Grande Halle de la Villette, Paris former Cattle Market
The Grande Halle de la Villette is located near the southern entrance of the Parc de la Villette, a public park developed at the end of the 20th century on the site of the former Parisian slaughterhouses.
The Grande Halle de la Villette is also known as the Halle aux Bœufs (Cattle Market), as it once was Paris’s livestock market. It faces the Place de la Fontaine aux Lions (Lion Fountain Square) and the iconic Fontaine aux Lions de Nubie, the former watering trough for the animals.
Designed by architects Jules Mérindol and Louis-Adolphe Janvier, this remarkable structure was the largest of the three livestock markets.
Inaugurated in 1867, the Halle aux Bœufs remained in operation until the slaughterhouses closed on March 17, 1974. The market was held twice a week, on Mondays and Thursdays.
The Cattle Market was flanked by two other livestock markets: the Halle aux Moutons – Sheep Market for sheep and the Halles aux Veaux – Calf Market for calves and pigs. The Calf Market was so dilapidated that it was demolished during the site’s renovation in the 1980s.
However, the Sheep Market was in excellent condition. The Seine-Saint-Denis department acquired it with the intention of relocating and rebuilding it elsewhere.
Unfortunately, to date, the reconstruction has not taken place, and the metal structure remains stored in a warehouse. The reasons for this delay, financial constraints or lack of space, remain unclear!
Multipurpose venue in Parc de la Villette
The Grande Halle de la Villette is an impressive iron and cast-iron structure of remarkable dimensions: 245 metres long, 85 metres wide, and 19 metres high, covering an area of 26,000 square metres. Restored twice, first between 1983 and 1985 by architects Bernard Reichen and Philippe Robert, and then again from 2005 to 2007, it has undergone meticulous renovation. Today, it serves as a multipurpose venue, hosting a variety of events, such as temporary exhibitions dedicated to foreign cultures, urban art events, performances, and trade shows. It also houses practical services, including an information point, a library, and a restaurant. The Grande Halle de la Villette was listed as a Historical Monument on March 2, 1979.
Directions: 19th district – Rue Jean-Jaurès
Metro: Porte de Pantin
Coordinates: Lat 48.890138 – Long 2.391719
Photo via Wikimedia Commons: Halle aux Boeufs in 1867 Public domain
