A Piscine Tournesol or Sunflower Pool is a type of pool built in France on an industrial scale in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Close-up of an arch of a Sunflower Pool.

183 pools were built as a result of the French government's "Operation 1,000 pools" program.

A Sunflower Pool in Fosses (Val-d'Oise).

Background

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"Operation 1,000 pools" was launched in 1969 and led by Joseph Comiti, the Secretary of State for Youth, Sports, and Leisure.[1]

The purpose of the program was to promote swimming on a national level following disappointing results at the 1968 Summer Olympics and two accidents in 1969 that resulted in the deaths of 43 children.

Between 600 and 700 pools were built in 5 styles (Iris, Sky, Sun, Duck, and Sunflower). The Sunflower style edged out the others, winning two design competitions.

The Sunflower pool was the design of architect Bernard Schoeller,[2] with Thémis Constantinidis as engineer, and the Matra company providing materials.

Out of the 250 Sunflower pools that were planned, 183 were built.

Characteristics

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There were two designs: one for 25 m pools and another for 50 m pools.

The roofs were 6 m tall and opened 120° hence the sunflower name, which, weather permitting, allowed the pools to function as semi-outdoor pools particularly in summer.

Installations

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A prototype was built in 1972 in the French commune of Nangis.

The national government dictated the design of the pools but local authorities ran and operated the pools.

Sunflower pools were some of the world's first large-scale prefabricated structures.[3] Most Sunflower pools have since been renovated, adapted, or torn down.

Several Sunflower pools achieved heritage status in the twenty-first century including:

List of Sunflower pools

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This is a list of 171 of the sunflower pools built, of which 100 remain.

In addition to the 183 pools in France, 3 were thought to have been built in Luxembourg (of which one remains), 1 in Belgium and 1 in Saudi Arabia.[6][7]

