Rue des Halles, it's Crémerie, it's Cafés
in April 2013 ... during the Expo "La Saperie Fine"

The Saperie Fine poster
designed by the graphic artist Agathe Toonovski was so beautiful ...
that several cafés on Rue des Halles
spontaneously wanted to expose it in their windows ...


The exposition was organized by Delphine Lamarque
and by Johan Le Goff.
End of Avril 2013 the expo "La Saperie Fine"
is present all along the street
on the numbers 8, 11, 15, 22, et 24.

To say a little "thank you" to the cafés,
2 days later, saturday April 27 2013
came the inspiration to make the
Rue des Halles.com website
(luckily the domain name, ruedeshalles.com had already been registered 13 yeas befor February 10 2000, without ever missing the renewal charges)

Andy Warhol

Bistro des Halles, 15 rue des Halles
Bistro des Halles exists scince the times of the foundation of Rue des Halles and the Pavillons Baltard.
The chef Isabelle has an excellent reputation. She always comes to her bistro with a white Smart car (poorly parked) accompanied by her dogs Enzo and Hutch.

Agathe Toonovski Couderc

Le Fiston, 20 rue des Halles
Sebastian,the young man in the door of the Fiston is the youngest entrepreneur of the Les Hallles area.
The Restaurant exists since 1983 and was called Pizza Mario ... it reopend - completely redone - in 2011

History Rue des Halles officilly exists since June 21 1854. The street is in the middle of a geographic area that has for centuries been in the heart of the history of France. The above map drawn by Louis Bretez shows the spot of the "future rue" 116 years before it's creation ... back in 1738. And there are some survivors of the very old old times .... - Hotel de Villeroy near the corner of rue des Halles and the very old rue des Déchargeurs - The long building 2 - 14 rue de la Ferronnerie - Sainte Opportune, a comemorative statue of the Saint, patron of the former church Sainte Opportune corner 9 rue des Halles ... facing place Sainte Opportune - Fontaine des Innocents (nearby) - Hotel de Villeroy since 1370 / 1640 The historic courtyard of the Hotel de Villeroy Bourbon almost like it was back in 1640. You can even see it through a window of the Cremerie de Paris, from 9 rue des Déchargeurs (almost 15 rue des Halles) Catherine de Medicis - Henri IV - Anne of Austria with her children Louis XIV and the Prince Philippe - staircase of the Hotel de Villeroy - Louis XIV as a teenager Almost all important personalities of the Kingdom of France have come to the Hotel de Villeroy on a regular basis in order to see Villeroy family that has lived there during 300 years. Nicolas V de Villeroy was the educator of the young King Louis XIV who liked to play in the courtyard with François de Villeroy. The kings of France did not live very far ... in the Louvre / Palais Royal Nicolas III, Nicolas IV, Nicolas V Neufville de Villeroy The Hotel de Villeroy exists since about 1370 and once belonged to the Neufville de Villeroy family. The family started as "sea fish" merchands on the Paris Les Halles food market. Later Nicolas III, Nicolas IV and Nicolas V de Villeroy became advisors of the Kings of France. Other signs of the very old times long before the Rue des Halles .... Pavillon des Drapiers since 1660 Building Ferronnerie since 1678 Sainte Opportune since 1552 Fontaine des Innocents since 1549 Until 1865 the lower level of the Crémerie de Paris was the lower level Pavillon des Drapiers Long Building rue de la Ferronnerie level 24 rue des Halles El Badia et Beirut Cafe Statue of Sainte Opportune requested by the very catholioc Emperess Eugenie to remember the former church Sainte Opportune 9 rue des Halles Fontaine des Innocents by Pierre Lescot and Jean Goujon erected under the reign of King Henry II To be able to built Rue des Halles Baron Hausmann had to tear down several historic streets: Rue de la Limace Rue des Fourreurs Rue de la Tabletterie and the beginning of Rue Saint Honoré (n°1 until n° 31)

Gladines, 11 rue des Halles corner 10 rue des Déchargeurs
Open since thuesday Aprili 23l 2013 by André Rousseau, founder of Gladines
... since it's first day the restaurant is full of chic and glamorous young people who like the delicious not so expensive Gladine plates.
It is the 3rd and the most beautiful of the Gladines Restaurants specialised in Basque cusine
... until 1997 there was the last wholesale Cremerie, called Bofhalles and owned by Monsieur et Madame Picot,
and 2012 it was the hair saloon Farida B now located in Bastille.


La Kaz, 22 rue des Halles
The Smart Car of this restaurant is also always, always, always poorly parked and persued by the "charming ticked Ladies" of the entire area.
This place was closed for 25 ans !!! La Kaz opened in 2010. Sometimes in the summer their clients sing in the street.

