As you can see, the covered market or "la Halle" is supported by oak pillars which were felled and squared locally. Then they were soaked in the nearby river Dropt (150 meters from the moat) during several years. This explains the fact that it was constructed later than the bastide itself. It has several amazing features: its size (a square of 30 metres by 30), its magnificent and imposing roof timber and, quite unusual for the time, a first storey. The highest dignitaries of the realm originally used it. Then it was used as the Counsel House, then as a local court. The original pedestals of the pillars were made of clay. Eventually, as the clay deteriorated, stones replaced these. This operation took a long time, because the last ones were only installed recently. The floor tiles were put in during the 60’s.

The is were the senior citizens of Villereal saw their first movie. Here a film enthusiast who earned his living travelling through the department showed the early silent films by Charlie Chaplin. In Villereal his arrival was announced by the town crier at every street corner (beating his drum and shouting, “Avis à la population”). A big screen was placed in the covered market, generally against the staircase and the audience, complete with its own chairs, settled with their backs towards the Café Le Moderne. Nowadays the first floor is home to “Radio 4”, the local fm radio station which broadcasts as far as Bergerac and Agen.

The first movies were shown here...