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Post by Deleted on May 21, 2010 19:09:32 GMT
When I moved to Paris in 1973, the “Les Halles” polemics were still in full swing. As far as I know, nobody really contested the fact that the old markets had to leave the center of Paris, but many people seemed to believe that the old pavilions could be saved and turned into other uses. Actually, in 2010, I’m sure that a city like Paris would not have the slightest difficulty finding cultural uses for such buildings, but god knows what on earth they could have done with them in 1969 when they closed on February 28. Saint Eustache (you’ll see it soon) was the church on the edge of Les Halles, and one of its little chapels is devoted to the departure of the market on 28 February 1969. The new market opened in the suburb of Rungis on March 3rd, 1969. Les Halles took up a pretty big section of the 1st arrondissement. It was remarkably symmetric for Paris, a city that despises symmetry. Oh, I’m sure it had a certain charm, but it had even more rats. The buildings stood empty for a few years, and then the demolition began. When the area was completely barren is when I arrived. And what happened next was called "Le Trou des Halles" (the Les Halles hole) for several years. end of part one
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Post by Deleted on May 21, 2010 19:57:52 GMT
---Interlude--- After demolition of the pavilions, they dug and they dug and they dug, to make the "hole." A terrible movie -- an Italian western -- was filmed in the hole. Every single exterior was filmed in the center of Paris. For those who admire European cinema, here is just a bit more to show that European films are capable of things far worse than you could ever imagine. Next: my own photos of the hole.
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Post by lagatta on May 21, 2010 23:28:31 GMT
I do remember the hole and was very sad not to have seen Les Halles and sadder still (yes, back then) that it hadn't been saved. No, not out of "nostalgie de la boue" or romantic ignorance of modern sanitation or the needs of the huge city Paris had become in terms of wholesale markets. I believe Rungis is convenient to long-distance-trucking, air freight and rail. But many cities have conserved their central market for retail and many other purposes.
I haven't been there for quite a few years. I hated Le Forum des Halles (both the cookie-cutter retail and the fucked-up street kids) and the gardens were among the saddest modern Paris parks and gardens I've seen. I know there have been further renovations but it is hard to undo such an error in urbanism. I think of the old slaughterhouses at La Villette that have been successfully repurposed, and this is pretty much dead centre in Paris!
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Post by Deleted on May 22, 2010 10:21:47 GMT
I took this photo in the mid 1970's when the hole was being slowly refilled (2 transit levels follwed by 3 levels of shopping mall). Last week, it looked like this. All of this will be ripped out soon.
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Post by Deleted on May 22, 2010 10:25:20 GMT
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Post by lagatta on May 22, 2010 13:18:17 GMT
What are they planning in its stead?
Sad to rip out the trees now that they have grown. They weren't big and beautiful like that when I last happened to go there (I wasn't there on any visit to Paris in recent years). Seems to me they could have simply reorganised the park a bit, but those Parisians love their "grands projets".
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Post by patricklondon on May 22, 2010 13:47:49 GMT
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Post by Deleted on May 22, 2010 13:54:38 GMT
The original project for the ground level buildings was awarded to Ricardo Bofill. But the brand new mayor of Paris Jacques Chirac wanted something lighter and more 1970's. As they were completing the shopping mall, the main entrance looked like this. 32 years later not much has changed... but all gone soon.
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Post by Deleted on May 22, 2010 13:57:20 GMT
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Post by Deleted on May 22, 2010 15:38:20 GMT
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Post by Deleted on May 22, 2010 15:39:59 GMT
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Post by Deleted on May 22, 2010 15:44:04 GMT
Yes, it's sort of a shame. Back to square one?
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Post by greyghost1 on May 22, 2010 17:24:54 GMT
Wow, Kerouac...thanks so much for putting the whole des Halles in a historical context. But are those photos in # 4-6 of what is happening right now? And not from before...wow, they move rather quick when they get going.
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Post by Deleted on May 22, 2010 18:32:46 GMT
They have to move fast because there is so much litigation. Naturally people always try to save the trees. It makes no difference to know that there will be twice as many trees as before -- some people simply cannot abide the removal of trees. They don't mind about bums being evicted, but trees, no way!
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Post by Deleted on May 22, 2010 18:40:55 GMT
Resistance The people opposed obtained a new delay recently, but they are just prolonging the agony.
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Post by bixaorellana on May 22, 2010 20:31:15 GMT
But it's so pretty the way it is was! Perhaps Paris is too large, wealthy, and sophisticated to go in for this particular form of corruption, but petty thieves such as Louisiana politicians and the present governor of Oaxaca know that "the money is in cement". That is to say, you can hide an awful lot of dubious money exchange within a public works project.
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Post by greyghost1 on May 23, 2010 21:33:21 GMT
kerouac...merely curious...what's your opinion of the whole des Halles...the newest design vs the one being destroyed? Ans was the older one really that poorly done? Or anyone else with an opinion?
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Post by Deleted on May 24, 2010 5:06:47 GMT
I thought the park was fine, but I agree with the removal of the surface 'umbrella' buildings, which had aged poorly and which no longer correspond to contemporary aesthetics.
