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The Halles Centrales are a masterpiece of late 19th century metal architecture inspired by the Baltard Pavilions.

Les Halles overlook the northern ramparts of the "old city". They occupy a balcony site which offers a very extensive view of the Charente valley, in particular the Houmeau district. Moreover, this district is an old commercial district animated until the 19th century by the traffic of barges on the Charente.

ALTERNATELY: Fortress, prison, or municipal stores

The site occupied since 1888 by the Halles was not originally intended for market activity. In fact, the building that preceded them was one of the first castles founded in the 10th century by the Taillefer dynasty, Counts of Angoulême.

A fortress until the 12th century, it was transformed into a prison at the end of the 15th century. It then became municipal stores from 1855. This building, which was designed by Édouard Warin, architect of the City, is a minor but very real replica of the Halles Centrales of Paris. It thus represents for Angoulême one of the last industrial architectural vestiges of the end of the 19th century.

A gourmet stop at the covered market
is a must DURING your stay in Angoulême!

Farmers, market gardeners, artisans and chefs welcome you under a huge hall, classified as a historical monument since 1993. Built in the 19th century in the style of the Parisian Baltard pavilions with new materials from industry. Cast iron, glass, and iron are just a few of them.

This beautiful architecture presents a careful decor. Glazed briquettes, sculpted clocks, zinc frieze decorated with the city's coat of arms; but also earthenware bearing the monograms of the City of Angoulême, foliage capitals of cast iron columns...

Designed according to the plans of the architect Edouard Warin, associated with the engineer Pommier, the market halls replaced the châtelet in 1888, a former 13th century fortified castle.