Place Jean Jaures ( Jean Jaures Square), Montpellier

Jean Jaures was a prominent French socialist politician assassinated in the early 20th century for his pacifist stance against the Great War. His killer was a nationalist aptly named Raoul Villain. Jean Jaures was buried in the Pantheon in Paris in 1924.

The Jean Jaures Square is in the medieval area of Montpellier. It borders the Lodge Street at its intersection with the Needleword Street. The square is a pedestrian rectangle measuring about 164 feet on each side. There is a statue of Jean Jaures and bars with terraces shaded by plane trees.

The square fills the space opened up by the 1794 demolition of the old church Our Lady of the Tablets. The church dated from the 11th century. It had the name Our Lady of the Tablets because of the money changers that did their business inside. It should not be confused with the other church of Our Lady, also situated in the area.

Underneath the square is the crypt of the old church. It is reached by a staircase. The crypt is now the site of the Museum of the History of Montpellier.

The square is a popular place for young people. There are many bars and restaurant terraces on the square.