazare Nicolas Marguerite Carnot (1753–1823), a French military officer and statesman known as the "Organizer of Victory" during the French Revolutionary Wars.
Place Carnot (Lyon)
The Place Carnot in Lyon is a square located in the Perrache quarter, in the 2nd arrondissement of the city, at the southern end of the Presqu'île near the Perrache railway station. The square covers an area of approximately 11,000 square meters and is characterized by plane trees, with cypresses and holly oaks on its southern side.
The square has undergone several name changes throughout its history. During the First Empire it was called Place des Victoires; it was subsequently renamed Place Louis XVI under Charles X, Place Louis XVIII (1821–48), Place de la Liberté (1848), Place de la République (1848–49), Place Napoléon (1849–71), and Place Perrache (1871–89). The name Place Carnot was officially assigned by the Lyon Municipal Council on 18 February 1889, in honor of Lazare Carnot.
In the same year, a statue in the square—an allegory of the Republic—was inaugurated by Lazare Carnot's grandson, French President Sadi Carnot, who was assassinated in Lyon five years later, on 24 June 1894.
The square is bordered by nineteenth-century buildings of five or six floors on its north and east sides, while the Catholic University of Lyon is located on the west side. It features a children's playground, a carousel, a small sports ground, and hosts a farmers' market on Wednesdays. During the Christmas season, the square accommodates approximately 140 market cabins.
Place Carnot (Carcassonne)
The Place Carnot in Carcassonne is the main square of the Bastide Saint-Louis, the lower-town district of the city, located in the Occitanie region of southern France. It is a public square that serves as a central meeting point for surrounding streets, cafés, and market stalls. The square is paved in stone and features the Fountain of Neptune at its center, a marble fountain erected in the 19th century. Plane trees provide shade, and the square hosts a flower, fruit, and vegetable market on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and especially Saturday mornings.
Other locations
The name "Place Carnot" may also refer to squares in other French towns and cities, as the Carnot name is commemorated in numerous localities across France.
