La Criée – Marché Central (Central Market Hall), Rennes

The Central Market Hall is Rennes’s covered market built in the early 20th century by city architect Emmanuel Le Ray. The building opened in 1923 with “Municipal Auction Hall” still etched on its pediment, a reminder of its original role as the municipal fish auction. The market remains a daily stop for fresh produce, cheeses, seafood, and baked goods in the heart of the city.

Look up and you’ll see what makes the hall distinctive: bands of yellow brick and granite, polychrome ceramics, and an iron-and-glass roofline designed for light and ventilation. Inside, purpose-built aisles and tiled counters speak to the building’s hygienic, modern ambitions of the 1920s. One wing houses La Criée, translated as, The Auction Hall, the city’s contemporary art centre, installed here since 1986.

Since 2018, the site’s refreshed identity has brought more on-site tastings and occasional food events, adding to the convivial atmosphere without losing the market’s everyday character.