The Boulingrin district of Reims its market halls – ‘LES HALLES’

The Boulingrin district of Reims, particularly the ‘Halles’, represents a fascinating chapter in the city’s history. Founded in 1845, the ‘Halles centrales de Reims’ or ‘Halles du Boulingrin’ have become one of Reims’ major attractions, offering an abundance of local food and non-food products throughout the year. They are also famous for their distinctive architecture and rich history.
The architectural form that you see today exists thanks to an architectural competition launched in 1922 to rebuild a wholesale and retail market, as part of George B. Ford’s reconstruction plan after the First World War. ‘Les Halles’ was developed to replace the previous building destroyed during the war, located in Place du Forum.
The architect Émile Maigrot, was selected in 1923 to undertake the project. It took two years, from 1927 to 1929. The engineer Eugène Freyssinet also contributed his expertise by developing a formwork-stripping process on a sliding hanger, adapted to the building’s unique structure. Les Halles officially opened its doors on 30 October 1929.
Despite their resilience during the Second World War, the Halles were decommissioned in 1988 for safety reasons and were due to be demolished. Jack Lang, France’s Minister of Culture at that time, intervened to preserve Les Halles and they were listed as a historic monument in 1990.
Restoration of the “Halles” Market Building
By the 1990s, Les Halles was the subject of much debate as it was falling into disrepair after being abandoned for several years. A number of projects were considered, ranging from reinstating the weekly market to extending the building to house the Musée des Beaux-Arts. In the end, Architect François Chatillon’s project was approved in 2007.
Restoration work began in 2010, intending to restore the building’s original appearance while reinforcing it, at an estimated cost of €31 million. The inauguration took place on 14 September 2012, and Les Halles was awarded the European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage in 2015.
Today, ‘Les Halles du Boulingrin’ is not only a vibrant market, but also a cultural gathering place, testifying to the rich history and architecture of Reims.
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