Place du Grand Marché (Main Market/Monster Square), Tours

Looking like a not-so-handsome cousin of The Hulk, only paler, the "Monster " dominates the Place du Grand Marche also known as "Monster Square."

The square had been known as the Main Market since the 15th century. In those days there may have been statues of monsters but they looked not so comically forbidding. The Market Square was simply an area between High Street and Saint Clement.

In the 16th century, Pierre Germain Valencia and his son erected the largest fountain in the city there. The fountain was 26 feet high and 20 feet across. Now the "Monster" stands in its place.

In 1845 the Square was enlarged by eliminating some butcher shops in the northern part of the square. By municipal decree of January 1905, the name of the square officially became Place du Grande Marche. The square is surrounded by 15th-century houses and shops jammed together in a row.

Today the tradition of the market carries on with the unique Saint Anne Garlic and Basil Fair in July. It's a great time to stock up on garlic, shallots, onions, and basil. A true festival of the Touraine region. This is no longer the primary purpose of the Square. The Market Halls are but a short walk away.

The flea markets may not be the answer, but the square is still very rambunctious. Bars, restaurants, and shops are plenty and then there is the Monster. Somehow this incongruous thing forms a missing link between the Middle Ages and the age of Mickey Mouse.