Ruelle des Chats Audio Guide Tour

This self-guided audio walking tour explores the historic heart of Troyes, a city famed for its half-timbered houses, Gothic churches, hidden courtyards, and layers of medieval heritage. It will especially appeal to first-time visitors who enjoy architecture, local history, quiet lanes, and the feel of an old French town discovered on foot. The route begins at the Town Hall of Troyes and leads into the lively center around Rue Emile Zola and Église Saint-Jean-au-Marché. From there, you pass through small green spaces such as Juvenal des Ursins Garden and Innocents Garden, then slip into some of the city’s most atmospheric corners, including Ruelle des Chats and the Cour du Mortier d'Or. The walk continues to Église Sainte-Madeleine, Villa Gaston Viardot, and Marché des Halles before reaching the Seine quays. In the second half, the tour reveals more of Troyes’ spiritual and cultural landmarks, from Maison Rachi and Hôtel-Dieu-le-Comte to the Cathédrale Saint-Pierre Saint-Paul, the Prefecture of Aube, Basilique Saint-Urbain, and Église Saint-Pantaléon. It ends at the Monument aux Martyrs de la Résistance. Along the way, the most memorable moments include standing beneath remarkable stained glass, wandering one of Troyes’ narrowest medieval streets, discovering peaceful gardens behind old stone and timber façades, and finishing with a deeper sense of the city’s beauty, resilience, and character.