In Paris, some sites have seen several incarnations over the years. One such place is the current Jussieu campus, which until the mid-20th century was home to the Halle aux Vins. This large warehouse complex was used for storing and distributing wine. Built in the 17th century by order of Cardinal Mazarin, it was designed to centralize the processing and sale of wine within the city.
Located between quai Saint-Bernard and rue Saint-Victor, the Halle aux Vins was where barrels arrived by boat, mainly via the Seine. The site housed storage warehouses, cellars, and vaults. It played a key logistical role in the distribution of wine in Paris, under strict regulation by tax authorities. For nearly three centuries, the neighborhood, shaped by this commercial activity, was centered around this bustling hub of wine trade.
Following World War II, Paris and the government launched a series of development projects to accommodate the surge in higher education. The site of the Halle aux Vins, gradually abandoned over time, was selected to house new science facilities.
It was during the 1950s that the first university buildings began to take shape. Over time, the site evolved into what is now known as the Jussieu Campus, part of Sorbonne University. Modern structures now stand where old warehouses once did, but the remnants of the past are still subtly preserved!
Although no complete structure of the former Wine Hall remains today, several remnants can still be seen in the neighborhood. Firstly, sections of the old fences that once surrounded the hall are still visible along the Saint‑Bernard quay and at the corner of Cuvier Street, near the entrance to the National Museum of Natural History. These fences are identifiable by decorative motifs featuring pine cones, a symbol associated with wine merchants who traditionally used pine resin to seal their barrels. Beneath the Esclangon building on the Jussieu campus, preserved vaulted cellars from the era of the Wine Hall can still be found.
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Location
Sorbonne University Jussieu Campus
4 Place Jussieu
75005 Paris 5
