Centre Saint-Jacques

Centre Saint-Jacques (centre commercial Saint-Jacques) is a shopping centre occupying three levels in the pedestrianised centre of Metz, in the Moselle department of France. It takes its name from the Place Saint-Jacques, onto which its main entrance opens. Inaugurated on 25 November 1976 in the presence of French President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, the original scheme was designed by architect Jacques Duval and comprised 76 shops, a Radar supermarket, a hotel with restaurant and outdoor pool, a multiplex cinema and an underground car park. After a difficult period in the mid-1980s, marked by falling footfall and the closure of the supermarket, the centre was redeveloped from March 1990 over more than seven months. The works reorganised, enlarged and beautified the complex, increasing the number of shops from 76 to 120 and adding a glass roof over the Place du Forum Saint-Jacques, the only open-air level. Metz mayor Jean-Marie Rausch inaugurated the renovated centre on 1 October 1990. Further difficulties arose in the late 2000s and early 2010s, notably when Fnac left in 2012. That same year the centre was acquired by the Dutch group Corio, which planned major renovation works. Today the centre offers approximately 20,000 m² of retail space, around 120 shops, an Auchan supermarket, a Novotel hotel-restaurant, an Action store and a 1,200-space underground car park. It is often cited as a model of a proximity shopping centre in a city centre. In January 2026 the centre was forced to close for part of a day because of a strike by security staff employed by a contractor over unpaid wages; management, the Société des Grands Magasins, said it had honoured its contracts and reopened the centre in the late afternoon after the wages were settled.

Centre Saint-Jacques was inaugurated on 25 November 1976 in the presence of President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing. Designed by architect Jacques Duval, the original centre contained 76 shops, a Radar supermarket, a hotel with a restaurant and outdoor swimming pool, a multiplex cinema and an underground car park. It takes its name from the Place Saint-Jacques, where its main entrance is located. In the mid-1980s the centre entered a difficult period of significant and prolonged loss of footfall, caused mainly by the closure of the supermarket, which led to the disappearance of many retailers. In 1989 a decision was taken to revitalise and modernise the centre, both to adapt it to new public expectations and to respond to strong commercial development on the outskirts of the city. In March 1990, more than seven months of works began: redevelopment, restructuring, beautification and enlargement, increasing the number of shops from 76 to 120. A glass roof reminiscent of the Louvre Pyramid structure was added over the Place du Forum Saint-Jacques, the only level of the centre open to the sky. The buildings surrounding the square are mainly offices. The renovated centre was inaugurated by Metz mayor Jean-Marie Rausch on 1 October 1990. In the late 2000s and early 2010s the shopping centre again experienced difficult years, notably with the departure of Fnac in 2012. It was bought in 2012 by the Dutch group Corio. In 2012, major renovation works were planned by Corio to improve the layout of the shopping centre, partly following the relocation of Fnac. The works were due to start in 2013 and finish in 2014, to coincide with the opening of the shopping centre in the ZAC de l'Amphithéâtre named Muse. Today the centre Saint-Jacques comprises a retail area of 20,000 m², 120 shops, an Auchan supermarket, a Novotel hotel-restaurant, an Action store and an underground car park with 1,200 spaces. It is cited as a typical example of a city-centre proximity centre. On 15 January 2026, the shopping centre remained closed for part of the day due to a strike by security agents from a contractor over unpaid wages. While the strikers blamed payment delays, the management of the Société des Grands Magasins stated that it had honoured its contracts with the contractor and justified the closure by the impossibility of ensuring public safety. The centre reopened in the late afternoon after the wages were settled.

• Inauguration of Centre Saint-Jacques in the presence of President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing; 76 shops, Radar supermarket, hotel, cinema and underground parking.

• Mid-1980s: difficult period with major loss of footfall, mainly due to the closure of the supermarket, leading to the disappearance of many retailers.

• Decision taken to revitalise and modernise the centre.

• Start of more than seven months of redevelopment, restructuring, beautification and enlargement works, increasing shops from 76 to 120.

• Inauguration of the renovated centre by Metz mayor Jean-Marie Rausch.

• Fnac leaves the centre; the centre is bought by Dutch group Corio; major renovation works are planned.

• Planned start of renovation works by Corio, due to finish in 2014.

• Centre closed part of the day due to a strike by security staff over unpaid wages; reopened in the late afternoon after wages were settled.

City-centre proximity shopping centre

• Auchan supermarket

  Supermarket within the centre, successor to Simply Market, Atac and Radar.

• Novotel hotel-restaurant

  Hotel and restaurant within the centre.

• Action store

  Discount store, successor to Casa.

• 120 shops

  Retail units across three levels.

• Underground car park

  1,200-space underground car park.

1. 1Centre Saint-Jacques - Wikipédiafr.wikipedia.org
2. 2Wikidata Q2944875wikidata.org