M. le Maire Novelli promised that the comprehensive restoration of the town's 1640 covered market building - la halle - would start in March 2012 - and so it has.
While the old structure must have been much adapted in the 1830s when the four propping corner pavilions were enlarged in a 'Balzac-ian' neo-classical style, the primary sweet chestnut structure is completely original. It has been in use twice a week on Monday and Fridays (with the King Louis XIII's authority) since 1640.
This is the first major restoration for a very ... very ... long time.
This is the first major restoration for a very ... very ... long time.
The Abbé will try to keep some sort of photo record, but we start by some dramatic pictures - from the Tourist Office - of the removal of the concrete utility floor, itself far from ancient!
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| hacking up the old concrete floor |
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| a brutal business - hope the foundations are stable! clichés emprunté d'Agnes B. *** |
halle : nom féminin (etym. francique *hala, endroit couvert)
- Emplacement couvert où se tient un marché : La halle d'Arpajon date du XVIIe s.
- Grande salle, plus ou moins largement ouverte sur l'extérieur; hangar servant au stockage ou au commerce d'une marchandise.
- Place publique, ordinairement couverte, où se tiennent les marchés ou les foires; Magasin public où les personnes qui font un même commerce enferment leurs marchandises. Les Halles centrales. Halle aux blés. La halle aux vins. Halle aux draps, aux cuirs, etc. Aller à la halle. Le carreau des Halles à Paris. Les forts de la Halle, Les porteurs.Facteur aux Halles. Commissionnaire aux Halles. Les dames de la Halle, Les marchandes. Langage des halles,Langage grossier, tel que celui qu'on parle communément dans les marchés de Paris.
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2 comments:
Wow! That certainly is dramatic!
We remember it well from our last visit a couple of years back but maybe we will get the opportunity to return in a few years hence. We have enjoyed Richelieu on previous visits.
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