One of the main things that needed to be done (and which will be done) is to provide easier access to the underground transportation network -- without forcing people to go through the shopping mall.
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Post by lagatta on May 24, 2010 12:39:40 GMT
Even when they were built, the umbrella buildings were rather tacky - they looked like a somewhat pretentious suburban shopping mall. A shopping concourse in that setting needs to be better attuned to the surrounding buildings. And Paris has some splendid contemporary buildings. Some duds as well.
I still think most of the trees should be conserved. Trees are living beings. I know they have to be cut for some purposes, but they should be respected if possible.
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Post by Deleted on May 24, 2010 14:53:25 GMT
This is the upcoming project, but I don't think this is the final version yet.
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Post by bjd on May 24, 2010 16:45:44 GMT
If they would only blow up Beaubourg, they would do the skyline a favour.
What are those gray rectangles at lower left?
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Post by Deleted on Sept 10, 2010 18:43:23 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Sept 25, 2010 15:33:46 GMT
Removal of the park continues... Since all of this will go on for several years, they are setting up some temporary areas for people to use next spring. Today, there was a flea market on the main alleyways. It looks to me like French junk is exactly the same as junk in every other country. I'm sure there are some major national variations, though. A French flea market probably has many more corkscrews than those in other countries, and of course demi-tasse format cups rather than mugs. An American flea market is sure to have a lot of useless high school or bowling trophies to unload. I've never been to an English flea market, but something tells me that I would find a lot of teapots and tea towels there. Here's a treasure I had not seen in years -- cigar boxes! So much of this stuff should just go directly in the trash! There were plenty of people, though, and it wasn't even 11 a.m. yet.
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Post by Jazz on Sept 25, 2010 19:23:21 GMT
Kerouac, without doubt you are our ‘Paris expert’, but it seems that you arrived after les Halles was banished to the suburbs. I wonder if anyone here saw les Halles at it's zenith in centre Paris? I have read much about the market in its’ vibrant lifespan and deeply regret that I missed it. Perhaps rats abounded, but the life of the market seemed rich and fascinating….the market itself, the vendors, the morning set up and the local cafes the vendors would retire to for breakfast and after close of the market. I think that the best book to read for our closest (only?) remaining link to the actual ‘sense’ of les Halles is Le Ventre de Paris (The Belly of Paris) by Emile Zola, published in 1873. I found the current use of the area (in 2007) totally depressing, especially the dreadful Forum des Halles, which reminded me of Toronto’s Eaton centre, only more ghastly. Rats in a maze. The minimal use of gardens on ground level was tolerable, but remarkably unimpressive for the centre of Paris. Thus, I’m thrilled at this attempt to redesign the area. Paris is historically outstanding for its remarkable design shifts and succeeds both in maintaining historical design and integrating the vibrantly contemporary. I look forward to the redesign. I love the photos you took of the flea market in the main alleyways today. Yes, junk is junk, but it’s entertaining and a pleasureable way to spend a few hours. Thank you for this and I hope you will tell us more. Le ventre de Paris (The Belly of Paris) is the finest glimpse of the market of les Halles. A few other articles, www.saveur.com/saveur-travels/europe-middle-east-and-asia/the-belly-of-paris-55147.htmlwww.vingtparismagazine.com/2010/06/in-the-belly-of-paris.htmlYou will need to buy this book of essays, or take it from the library, but there is an excellent essay written by a woman who visited Paris the the last few years before les Halles market was exiled, www.amazon.com/Travelers-Tales-Paris-Stories-Guides/dp/188521183X
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Post by Deleted on Dec 26, 2010 11:20:11 GMT
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Post by bjd on Dec 26, 2010 13:38:22 GMT
I'm glad to see there will be a fairly big park there -- greenery is certainly missing in the centre of Paris.
I wonder too if the architects are suddenly making new specifications for La Canopée to see whether it will hold up under snow!
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Post by greyghost1 on Dec 31, 2010 23:28:12 GMT
I enjoyed that video, thanks for that update. I can't understand why they insist on using so mach glass. If its like the last version the glass gets and stays filthy with bird droppings and so forth. Ah well. May be it's to see all the drug selling that is supposed to be taking place. When we stayed at the Aparthotel there a few years ago I actually enjoyed walking over to the markets and shops every morning and never felt any thing to be concerned about. But then there was a huge police presence on roller blades and they were fast too.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 1, 2011 15:41:09 GMT
The Pavillon de l'Arsenal, where the city of Paris exposes all of its architectural projects, currently is showing a pretty big model of the "Canopée" and its inner workings. Some people would like to be able to crawl around inside to check out the details. It is sitting on a giant aerial representation of the neighborhood to give an idea of the size of the project and the new design of the accompanying park. The big stone head remains at its current location next to St. Eustache church, but the round piazza is gone and the area is completely redesigned.
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Post by tod2 on Jan 1, 2011 16:54:10 GMT
I'm so glad they held off uprooting it all before we could take one last look this past August. Thanks for the photos and video update - very nice.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 8, 2011 23:45:31 GMT
The main diagonal passage through the park is now closed (even if one of the barriers was blown down in the high winds today). All of the above-ground buildings at Les Halles are supposed to be torn down in April. I'll be there with my camera.
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