This pleasant little square, with Porte Cailhau in the background, is now largely pedestrianized. It has several popular cafés and restaurants, but just one narrow lane for limited motor traffic, with access controlled by a bollard which can be lowered for emergency vehicles or deliveries.
But it has only been this way since 2010. Before that for several years it was nothing more than an ugly parking lot for cars, and for many years before that it was a bus terminal, which in retrospect is surprising because the shape of the square must have made it difficult for the buses to maneuver.

Café des Vedettes at Place du Palais

Brasserie Le Cailhau at Place du Palais
Location, aerial view and photos of Porte du Palais on monumentum.fr.
My photos in this post are from 2014. I revised the text in 2019.
See more posts on Bordeaux, France.
Looks the perfect place for people-watching over a coffee or glass of wime!
It’s a charming place 🌷
I cannot imagine it full of vehicles
I learn so much from your posts!
Although I’ve not travelled to France, I know much about it since I’m an avid student of history. However, I have to admit that I always learn something knew about particular areas + customs through your blog. I appreciate the time you take with all of these posts.
Thanks for your nice comment! I’m glad you appreciate my posts.