Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Petit-Fers building, located in Vannes, Morbihan, was built between 1894 and 1906 by the Petit family, metal traders. Designed to house a wholesale hardware store under the name Petit-Fers, it served as a warehouse until the 1970s. Its architecture combines a metal structure of Baltard type with a facade decorated with granite, limestone, brick, cast iron and enamelled ceramic, illustrating the industrial art of the period. The Petit family, already owner of adjacent buildings since 1867, developed a flourishing activity there before the site was transformed into a commercial gallery (Les Arcades) and then a pizzeria at the end of the 20th century.

The building has been listed as a historic monument since 30 May 2000 for its facades, roofs and metal structure and is part of the Vannes Saved Area. Its T-shaped plan includes a rectangular main body on street, dedicated to trade, and a perpendicular storage body with metal frame. The facade, divided into two levels, has seven arched bays on the ground floor, supported by corinthian cast iron columns, and a receding residential floor, illuminated by curved dots. The columns, marked Fontanet father and Morel, come from a Parisian company specializing in metal structures, active in several similar projects in France.

Originally, the building replaced the southern wing of the former Saint Nicholas Hospital and its courtyard, shaved to open Alain-Le-Grand Street when the prefecture was built. The Petit-Fers establishments, later taken over by the Metallurgical Clinics of Brittany, ceased their activity in 1975. After successive renovations (market gallery, pizzeria), the site was purchased in the early 2000s by a local insurer planning to install a new commercial gallery. In spite of these transformations, the building retains remarkable architectural elements, bearing witness to its industrial and commercial past.

The sources also mention subsequent changes, such as the partial removal of the base under four bays to install windows, or the division of the single apartment on the top floor into several units. Although the architect remains unknown, the quality of the materials and details (glazed terracotta, frieze-enabled) underscores the importance of this building in the valve heritage. Today, it embodies both the heritage of Breton metallurgical activities and the urban transformations of Vannes in the 20th century.

External links