History Rue des Halles was born around 1853 in the imagination of the Emperess Eugenie and the Emperor Napoléon III. The young imperial couple had a lot of projects ... othen brainstormed in Biarritz on the Atlantic ocean. They wanted Paris become the most beautiful city of the World ... Rue des Halles was one of these projects The création of future Rue des Halles was officially voted June 21 1854. The intention was to build a magnificent entrance street towards the new Halles Centrales designed by Victor Baltard from the place du Châtelet interconnected with the brand new Rue de Rivoli and the brand new Boulevard de Sebastopol. The construction of the street and of most of it's buildings took around 10 years. Emperess Eugenie used her connections and influence so that only the best architects and craftsmen of the time were selected. She had a lot of taste and had educated herself with numerous constructions she was able to assist: Her own Villa Eugenie in Biarritz (today Hotel du Palais), the Opera Garnier and many others. Her presence can be found in many little details along the facades of Rue des Halles. Rue des Halles was inaugurated around 1865 (if anybody should know the exact day ... please contact the Cremerie de Paris) At this time opened some very beautifully designed stores and cafés. Only 3 been able to maintain, almost unchanged their style and beauty until today: Bistro des Halles Boutique Julien Aurouze Le Petit Opportun Others were able to rediscover their original beauty after important renovation works Cremerie de Paris petite Boutique of the Cremerie de Paris Gladines (former Cremerie Bofhalles) Beiruth Cafe (former Maison Rouge) would anybody have more information on the very first stores and cafés opened on rue des Halles around 1870 ? map of the Halles Centrale de Paris including parts of the rue des Halles (n°11 - 23 / 8 - 32) Victor Baltard, architect of the Pavillons Baltard - Charles Gaultier, scupteur of the Cariaties on 19 rue des Halles

Cristelle Ponnet

Edith Piath en 1930

Le Petit Opportun, 8 rue des Halles
corner 15 rue des Lavandiere St Opportune has reopened April 8 2013

El Badia époque Sony puis Vache & Cow

Boutique El Badia, 12 rue de la Ferronnerie
(level 24 rue des Halles)
Owner of the high profile Internet Domain Chicha.com
The Boutique El Badia was once one of the 4 Boutiques Electrica for Sony of the rue des Halles - Today it is a famous Chicha hotspot.
Frequently clients wait in a long lines as they only do in front of Hermes during exceptional events.

Lady Diana

La Boutique époque Sony

The petite Boutique of the Cremerie, 11 rue des Halles
Today's Cremerie de Paris started in the little Boutique which was the first of the 4 Electrica for Sony stores, Lady Di went there from 1989 to 1992.

Buzz Aldrin

La Cremerie époque Sony

Cremerie de Paris, 15 rue des Halles,
corner 9 and 11 rue des Déchargeurs
see also section "Pop UP Stores" at the end of the page
Cremerie de Paris sold cheese products for 100 years from 1870 to 1970,

History Pictures show Rue des Halles during the peak times of the Halles Centrales Food Market 11 and 15 rue des Halles around 1930 over the years the busy food market swaped over from the Pavillons Baltard into the neighboring streets 2, 4, 6, 8 rue des Halles 11, 15 rue des Halles 17, 19, 21, 23 (demolished) rue des Halles around 1945 32 (demolished) rue des Halles / corner rue Berger Old documentary on French Agriculture The 3 last buildings of Rue des Halles (n°28, 32 and 23) including the very spectecular Banque Franco Argentine Building became victims of real estate speculation during the 1970ies ... also is gone the beautiful view on the old market place.

