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Origin and history

The old halls at Les Toiles de Laval, located in Place de Hercé, were originally built in the 16th century to house the trade in canvases, a major economic activity of the region. Their definitive construction, however, took place much later, after a long conflict between the merchants and the seigneur of Laval. A decree of the King's Council in 1730 ordered the construction of the building, whose first stone was laid on 7 December 1730 by the tax lawyer Salmon. The work was completed in 1731, and the painting market was inaugurated on 4 Oct. 1732.

In 1810, the hall was acquired by the city of Laval, then transformed in 1852 into Galleries de l'Industrie to host the exhibitions of the Société de l'Industrie de la Mayenne, founded in 1851. The plans were entrusted to architect Pierre-Aimé Renous, and the works, led by entrepreneur Joseph Guinebretière, gave birth to a covered quadrilateral, inaugurated in 1852. It became a cultural and event centre, hosting festivals, concerts, and even military reservists in the 1880s.

In the 20th century, the building underwent a new transformation: in 1901, Laval acquired a part of the Palais de la Décoration and the Furniture of the 1900 Universal Exhibition to replace the Galleries de l'Industrie, considered too expensive to renovate. This Palais de l'Industrie, inaugurated in 1902 and classified as a historic monument in 1926, was finally destroyed in 1976 to give way to the municipal library. Today, only the main granite gate and its trilobed pediment, adorned with the coat of arms of the Duke Charles-Armand-René de La Trémoïlle, are still preserved in the Old Castle Museum.

Les halles aux Toiles illustrates the economic and urban evolution of Laval, moving from a medieval textile market to a symbol of 19th-century industrialization. Their destruction in 1976 marked the end of an era, but their legacy persisted through architectural remains and archives, testifying to the historical importance of the trade of canvases in Mayenne.

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