Halle Saint-Joseph

The Saint-Joseph covered market, in the style of the Baltard market, is one of the last remaining examples in the region without major changes; the markets on Place Renoux and Place Saint-Pierre have been demolished. It was built in 1891-1892 by the ironwork workshop of André Michelin (1853-1931), one of the founding brothers of the famous factory. On a square layout with a central roof window, it is surrounded by a mid-level brick wall with atrium windows. This market is part of a urban planning project for the square for which the town council forbade the use of Volvic stone. The buildings meet strict specifications: “a basement or cellar, a ground floor with bright, spacious storage spaces for the business, a mezzanine with apartments for shopkeepers, two floors with apartments for families or errand boys and a floor with mansard roof for the servants.” The building has been on the historic monuments registry since 2002.

The metropolitan area features several other covered markets that are evidence of its trading activity. In rue Ballainvilliers in Clermont-Ferrand is a former covered wheat market built in 1767-1769 in neo-Classical style, which is now renovated to accommodate the Fonds Régional d’Art Contemporain (regional contemporary art collection). In Montferrand on the rue du Séminaire is a former canvas covered market from the 15th century, evidence of the vitality of hemp trading. On Place Poly is another covered market, built in the 19th century, which continues to operate with a weekly Friday market. Elsewhere, Lempdes has a covered market built in 1839, with Volvic stone columns supporting a frame and a hipped roof. Romagnat has a small, elegant, metal covered market, whose workmanship is almost identical to the one in Chauriat (Puy-de-Dôme).

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