Saturday, April 26, 2014

Piscine Molitor

Every city has its landmarks and Paris has many. The most famous ones are world widely famous, but there are a few that are mostly known by Parisians... The piscine Molitor (Molitor Swimming pool) is one of them. It was inaugurated in 1929 by... Johnny Weissmuller (aka Tarzan!). It had two pools (one indoor and one outdoor that would turn into an ice ring in winter) and was a typical art deco building. It was closed in 1989 because it was too old and will reopen on May 19 this year! Only now, it will be a luxury complex with a fancy bar/restaurant, a hotel and a private gym club. I'm dying to see the new Molitor because it's one of my childhood memories: I used to go there quite often when I was a young boy!

15 comments:

  1. It looks quite distinctive. I'd like to see the interior when they open.

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  2. It's important to re-purpose architecture whenever possible. This sounds wonderful.

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  3. Eric, I'm sure you know this is how "Pi" in "Life of Pi" got his name! Good to see it coming back

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  4. That's a really striking image. Can't wait to your shots of you swimming around inside.

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  5. Désolée d'être moins optimiste, mais la piscine Molitor a été entièrement détruite il y a peu après qu'on l'a laissée tomber en ruine au fil des ans et ce malgré un classement aux Monuments historiques. Le bâtiment dont vous parlez n'est qu'un pastiche résultat d'un beau gâchis.
    http://www.latribunedelart.com/la-piscine-molitor-chef-d-oeuvre-de-l-art-deco-n-existe-plus

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    1. Oui, c'est sans doute vrai. En fait c'est un débat que j'ai souvent lorsque l'on restaure un lieu (ou un immeuble) ; il y a ceux qui regrettent qu'on ne fasse pas table rase du passé et que l'on laisse les architectes proposer quelque chose de nouveau et ceux qui préfèrent la restauration, mais qui trouvent que l'on vide les lieux historiques de leur âme. Je pense qu'il n'y a pas de réponse à ça.

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  6. Cette ouverture méritera de se mouiller en ce doux printemps !! Deux bassins dont un extérieur, ça j'adore ! Il me semble, néanmoins, avoir lu que le ticket d'entrée serait très cher... mais pas trop dissuasif compte tenu de la qualité des prestations. Normal pour Paris, non ? A voir .... à voir .... ;-)
    J'espère que ce ne sera pas trop hype.

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    1. Oui, ça sera sans doute cher... Il ne faut pas se le cacher. C'est le parti pris.

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  7. Glad they've renovated/rebuilt/reimagined this—even though it sounds like it will be unaffordable. :~{

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  8. Incredible. I looked at the Google Images of the place. Amazing. I can't wait to see its reinvention.

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    1. It used to be a real art deco gem, let me tell you.

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  9. omg I think I used to go to this swimming pool as a kid! in the late 70s ;)

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