Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The halls of Belvoir, mentioned in 1314 in the act of franchises granted by Thibaud de Belvoir and Jeanne de Montfaucon, are a central place for local commerce. A second reference in 1411 confirms their importance. Until 1898, they hosted annual fairs and a weekly market, consolidating Belvoir's economic role in the region. These wooden and stone halls symbolize medieval rural architecture adapted to trade.

In 1683 Prince François Marie de Lorraine-Lillebonne, the husband of Anne de Lorraine, ordered the addition of stone shops in the eastern span, now occupied by the town hall. Abandoned in 1848 at the Archdiocese of Besançon, they became communal property in 1853. Four large fairs still run until the end of the 19th century. Timed and restored, they also house an animal traction oil mill, a rare example of traditional craftsmanship.

The building, 40 metres long by 13 metres wide, consists of three naves of thirteen spans supported by a wooden frame. Some pillars are carved, adding an artistic dimension to the utility building. Classified as a historic monument in 1973, the halls and their mill illustrate the alliance between trade, crafts and architectural heritage in Burgundy-Franche-Comté. A restoration campaign in 1980 preserved this testimony from the past.

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