The halls and the parish church of Notre-Dame have always occupied the current 'Place Nationale' (national square) of the city of Dole. They have marked the heart of the city since the Middle Ages. At the foot of the town crossed to the south-east by the Doubs and the Clauge then, much later, by the Rhône-Rhine canal and the Tanneurs canal, were established activities linked to the presence of waterways, including mills and tanneries. They were operated until the beginning of the 20th century, making Dole an active center of production and trade.