Ancien grand magasin "Aux Nouvelles Galeries"
MonumentHidden Treasure
An Art Deco jewel in the heart of Bourges, this former department stores', rebuilt in 1929, captivates visitors with its majestic central rotunda and two symmetrical facades of unparalleled commercial elegance.
© Wikimedia Commons
History
In the heart of Bourges, a town whose medieval heritage is a real eye-catcher, stands a building that reminds us that twentieth-century modernity has also left its mark of great architectural quality. The former "Aux Nouvelles Galeries" department stores' is one of France's rare examples of provincial Art Deco commercial architecture, a genre often overshadowed by its Parisian sisters, but one that harbours remarkable formal inventiveness. What immediately sets the building apart is its composition around a central rotunda, a veritable visual pivot that links the two wings of facades. This tripartite organisation - two façades and a central circular element - is characteristic of the department stores of the inter-war period, which sought both to maximise window space and to create a strong urban signal, visible from the neighbouring shopping streets. The rotunda, with its clean lines and geometric ornamentation typical of Art Deco, gives the building a sober, assertive monumentality. A visit to the exterior of the building is in itself a lesson in commercial town planning from the beginning of the last century. The facades, with their meticulous sculptural detailing and rhythmic bays, bear witness to a concern for representation that was typical of signs that were intended to be both accessible and prestigious. Observe the transitions between the decorative registers, the modenature and the window surrounds to grasp the mastery of Art Deco vocabulary applied to utilitarian architecture. Listed as a Historic Monument since 2005, the building enjoys a well-deserved protection that recognises its heritage value within the urban landscape of Bruyère. It is part of a town whose historic centre is one of the best preserved in Berry, not far from Saint-Etienne's Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Renaissance town houses for which Bourges is famous.
Architecture
The building is characterised by a skilfully balanced tripartite composition: two lateral facades frame a central rotunda that forms the motif of the whole. This rotunda, slightly set back or projecting in line with the conventions of inter-war commercial architecture, acts as a strong urban signal, identifiable from the vistas of the adjacent streets. The façades, punctuated by large bay windows for display purposes, adopt the ornamental vocabulary characteristic of Art Deco: geometric decorative motifs, stylised knotwork friezes, angular window surrounds and high-relief modelling creating effects of light and shadow. The materials used in the 1929 reconstruction reflect the building practices common at the time for this type of scheme: a reinforced concrete structure clad in ashlar or elaborate rendering to create the wide spans needed for unobstructed sales areas. The metal window frames, typical of Art Deco retailing, contribute to the stylistic unity of the whole. The roof, probably terraced or low-sloped in keeping with the modern canons of the period, completes a silhouette that is resolutely oriented towards the assertive horizontals and verticalities of modernity. In the context of Bourges' urban landscape, the building represents an interesting counterpoint to the surrounding medieval and Renaissance architecture, illustrating the city's ability to integrate architectural episodes from different periods into a coherent urban fabric. Its protection as a Historic Monument testifies to the recognition now given to the commercial architecture of the early 20th century, long neglected in favour of the monuments of the Ancien Régime.
Related Figures
Les fondateurs anonymes de l'enseigne « Aux Nouvelles Galeries » de Bourges (1903)L'architecte de la reconstruction de 1929 (identité non établie dans les sources disponibles)Aristide Boucicaut — fondateur du Bon Marché, inspirateur du modèle des grands magasins provinciauxLes équipes de l'Inspection des Monuments Historiques ayant porté le dossier de protection en 2005
