Before skyscrapers designed modernity and railway stations made travelers dream, a Parisian architect paved the way: Victor Baltard (1805-1874), a craftsman of the Second Empire, a discreet genius of iron, glass and cast iron. He was one of those who transformed Paris into a modern capital. Even today, his legacy can be seen in the markets, churches, gardens and pavilions of the Île-de-France region.
Trained at the Beaux-Arts and a resident of the Villa Medici in Rome, Baltard embodies the synthesis of the classical and the industrial. His works blend traditional pediments and columns... but conceal bold metal frameworks, the ideal setting for a new Paris thirsty for hygiene, light and circulation.
Although little remains of his greatest achievements, Victor Baltard, before Gustave Eiffel, brought steel to the capital, combining refinement and industry. Follow in the footsteps of his metallic ghost, whose vestiges are still clearly visible...
1st district
The beating heart of Paris, Les Halles was Victor Baltard's masterpiece. Commissioned by Napoleon III, his iron and glass pavilions, built between 1854 and 1874, revolutionized the architecture of covered markets. Conceived as a harmonious ensemble of twelve airy, luminous structures, they marked a new alliance between functionality and elegance.
Although demolished in the 1970s, two pavilions remain to recall this golden age of Parisian commerce, while the Forum des Halles and its shopping mall have taken their place above the immense metro and RER network.
Between huge market and shopping mall, do you know the history of the trou des Halles?
Some places have a destiny all their own. Les Halles, in the heart of the capital, has always been dedicated to commerce, from the Middle Ages to the present day, evolving from a giant market to a shopping mall, with a few twists and turns in between! Discover its history. [Read more]
8th district
Located between Place Saint-Augustin and Boulevard Malesherbes, the Saint-Augustin church, built between 1860 and 1871, is one of Baltard's major achievements. Its innovative metal framework was integrated into the masonry, enabling an 80-meter-high dome to be erected on a relatively small footprint.
Its eclectic facade blends Romanesque and Byzantine influences, adorned with an imposing sculpted pediment. The church was designed to be visible from afar, at the crossroads of the main Haussmann axes, and perfectly embodies the spirit of Second Empire Paris: monumental, rational and resolutely modern.
Eglise Saint-Augustin is a stunning church. With its prominent metal frame and many architectural styles, it's unlike any other. What's more, it was completely renovated from 2016 to 2018, and is even more beautiful today. [Read more]
Nogent-sur-Marne (94)
The only surviving pavilion from Les Halles Centrales! Removed stone by stone when the market was destroyed, it was reassembled in Nogent-sur-Marne in the 1970s. Now a listed historic monument, it hosts concerts, exhibitions and cultural events in its spectacular glass and cast-iron nave.
The sole survivor of the twelve iron and glass pavilions designed by Victor Baltard to modernize the commercial heart of Paris, No. 8 now stands in Nogent-sur-Marne. A precious testimony to the industrial architecture of the Second Empire, it has been enjoying a second life since 1976. [Read more]
1st district
A small street between rue Montmartre and rue Pierre-Lescot, named in his honor. It marks the site of the former pavilions that no longer exist. Ideal for capturing the beating heart of the "Ventre de Paris".
19th district
Inaugurated in 1867, the abattoirs at La Villette mark the application of his architectural principles to a large-scale industrial site, by one of his pupils. Between specialized pavilions and wide aisles, they combined metal structures, natural ventilation and rational organization, of which only the Grande Halle de la Villette remains, transformed into a place of art and culture.
Some of Paris's most famous landmarks hide their true identity... like the Grande Halle de la Villette. Now a welcoming exhibition center, it was once home to one of the world's largest slaughterhouses! [Read more]
8th district
Less well known than Saint-Augustin, Saint-Philippe du Roule nevertheless benefited from Baltard's intervention during a campaign of works in 1845-1849. The architect enlarged and refurbished this 18th-century church in a sober, neoclassical style. In particular, he designed a redesigned interior façade and choir, playing on clarity and purity of line.
This restoration illustrates the more discreet side of his work: that of an architect capable of blending in with the existing, of magnifying a building without betraying its soul, in a neighborhood then undergoing major transformation.
You can also admire Prince Louis-Napoléon's cradle, a masterpiece of decorative arts, which he created in 1856 and is now housed in the Musée Carnavalet. The Bibliothèque historique de la ville de Paris houses a Victor Baltard collection, with 26 original plans of Les Halles Centrales.
Victor Baltard: tours and events in the architect's footsteps in Paris 2025
This year, the city of Paris has decided to highlight the figure of Victor Baltard, architect of the old Parisian Halles. Conferences, tours and free events are planned to celebrate him. [Read more]
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Between huge market and shopping mall, do you know the history of the trou des Halles?
Saint-Augustin Church, at the heart of Haussmann-style Paris
Did you know? Only one vestige of the former Halles de Paris remains in Nogent-sur-Marne.
Did you know? The Grande Halle de la Villette once housed a huge slaughterhouse.