Department Municipality Name Year of construction Current status
Ain Ambérieu-en-Bugey Piscine Tournesol 1975 Destroyed in 2005
Alpes-de-Haute-Provence Manosque Piscine Tournesol 1975 Rebuilt
Alpes-Maritimes Roquebrune-Cap-Martin Piscine Tournesol 1975 Closed in June 2015, destroyed by fire 6 May 2017
Alpes-Maritimes Mougins Piscine Tournesol des Campelières 1975 Active, renovated in 2011
Alpes-Maritimes Carros Piscine Tournesol 1982 Active, renovated in 2005
Alpes-Maritimes Saint-Laurent-du-Var Piscine Tournesol 1975 Active
Alpes-Maritimes Cagnes-sur-Mer Piscine Tournesol 1975 Active
Ardèche Privas Piscine Tournesol 1976 Closed 18 July 2019
Ardèche Beauchastel Piscine Tournesol 1975 Active
Ardennes Rethel Piscine Tournesol 1975 Destroyed 2014
Ardennes Givet Piscine Tournesol 1975 Closed in 2006, destroyed in 2009
Ariège Saverdun Piscine du Girbet Active as at Jan 2018
Aube Bar-sur-Aube Piscine Tournesol 1975 Destroyed in January 2018
Aube La Chapelle-Saint-Luc Piscine Tournesol 1975 Destroyed by fire in 1979
Aveyron Rodez Piscine Tournesol 1975 Destroyed in 2008
Bouches-du-Rhône Marseille Piscine Tournesol Charpentier 1975 Demolished in 2018
Bouches-du-Rhône Marseille Piscine Tournesol La Martine 1975 Active
Bouches-du-Rhône Marseille Piscine Tournesol Desautel 1975 Active, renovated in 2015
Bouches-du-Rhône Marseille Piscine Tournesol Frais-Vallon 1975 Active
Bouches-du-Rhône Marseille Piscine Tournesol de Bonneveine 1970 Active
Bouches-du-Rhône Arles Piscine Tournesol Philippe-Rouget 1975 Active
Bouches-du-Rhône Aubagne Piscine Tournesol Alain-Bernard Le Charrel 1975 Active
Bouches-du-Rhône Lambesc Piscine Tournesol 1975 Active
Bouches-du-Rhône Vitrolles Piscine Tournesol Liourat 1975 Active
Charente Chasseneuil-sur-Bonnieure Piscine Tournesol 1975 Active
Dordogne Saint-Astier Piscine Tournesol 1975 Active
Drôme Valence Piscine Tournesol des Fontbarlettes 1975 Active
Eure Pacy-sur-Eure Piscine Tournesol Robert-Taron 1975 Active
Eure Étrépagny Piscine Tournesol 1975 Active
Eure Saint-Marcel Piscine Tournesol 1975 Destroyed in 2007
Finistère Quimperlé Piscine Tournesol de Kerjouanneau 1976 Demolished in 2009
Finistère Landivisiau Piscine Tournesol 1973 Closed in 2007, demolished in 2011
Haute-Garonne Toulouse Piscine Tournesol Toulouse-Lautrec 1980 Active
Haute-Garonne Toulouse Piscine Tournesol Papus 1975 Active
Haute-Garonne Muret Piscine Tournesol Destroyed
Haute-Garonne Saint-Gaudens Piscine Tournesol 1975 Active
Haute-Garonne Saint-Orens-de-Gameville Piscine intercommunale du Sicoval Active
Gironde Saint-Médard-en-Jalles Piscine Tournesol 1981 Destroyed in 2007
Gironde Lesparre-Médoc Piscine Tournesol 1975 Demolished in 2016
Gironde Cestas Piscine Tournesol 1975 Active
Gironde Braud-et-Saint-Louis Piscine Tournesol 1975 Active
Hérault Montpellier Piscine municipale Suzanne-Berlioux - La Rauze 1975 Active
Hérault Montpellier Piscine Tournesol Jean Vivès 1975 Active
Hérault Montpellier Piscine Jean Taris - Pompignane 1975 Active
Hérault Frontignan Piscine Tournesol Joseph-Di-Stephano 1975 Active
Hérault Mauguio Espace Aquad'Or 1978 Active, renovated in 2020 [8][9]
Hérault Agde Piscine Tournesol René Carayon 1975 Transformed in 2011 into a space for Circus Arts
Ille-et-Vilaine Rennes Piscine Tournesol des Gayeulles 1975 Destroyed in 2008
Ille-et-Vilaine Cesson-Sévigné Piscine Tournesol 1975 Destroyed in 1992
Indre Chabris Piscine Tournesol 1975 Active
Indre-et-Loire Tours Piscine Tournesol 1977 Destroyed in 2008
Isère Roussillon Piscine Tournesol Charly-Kirakossian 1975 Active
Isère Charvieu-Chavagneux Piscine Tournesol 1973 Active
Isère Bourgoin-Jallieu Piscine Tournesol 1975 Closed in June 2022
Isère Moirans Piscine Tournesol 1975 Active
Isère Les Abrets Piscine Tournesol 1975 Active
Isère Le Pont-de-Claix Piscine Tournesol 1975 Destroyed in 2000
Isère Saint-Martin-le-Vinoux Piscine Tournesol 1975 Expected to close January 2021[10]
Jura Morbier Piscine Tournesol 1975 Reconstructed in the 2000s
dans l'ancien bassin qui a conservé ses dimensions d'origine
