Les Halles du Faouët

As in all the cities which possessed them, the market-hall belonged to the local lord. He had the right to establish a market and build a hall to shelter it. The halls were a place of high economic activity. In Faouët, these were mainly fairs with cows and horses. In the 17th century, there were even up to 14 annual fairs. Erected in 1542, the building underwent many restorations in the 19th and 20th centuries. Rectangular, the halls cover an area of ​​940 m2. Their dimensions 53 on 19 m are impressive. In spite of such a surface, they were sometimes too small compared to the number of days of fair. The building consists of a large roof resting on a row of short granite columns carried by a stone wall. The elegance of these columns is astonishing: the halls, utilitarian buildings, were generally devoid of any ornament. In the middle of the roof stands an octagonal bell-tower with an 8-sided bulb. It is accessed by two lateral entrances covered by a hipped roof (elongated end covered by a roof with one or several triangular panels) and by two axial entrances covered by a roof supported by two columns. The construction of the frame is made of oak and fir. The halls are today a place invested by the numerous cultural events that take place in the Faouët all the year. Today, the market always takes place under the market. It is held every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month.

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