Les Halles was the central fresh food marketplace in Paris in the past; it was converted into a tiered shopping mall below ground level with a central courtyard, underneath which is the largest underground railway/transport/subway station in the world "Châtelet-Les Halles".
This nexus of the high-speed suburban railway, the RER, and has led to hoards of poorer inhabitants of the outlying cities having easy access to the area. Subsequently, it became the only place in central Paris where caution against crime is warranted, especially for petty crime and single women after dark.
Once a gleaming glass and steel center, it is looking somewhat grimy due to the high crowds and the large areas of glass that are never all clean. It is next door to the Pompidou Center. |