Located a short walk from the Cathédrale Notre-Dame-et-Saint-Castor and the Musée du Vieux Nîmes, the Square de la Couronne is a small green space tucked into the historic center of Nîmes. Away from the main tourist routes, it offers a quiet, shaded setting, ideal for a short break.

A place shaped by history
The square takes its name from a former medieval gate, now disappeared, which once formed part of the city’s fortifications. Today, the site reflects the transformation of Nîmes from a defensive town into a more open and livable urban space.

The statue of Alphonse Daudet at its center
At the heart of the square stands a statue of Alphonse Daudet, born in Nîmes. Created by Alexandre Falguière and inaugurated in 1900, the monument was completed after his death by his student Armand Bloch. It pays tribute to the author of Letters from My Windmill and Tartarin of Tarascon.

A commemorative stone nearby bears the dates 1897–1997, marking the centenary of Daudet’s death and showing that the site continued to be honored long after the statue’s inauguration.

An intimate and carefully designed setting
The sculpture depicts Daudet seated on a rock in a reflective pose, holding a notebook and pencil, emphasizing the writer at work. It is set within a basin that is not perfectly circular, but slightly irregular in shape, contributing to the informal and intimate character of the space rather than a strictly monumental composition.

A discreet yet meaningful site
Unlike larger public monuments elsewhere in the city, this statue is placed in a modest, quiet environment. This choice reinforces the idea of a personal tribute, in keeping with Daudet’s literary image and his connection to everyday life in southern France.

A pleasant stop in the historic center
The Square de la Couronne offers a calm and rewarding pause while exploring Nîmes, combining local history with literary heritage in a subtle and human-scale setting.