Pop Up Stores in the Cremerie de Paris on 15 rue des Halles corner 9 and 11 rue des Déchargeurs The Building has a vey long history side 9 rue des Déchargeurs: 1370 beginning of the Hotel de Villeroy which remains in the Villeroy family for 300 years over the years the ground of the "Hôtel" gets extended towards the rue des Déchargeurs where for a long time is located the garden. 1561 - 1590 Madeleine de l'Aubespine, wife of Nicolas IV de Villeroy and court lady of Cathérine de Medicis hold a litterary circle 1646 - 1650 the young king Louis XIV spends some time of his childhood in the Hôtel de Villeroy where he likes to play with his brother and Francois de Villeroy. 1650 Nicolas V de Villeroy rebuilds the house to make it become more glamorous, the architect is unknown, might be Louis Le Vaud 1671 sale of the Hotel by Nicolas V de Villeroy to Louis Rouillé and Leon Pajot, two entrepreneurs that set up the Postal Service in Paris (like the Thurn & Taxis family did in Germany) 1690 construction of new Postal Building in the grounds of the gardens The Pajot & Rouille company becomes very wealthy ... Over 400 local post outlests (relais postaux) all over France (up to Venice) are administrated from the rue des Déchargeurs 1738 Cardinal Fleury, minister of Finance under King Louis XV is upset with the financial wealth of the Pajot & Rouille Postal comapny and withdrawns the royal license to handle the postal service. The building loses importance ... Little by little the buildings deteriorate, they are used as a warehouse for the Halles Marketplace and store Bananas, potatoes ... The nearby department store La Belle Jardinière, competior of La Samaritaine buys the building and uses it as a storage place 1984 Hotel de Villeroy gets protected by the ministy of culture being listed as a historic monument historique avoiding distruction by real estate promoters - renovation follows Todays exterior look of the building and of it's couryard is very similar to 1650/1690. side 11 rue des Déchargeurs: 1660 - 1868 Pavillon des Drapiers The Pavillon des Drapier is english Draper Guilt was for 2 centuries a turning point of the French texile makers. In 1868 the building is in the way of the construction of the future Rue des Halles, The facade of the Pavillon is transfered to the Musee Carnavalet (Paris History Museum) Certain stone collomns as well as the lower level are reintegrated in the construction of the present building. 1868-1870 construction of the present building which has a double address: 11 rue des Déchargeurs & 15 rue des Halles (newly created street) 1870 - 1970 the first Crémerie de Paris sells cheese for a century 1890 extension de la Cremerie de Paris to 9 rue des Déchargeurs The Cremerie attracts many famous clients like Coco Chanel (living place Vendome) or the Emperess (living Palais des Tuileries), both Ladies living on walking distance occasionally enjoy to discover cheese, 1926 The Cremerie changes owner and becomes a wholesale store specializeing in Emmental cheese, called Emmental SA , among them the brand "Favorite". 1970 departure of the Halles Centrals, transfert de la société Emmental vers Rungis 1970 - 1987 epoque du "tour des Halles" ... the store is abandonned for 17 years 1987 renovation of the store that becomes a hi tech robotic furniture store Moderato, later Profiligne at the same time opens on 11 rue des Halles a small Sony Telephone store. 1993 - 1999 4th and largest Boutique Electrica for Sony located an rue des Halles 1995 - 2005 little by little the first Internet Cafe in Paris comes alive inside the Sony Boutique in the beginning only "ahead of their times" Internet users, usuually travelling from the US, come to the Café ... sometimes they were sent by the nearby Hotel Ritz, Meurice ou Crillon that had no connection yet ... amusing mix of clients, Grand Hotel and Backpacking Traveller Left from this Grand Hotel Connection is the fact that the Cremerie, having been so early in the Internet registered many at the time unregistered and very glamorous generic Hotel Domains like Grand Hotels of the World.com Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten.com Hotel le Bristol.com Hotel Carlton.fr Palace Hotel.ch Thus hundreds of famous Palace and Grand Hotels of the World are today contributing to the fame of the Cremerie Pop Up Stores. Octobre 20 2007 location "destroyed" ... then abandonned by a "very special" tenant. 2007 - 2011 never ending court case with this tenant, a large industrial corporation with unlimited financial resources finally won by an exeptional parisian real estate lawyer, Maître Corinne Fajgenbaum. 2011 renovation and waking up of the Crémerie as an Expo Space and Pop Up Store Location Cremerie de Paris has become a Hotspot for high profile Pop Up Stores Nike Barber Shop (June 2012) Boutique Adopte Un Mec (September 2012) Swiss Cheese Lab (September 2012) UGG Australia Pop Up Store (Octobre 2012 - Fevrier 2013) Hair Saloon Any d'Avray Aprill 2013 ... for a TV Commercial Triumph Motorcycles Garage June 2013 Pop Up Store Casio Juillet 2013 Pop Up Store Vskin Septembre 2013 Pop Up Store OMO Octobre 2013 Rue des Halles is the only street in the World where is located an Expo Center which has a "Two Letter Domain" (a .com internet address with only 2 Lettres) ... VB.com VB.com = "Very Beautiful" covers the history of magic brands ... among them those that have created pop Up Stores in the Cremerie. No other Espace Expo, no other Musée has such a short Internet Address ... Those 2 Letter domains are mostly owned by US Technology Firms (Internet came up in the United States) like example HP.com, TI.com, GE.com ou FB.com (There are only 676 Two Letter Domains, like VB.com, HM.com 17,576 Three Domaines, exemple UGG.com 456,976 Four Letter Domains , exemple SONY.com, NIKE.com. 106.080.969 .com Domaines were in use on January 2013) more on the VB.com Internet Hall of Fame. VB.com is an adress that goes back to the very first years of the Internet ... Internet which at the time was almost unknown in France except Rue des Halles ... influenced by Sony, at the time "Sony, the one and only !", with Coca Cola the World's most famous Brand. ... and later the first Cybercafe in Paris (born during the early years of Internet) and the Phonebook of the World (crated rue des Halles January 25 2000).