Landes Dax Piscine Tournesol André-Darrigade 1980 Closed October 2020
Landes Biscarrosse Piscine Tournesol 1975 Active
Landes Saint-Paul-lès-Dax Piscine Tournesol 1975 Active
Loir-et-Cher Blois Piscine Tournesol 1975 Destroyed by fire in 1999, rebuilt in 2004. Active.
Loire Sorbiers Piscine Tournesol de Sorbiers 1977 Active
Loire-Atlantique Bouguenais Piscine Tournesol 1975 Active, major re-design in 1995.
Haute-Loire Langeac Piscine Tournesol 1975 Undergoing renovation. Expected to re-open in 2023.
Maine-et-Loire Angers Piscine André-Bertin 1975 Destroyed in 2015
Maine-et-Loire Cholet Piscine Tournesol 1976 Destroyed in 2008
Maine-et-Loire Trélazé Piscine Tournesol 1975 Active
Manche Cherbourg-en-Cotentin[11] Piscine de la Butte 1975 Active
Manche Granville Piscine Tournesol 1975 Closed in 2018[12][13]
Marne Vertus Salle Tournesol 1975 Transformed into a sports centre
Marne Fère-Champenoise Piscine Tournesol 1975 Active
Marne Cormontreuil Piscine Louvois 1975 Active
Marne Fagnières Piscine Tournesol 1975 Destroyed
Meurthe-et-Moselle Briey Piscine Tournesol 1975 Destroyed
Meurthe-et-Moselle Saint-Nicolas-de-Port Piscine Tournesol 1975 Destroyed in 2004[14]
Meurthe-et-Moselle Longuyon Piscine Tournesol 1975 Active[15][16]
Morbihan Lorient Piscine Tournesol du Bois du Château 1977 Restricted access[17]
Morbihan Nivillac Piscine des Métairies 1974 Active[18]
Morbihan Baud Piscine Tournesol 1975 Destroyed in 2018[19]
Morbihan Locminé Piscine Tournesol 1975[20] Closed in 2012, destroyed November 2015.[20]
Moselle Moyeuvre-Grande Piscine Tournesol 1975 Destroyed in 2012
Moselle Bouzonville Piscine Tournesol Closed in July 2016; destroyed in August 2016[21]
Nord Lille Piscine Tournesol d'Hellemmes 1975 Active
Nord Lille Piscine Tournesol du Sud 1975 Destroyed [22]
Nord Loos Ancienne Piscine Tournesol 1975 Converted into a dojo in 1995-1996
Nord Escaudain Piscine Tournesol Maurice Thorez 1975 Closed in 2009, reconstructed without dome
Nord Lambersart Piscine Tournesol 1975 Active
Nord Saint-Amand-les-Eaux Piscine Tournesol Thérèse-Clemmersseune 1975 Destroyed in 2016
Nord Mons-en-Barœul Piscine Tournesol 1975 Destroyed
Nord Sin-le-Noble Piscine Tournesol 1975 Active
Nord Douai Piscine Tournesol Beausoleil 1975 Active
Nord Marquette-lez-Lille Piscine Tournesol 1975 Destroyed in 2012
Nord Caudry Piscine Tournesol 1975 Destroyed in March 2016
Nord Cambrai Piscine Les Ondines 1975 Active
Nord Aniche Piscine Tournesol 1975 Closed in 2017, expected to be destroyed
Nord Raismes Piscine Tournesol Louis Poncet 1975 Active
Nord Maubeuge Piscine Tournesol Épinette 1975 Active
Nord Louvroil Piscine Tournesol Léon-Blum 1975 Destroyed [23]
Nord Saint-Saulve Piscine Tournesol 1975 Reconstructed in 2002, without dome
Nord Auby Piscine Tournesol 1975 Reconstructed in 2015, without dome
Nord Tourcoing Piscine Tournesol de la Bourgogne 1978 Destroyed
Oise Beauvais Piscine Tournesol Aldebert-Bellier 1975 Active
Oise Formerie Piscine Tournesol Replaced in September 2003.[24]
Orne Flers Piscine Tournesol 1975 Destroyed by fire
Orne Mortagne-au-Perche Piscine Tournesol 1974 Destroyed in 2010
Pas-de-Calais Achicourt Piscine Tournesol Active
Pas-de-Calais Calais Piscine Tournesol 1975 Destroyed
Pas-de-Calais Douvrin Piscine Tournesol 1975 Demolished in 2020
Pas-de-Calais Carvin Piscine Tournesol 1975 Destroyed by fire in 2006
Pas-de-Calais Courrières Piscine Tournesol 1975 Destroyed
Pas-de-Calais Divion Piscine Tournesol 1975 Active
Pas-de-Calais Beuvry Piscine Tournesol 1975 Closed in 2011; destroyed 2012[25]
Pas-de-Calais Mazingarbe Piscine Tournesol 1975 Destroyed
Puy-de-Dôme Clermont-Ferrand Piscine Jacques-Magnier 1975 Active
Puy-de-Dôme Cournon-d'Auvergne Piscine Tournesol 1975 Destroyed in 2013
Pyrénées-Atlantiques Hendaye Piscine Tournesol d'Irandatz 1975 Active
Hautes-Pyrénées Tarbes Piscine Tournesol 1975 Active
Hautes-Pyrénées Lannemezan Piscine Tournesol 1975 Active
Pyrénées-Atlantiques Oloron-Sainte-Marie Piscine Tournesol 1977 Entirely reconstructed in 1997[26]
Pyrénées-Orientales Saint-Estève Piscine Tournesol 1975 Active
