On the side opposite the palace, three roads radiate eastwards: Generally located at the center of a fortification, a place-of-arms is a gathering place for small troops and a central space for important military ceremonies.

Initially, the plan was to lay out three crow's-foot alleys starting from a half-moon-shaped square.

It was decided to level and enlarge the Place d'Armes, and to radiate from it three wide avenues planted with trees.

To achieve this, thousands of cubic meters of earth were removed from the top of the Montbauron hillock to level it, and used to fill in the square.

[3] The Place d'Armes borders the following buildings: Since 2009, the square has also been home to the equestrian statue of Louis XIV, previously located in the Cour d'Honneur.