Jardin des Halles
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Capetian Louis le Gros (1108-1137) decided to build the Halles de Paris, a covered market, in 1135. Philippe Auguste (1180-1223) took over where he left off, building the Halles Centrales, the first indoor market, in 1183.
Essentials
Opened in 1988
40,050 sq m
Don’t miss
The tropical greenhouse and Henri de Miller's “Ecoute” (“Listen”) Statue.
Getting there
- Rue Berger, Rue Pierre-Lescot, Rue Rambuteau, Rue Coquillière, Rue de Viarmes (Paris 01)
- Metro: Les Halles
- RER: Châtelet Les Halles
 » Road map
Opening hours
See the detailed page (coming soon)
Things to do
Eleven fountains, sculpted plants, a lime-tree and chestnut-tree flanked mall, a sprinkling of ponds, stunning Bruyère-earth beds, and a terraced flower garden nestling the 450-sq-m tropical greenhouse (an impressive catalogue in this central-Paris garden). Don’t miss the four small glass pyramids near the Bourse du Commerce either.
History trivia
This garden still bears the marks of the twelve magnificent pavilions that architect Victor Baltard built on Emperor Napoleon III’s request in the 19th century. He set out to clean up the “Ventre de Paris” (lit. “Stomach or Paris”, the former covered market), with a building inspired by Gare de l'Est (he loved the metal structure).
The spurt of breakneck expansion that hit Paris in the early 20th century, and the ensuing throngs of motor vehicles, clogged the roads to this market. They were torn down (despite much uproar) and sold as scrap metal in Chatou in 1972.
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