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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Auch Grain Hall, built in the 19th century, is an emblematic monument of the city of Auch, in the Gers. Originally designed to house the grain trade, it embodies the utilitarian architecture of the time, with its arches in the middle of the hanger and octagonal pillars supporting a wooden frame. Today, renowned Maison de Gascogne, it serves as a cultural place and exhibition.

In 1829, a petition called for the building of the hall on the Place des Carmelites rather than on the old Cordeliers Garden. After several refusals, the municipality launched a competition in 1837 without a specific programme. Five projects are proposed, two by architect Jean-Baptiste Lodoyer. The choice was made for the most expensive project, and work was completed in 1843. The hall was listed as a historic monument in 1941.

The structure, rectangular (38 m by 28 m), is built of Terraube stone. Its 7 arcades in length and 5 in width, decorated with bosses and caducées symbolizing trade, frame an interior space supported by 16 octagonal pillars. A half-height wooden courtyard forms a peripheral gallery. The structure, originally planned with an attic, remained visible after the municipal refusal. In 1973, the hall was renovated and renamed Maison de Gascogne, becoming a showcase of local productions.

Architecture combines classical elements, such as cornice and decorative diamond, with commercial attributes. Lodoyer had imagined a zinc roof, replaced by traditional tiles. An acrotère conceals the roof, while the shovels have a caducée, reminiscent of the merchant vocation of the building. The adjacent square, formerly named Jean-David, was renamed Place Jean-Dours in 2004.

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