Halles de Niort, Market hall in Niort, France
Les Halles de Niort is a market hall built with cast iron and glass in Niort, France, featuring a central nave supported by stone pillars and lit through skylights above the vaulted ceiling. The interior accommodates 60 permanent stalls, with space extending onto the adjacent square when additional traders arrive.
The building was completed in 1871 following designs by Simon Durand, replacing two earlier market halls that had stood since the 13th and 17th centuries. The hall received monument historique protection in 1987, preserving its original ironwork framework.
Vendors speak Poitevin-Saintongé, the local dialect, while selling specialties such as angelica from the region, mojettes beans, and tourteau-fromagé, a flat cheesecake with a distinctive blackened crust. On weekends, additional sellers spread onto the square surrounding the pavilion, bringing seasonal produce from the nearby Marais poitevin.
The hall opens six days each week, with Saturday mornings drawing the largest crowds as most traders bring their full inventory. The main entrance stands at Place du Donjon, providing direct access to the rows of covered stalls inside.
Simon Durand designed the ironwork framework following principles used in Parisian market halls but adapted the proportions to fit the narrower site available in Niort. The original floor tiles and decorative iron arches around the pillars have remained unchanged since the opening.
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