FRANCE: DEMOLITION OF FAMOUS FOOD MARKET OF LES HALLES WELL ADVANCED

Record ID: 648350

  • Title: FRANCE: DEMOLITION OF FAMOUS FOOD MARKET OF LES HALLES WELL ADVANCED
  • Date: 24th September 1971
  • Summary: 1. GTV PAN..demolished Market Buildings 0.21 2. SV One wall of market building still standing 0.29 3. SV Rubble, bulldozer at work (2 shots) 0.42 4. SV Wall, tilt up to partly demolished roof 0.48 5. SV PAN..Wreckage (2 shots) 1.05 6. SV Partly demolished buildings 1.17 Initials ES.1621 ES.1614 Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 9th October 1971 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: LES HALLES, PARIS
  • Country: France
  • Reuters ID: LVABY2CGNNR44Z78ML9DNBE8RAK
  • Story Text: Demolition of the famous Paris food market of Les Halles, which was started in July, is now advanced. Several of the pavilions designed by the architect Baltard in the middle of the last century have already been pulled down.

    Conservationists fought a desperate battle to save 'Les Halles', a colourful focal point for the food lovers of Paris, but managed only to save only one of the pavilions. It is to be re-built on another site.

    The market was at one time famed for traffic jams, prostitutes, and 350 cafes which surrounded it.

    SYNOPSIS: Demolition work on the celebrated iron pavilions of Baltard at Les Halles in Paris is now far advanced, having begun in July. Several pavilions have already been pulled down, and the general impression on Thursday reminded one of the aftermath of wartime bombing.

    Les Halles ia the former wholesale food market that served Paris for more than 100 years. Conservationists fought a desperate battle to prevent the demolition, but managed to save only one pavilion -- which is to be dismantled and rebuilt elsewhere. By the mid-1970's the 40-acre (16 hectares) site will have been transformed into a giant new complex which will include tow express underground station, an underground shopping precinct, public library and museum, and housing and shopping space. In the past Les Halles was a focal point for the food lovers of Paris, and was also famed for its traffic jams, prostitutes, and cafe. Even the departure of the vegetable wholesalers for the new site near Orly Airport could not kill the extraordinary Vitality of the place.
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