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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The halls of Brancion, located in Martailly-lès-Brancion in the department of Saône-et-Loire, are a rare example of medieval and reborn civil architecture. Although their precise dating remains uncertain, they are considered the oldest still visible in the department. Their origin may date back to the 15th century, but tangible evidence places them more in the 16th century, when they served as a weekly market and annual fair.

In the 16th century, these halls housed a market every Monday and a fair on Ascension Day, highlighting their central role in local economic life. Their strategic location on the main road of the village of Brancion reflects their dual function: to facilitate the passage of merchants and to organize trade. The opposite openings on the east and west sides reinforce this vocation of transit and trading.

Located in the heart of the old town, the halls occupy a major place in the public space, with a well and terminals still visible today. Their structure is based on five farms with various supports, some in re-use, and grooved poles to insert stalls. Partially embedded in the ground, they have undergone changes, such as the rise of western access, attesting to their adaptation over the centuries.

Since 1933, the Brancion Halls have been protected by historic monuments, recognizing their heritage value. Their trapue architecture and their integration into the urban landscape make this a valuable testimony of the commercial and social practices of the 15th and 16th centuries in Burgundy-Franche-Comté.

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