Halles de Crémieu

Halles de Crémieu is a medieval market hall that creates an open interior space divided into three naves by rows of thick oak columns. A roof made from local limestone rests on this wooden framework and gives the building its characteristic heavy proportions.

The hall was built in 1434 as the lower town expanded and replaced earlier market spaces. It then became a grain storage facility during medieval fairs that drew traders from surrounding regions.

The hall carries the name of an old trading route and shows today how residents use the space as a gathering place. Its open structure with substantial pillars creates a setting where buyers and sellers meet naturally, much as they have for generations.

The hall sits on Rue Porcherie in the old town center and is easy to reach on foot. You can look around anytime, even on non-market days, and appreciate the interior structure from all angles.

The roof is made from limestone plates that come from nearby quarries and together weigh about 400 tons. This local material was readily available in the region and made the heavy roof construction both economical and practical for the time.