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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Baltard Pavilion of Nogent-sur-Marne was originally one of the twelve pavilions of the central halls of Paris, designed by architect Victor Baltard between 1854 and 1889 under Napoleon III. These iron, cast iron and glass structures, intended for trade, symbolized the architectural innovation of the Second Empire. Flag No. 8, dedicated to eggs and poultry, was the only one kept during the destruction of the Halles in the 1970s to give way to the Forum.

Acquired by the city of Nogent-sur-Marne in 1974, the pavilion was dismantled and rebuilt in 1976 on the site of an old locomotive depot in the Val-de-Beauté district (now Beauté-Baltard). It was declared a historic monument on 20 October 1982 and surrounded by the original gates of the Halles. The city also installed the Gaumont-Palace cinema organ, which in turn was classified, transforming the place into a multi-purpose hall for cultural events and shows.

Since its rewinding, the pavilion has hosted concerts, TV shows (such as New Star or Star Seeds), salons (World Salsa, Chat Room) and charitable events (Telethon in 2009 and 2017). It also houses symbolic elements of ancient Paris, such as a Morris column or a Wallace fountain, and has served as a setting for films, including a long engagement Sunday by Jean-Pierre Jeunet. His organ Christie, which has been unused since 2003, is the subject of restoration projects carried out by a dedicated association.

The site thus embodies a double heritage: that of the Halles de Paris, disappeared, and that of a cultural appropriation by Nogent-sur-Marne, mixing industrial heritage and local life. Its metallic architecture and its turbulent history make it a unique testimony of Haussmannian urbanism and its posterity.

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