Les Halles de Cozes

Since the Middle Ages, the halls, a ventilated and structured building, have housed fairs and markets.
Several halls have followed one another at this location. The current building, dating mostly from the XNUMXth century, still houses markets every Wednesday (and Saturday).

The building has a basilica plan divided into 3 naves.
Imposing stone and oak pillars, forming 3 bays, support a vast roof covered with tiles. The wooden pillars are from the XNUMXth century, on a base from the XNUMXth century. The structural elements are from the XNUMXth and XNUMXth centuries.

The market halls belonged to the town's notables, the lord or the prior, who derived significant income from them. Residents wishing to sell their goods there had to pay a fee for "placing" and "displaying" their stalls. Foreigners wishing to trade there, on the other hand, had to pay a higher tax.

After the disappearance of the seigniorial rights, the halls, stalls or benches, become by irrevocable concession, the personal property of the traders. The latter occupy them or rent them to non-sedentary merchants.

From 1810, the municipality of Cozes expressed its intention to become the owner of the market halls and all commercial locations. By deliberation of the Municipal Council, on February 26, 1815, the municipality purchased the building. In 1820, an order from the King authorized him to appropriate all the locations in return for compensation paid to the owners, corresponding to ten times the amount of the annual rent.

The building was listed in the Supplementary Inventory of Historic Monuments on September 15, 1938.