Forum des Halles, Paris

Forum des Halles

Address: Les Halles Metro Station
Arrondissement: 1st

About the Forum des Halles

Paris’ Forum des Halles has a unique 800 year history. From 1200 through 1500, the area was a thriving marketplace which specialized in tasty foods and a variety of businesses. Parisian’s came here to mill about, shop and enjoy food and friends into the wee hours of the morning. 

However, as the city grew larger the congestion that Halles created became too much for the citizens of Paris. In the 1960s the cafes and stalls were moved to Rungis, a suburban area near the Orly Airport.

As much as Parisian’s thought that the move of Halles was for the best, they were equally appalled at the disgraceful hole left behind from a marketplace that had thrived in their city for centuries on end. It was dubbed “le trou des Halles” which translates to the hole of the Halles. So the city did them one better and filled in the gaping fissure with yet another place that Parisian’s could come to mill about, shop and enjoy food and friends into the wee hours of the morning.

The site, now appropriately named Les Halles again, is more than meets the eye. Above ground it appears the area has been filled in as a pretty park. But if you look closely, or simply take the metro to Les Halles, you will find an underground subway station in the depths, topped by an underground shopping mall and finally on ground level, the mentioned park. Each is functionable in its own right; the world’s largest underground metro whisks locals and tourists alike around the busy city; the mall is filled with anything one’s heart could desire such as shopping, restaurants, clubs, museums and move theaters; the park provides a lovely place to sunbath and enjoy a picnic lunch.

The newness has worn off in recent years and the Les Halles area has slowly been declining. The area felt unsafe and big name stores began to leave the mall in search of a more profitable location. To keep the centuries old Les Halles tradition alive, the city of Paris, has recently (as of 2006) chosen French architect Mangin to revive the entire area.  

Getting to Forum des Halles

Les Halles is a station of the Paris Métro. The first station was opened in 21 April 1908 to serve Les Halles when it was still a marketplace. It was rebuilt in 1977 to interchange with the new Châtelet – Les Halles RER station and the renovated Les Halles area.

Forum des Halles Hotels 

Here is a short guide to hotels near Forum des Halles

Comfort Hotel Saint Martin offers an affordable price in a rather cosmopolitan area of Paris; perfect for the budget conscious traveler who wants to stretch their money. It is situated near Notre Dame, the Les Halles quarters and the Boulevard des Grands, all of which have fantastic access to the metro, cinemas, theaters and discounted shopping retailers. Rates for this 3 star diamond in the rough start at 47EUR per night, which includes a breakfast to get your day started.

The Pavillon Opera Grands Boulevards  is set in a distinctive location, perfect for any shopaholic or theater buff; Folies Bergres, Opera Comique Montmartre, Galeria la Fayettes and Opera Garnier are all close by. Each room follows opera house-esque standards with hand made tiles and modern facilities that are bright, clean and elegant. It true Parisian style there is even a bar and coffee shop right in the lounge. Rates for this classic Parisian 3 star stay are begin at 83EUR for a twin room or 91EUR for a standard, including breakfast.

The 4 star Westin Paris might be as fine as some of its surroundings, which include the Louvre, Tuileries Garden, Place de Concorde, Eiffel Tower and Les Halles. Situated in the heart of the city, the 438 stylish guest rooms are all equipped with the hotels innovative signature Westin Heavenly Bed. There are also fine dining options for hungry souls like Le First restaurant Boudoir Paris, Tuilieres Bar for those in need of a drink and La Terrace Fleurie for people wanting to dine with a view.

Photo of Forum des Halles courtesy of Wikimedia.org