Bas-Rhin Obernai Piscine Tournesol 1975 Destroyed in 2013[27]
Bas-Rhin Lingolsheim Piscine Tournesol 1975 Active, renovated in 2015
Bas-Rhin Saverne Piscine Tournesol 1979 Destroyed in 2012
Haut-Rhin Ferrette Piscine Tournesol 1978 Closed since 2016 for structural improvements
Haut-Rhin Ottmarsheim Piscine Tournesol 1975 Closed in 2014, destroyed 2016[28]
Haut-Rhin Tagolsheim Piscine Tournesol 1975 Destroyed in 2017[29]
Haut-Rhin Fessenheim Piscine Tournesol 1975 Destroyed in 2014[30]
Rhône Villefranche-sur-Saône Piscine Tournesol 1975 Destroyed
Rhône Cours Piscine Tournesol 1975 Closed in March 2019 for renovations
Rhône La Mulatière Piscine Tournesol 1975 Active
Métropole de Lyon Décines-Charpieu Piscine Tournesol 1975 Destroyed in 2007
Métropole de Lyon Chassieu Piscine Tournesol 1975 Destroyed in 2002
Métropole de Lyon La Mulatière Piscine municipale du Roule 1975 Active, to be renovated [31]
Sarthe Le Mans Piscine Tournesol des Ardriers 1981 Active
Sarthe Écommoy Piscine Tournesol 1975 Destroyed
Haute-Savoie Passy Piscine Tournesol de Marlioz 1975 Active, renovated in 2014
Seine-Maritime Le Petit-Quevilly Piscine Tournesol 1975 Active
Seine-Maritime Bonsecours Piscine Tournesol 1975 Destroyed in 2012
Seine-Maritime Montivilliers Piscine Tournesol 1976 Destroyed in 2008
Seine-Maritime Arques-la-Bataille Piscine Tournesol Closed in September 2014, awaiting renovation
Seine-Maritime Malaunay Piscine municipale 1976 Active
Seine-et-Marne Montereau-Fault-Yonne Piscine Tournesol 1975 Destroyed by fire in 2007[32]
Seine-et-Marne Nemours Piscine Tournesol 1975 Active
Seine-et-Marne Villeparisis Piscine Tournesol Jean-Taris 1975 Active
Seine-et-Marne Nangis Piscine Tournesol 1972 (Original Prototype) Closed in 2009, destroyed.
Seine-et-Marne Combs-la-Ville Piscine Tournesol 1973 Being renovation
Seine-et-Marne Roissy-en-Brie Piscine Tournesol 1972 Destroyed
Yvelines Versailles Piscine Tournesol de Porchefontaine 1975 Destroyed in 2002
Yvelines Les Mureaux Piscine Tournesol 1975 Active
Yvelines Montigny-le-Bretonneux Piscine Tournesol Louison-Bobet 1981 Destroyed in 2000
Yvelines Porcheville Piscine Tournesol 1975 Active
Deux-Sèvres Parthenay Piscine Tournesol 1975 Destroyed
Somme Friville-Escarbotin Piscine Tournesol 1973 Destroyed in January 2014[33]
Somme Ham Piscine Tournesol Destroyed
Somme Poix-de-Picardie Piscine Tournesol 1975 Closed in April 2016[34]
Somme Péronne Piscine Tournesol 1975 Destroyed in January 2018[35]
Var Six-Fours-les-Plages Piscine Tournesol 1975 Active
Var Saint-Raphaël Piscine Tournesol 1975 Destroyed
Vienne Poitiers Piscine Tournesol La Blaiserie 1975 Active
Vienne Loudun Piscine Tournesol 1980 Destroyed
Vienne Chauvigny Piscine Tournesol 1975 Active, renovated in 2004
Haute-Vienne Limoges Piscine Tournesol de Beaubreuil 1975 Destroyed in 2017
Haute-Vienne Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat Piscine Tournesol 1973 Destroyed about 2006
Vosges Bruyères Piscine Tournesol 1975 Active, renovated in 2019
Yonne Sens Piscine Tournesol 1975 Active, renovated in 2015
Yonne Saint-Florentin Piscine Tournesol 1975, opened 1976[36] Active in 2019
Essonne Lisses Piscine Tournesol 1975 Active
Essonne Grigny Piscine Tournesol 1975 Active
Essonne Épinay-sous-Sénart Piscine Tournesol 1975 Active (renovated in 2012)
Essonne Montlhéry Piscine Tournesol 1975 Destroyed
Seine-Saint-Denis Bondy Piscine Tournesol 1975 Active
Seine-Saint-Denis Les Lilas Piscine Tournesol R. Mulinghausen 1975 Active
Val-d'Oise Sannois Piscine Tournesol Pierre-Williot 1975 Active
Val-d'Oise Ermont Piscine Tournesol Marcellin-Berthelot 1975 Active
Val-d'Oise Saint-Ouen-l'Aumône Piscine Tournesol des Béthunes 1975 Active, renovated between 2017 and 2019
Val-d'Oise Villiers-le-Bel Piscine Tournesol 1975 Destroyed
Val-d'Oise Fosses Piscine Tournesol 1975 Active
Val-d'Oise Éragny Piscine Tournesol 1975 Active
Val-d'Oise Herblay-sur-Seine Piscine Tournesol Closed in 2014, transformed into a boules court[37]
Luxembourg, Echternach Berdorf Piscine Tournesol Destroyed
Larochette Mersch Piscine Tournesol 1976[38] Active

