"Les Halles" refers to the neighbourhood and the vast Place Carée square right in the centre of Paris.
The area takes its name from the huge halls of the fresh food market that has been operating on this square since the Middle Ages. Les Halles was at its peak in the 19th century, when most of the market halls were built.
The last time the fresh food market was open was in 1973, and since then the square has continuously seen the construction of shopping malls of various forms.
The situation today
The huge Forum des Halles shopping centre has been operating here since the 1970s, but its appearance has been controversial and often offensive.
In 2007, a modern redevelopment was decided upon and the architectural competition was won by Patrick Berger and Jacques Anziutti.
The central architectural element of the square is currently a huge golden undulating canopy covering the entire shopping centre and the entrance to the RER train station.
The mall also includes the Novotel Paris Les Halles hotel ****.
How to get there
The mall itself is also one of the main transfer hubs for public transport in Paris.
The Chatelet-Les Halles railway station is under the centre's roof, where the RER A, B and D trains stop.
The Les Halles metro station is also in the immediate vicinity and can be reached by line 4.
The nearby Chatelet station (about 350 metres) serves metro lines 1, 4, 7, 11 and 14.
What to see around
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