The Grenette

The weekly market at the Grenette, the old grain market of Le Grand Bornand, characterizes the heart of the old town square. All sorts of concerts and events also take place here, such as concerts given by the local brass band and many local celebrations.
The first mentions of a Grenette, or grain market, date back to 1569, when the whole village was burned down. There is evidence that there was a new building again in 1742 and it was rebuilt several times, first of all in 1797 and also in the years following 1870. It would seem that the Grenette was a wooden structure and this would explain why it often collapsed, particularly under the weight of the snow at the beginning of the XIX century. It was only rebuilt towards the end of the XIX century, when important work on the roads and the church took place.

In 1954, the Grenette was rebuilt under the direction of an architect named Jacquet. Nearly 200 hewn stones were laid by the Calzorali company from Saint Jorioz and the wooden framework was made by the Seguet company in Annecy.
In the stone lower section there used to be a public washouse, the public toilets and a store room for the village road-mender. This foundation layer has been preserved. In the spring of 2013, the Grenette was once again dismantled, although the stone base with the arcades and the diamond-shaped apex have been preserved.