Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The covered market of Villefranche-sur-Saône is rooted in the medieval tradition of open-air markets, established in 1140 by the Sires de Beaujeu. Faced with urban expansion and traffic difficulties at the beginning of the 20th century, the municipality is considering the construction of a covered market. In 1928, Mayor Armand Chouffet launched an invitation to tender won by the Lyon architect Albin Decœur, marking the beginning of an ambitious project.

The construction, inspired by the Reims halls, begins with major technical challenges related to the damp and friable basement of Morgon. To stabilize the 5,000 m2 building, 270 concrete piles are cast. The building, consisting of a basement, a gallery, 16 side aisles and 9 power stations, opened in October 1933, reserved exclusively for food dealers. Its reinforced concrete vault, cast in 9 stages, and 16 side vaults illustrate a technical feat for the era.

From the 1950s, the market diversified its uses to ensure its profitability: musical, sporting and festive events added to commercial activities. The 1960s saw renovations to adapt the site to hygiene standards. Between 2006 and 2013, modernizations (lighting, building blocks) prepare the market for its classification as a Historic Monument in 2021. In 2024, a complete restoration will give the building its original colours, brick red, while maintaining its central role in local life.

Unlike the market of Reims, from which it is inspired without sharing the same designers (Emile Maigrot, Eugène Freyssinet) or structural problems, the market of Villefranche-sur-Saône remains a living place, preserving an uninterrupted commercial tradition since the Middle Ages. Its architecture, combining functionality and aesthetics, makes it a unique testimony to the urban planning of the 1930s in France.

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