#post-war france

Reims is considered the Art Deco capital of France because, after being heavily damaged in the First World War, a great deal of reconstruction took place in the 1920s and 30s.  After the Art Nouveau style had run its course, the simpler lines of Art Deco became all the rage. Les Halles du Boulingrin is part of that architectural heritage. 

The market hall, completed in 1929, is a listed historical monument with an impressively constructed ceiling. With no central supports on the inside, the parabolic arch spans a space more than 100 meters long and 38 meters wide. The tinted glass gives the interior a golden glow, and the side doors are highlighted with pale green polished cement.  After falling into disrepair, the hall was renovated between 2008 and 2012. Markets are now held there twice a week.

Photos by Charles Reeza