Legacy

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A model Sunflower pool is featured at the Architecture and Heritage City Museum in Paris.

A photo by Aurore Valade of the Sunflower Pool in Beauvais was published in 2008 in the photo book Plein air.

References

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  1. ^ "Quand les piscines " Tournesol " fleurissaient dans les villes françaises". Le Monde.fr (in French). 2022-08-09. Retrieved 2022-08-09.
  2. ^ François Chaslin (28 April 2020). "L'architecte Bernard Schoeller est mort". Le Monde (in French).
  3. ^ Gaillard, Marc (1981). Architectures des sports (in French). Le Moniteur. pp. 54, 213. ISBN 2-281-00014-1..
  4. ^ Bilan 2011-2012 : Patrimoine architectural du XXe siecle, sur le site du Ministry of Culture (France).
  5. ^ Lescoutte-Gardent, Christine (2013). "La piscine en travaux". Sud Ouest..
  6. ^ "Piscine de Carros" (PDF). 2006.
  7. ^ "Les piscines Tournesol de Monsieur Schoeller". archipostcard.blogspot.fr. Retrieved 2017-12-09.
  8. ^ "Espace Aquad'Or - Pays de l'Or Agglomération".
  9. ^ "Rue Léon-Jouhaux, l'espace Aquad'Or rénové est prêt à rouvrir si…".
  10. ^ "Saint-Martin-le-Vinoux. La piscine Tournesol sera-t-elle transformée en skatepark ?".
  11. ^ "PSS / Piscine de la Butte (Cherbourg-en-Cotentin, France)".
  12. ^ "Ouverture du nouveau centre aquatique de Granville : encore un peu de patience". www.lamanchelibre.fr. Retrieved 2018-12-19.
  13. ^ "Transformation en une piscine a vague pour les surfeurs".
  14. ^ Savez-vous quelle commune de Meurthe-et-Moselle a abrité une piscine « tournesol » ?, L'Est Républicain, 29 avril 2021
  15. ^ Accès à la piscine intercommunale : modalités, Le Républicain lorrain, 18 juillet 2020
  16. ^ La piscine Tournesol fait sa vidange annuelle, Le Républicain lorrain, 18 février 2022
  17. ^ "Piscine du bois du château à Lorient". guide-piscine.fr (in French). 1 June 2016. Retrieved 21 August 2016.
  18. ^ [1], Nivillac facelift for the Metairies swimming pool Ouest-France, 28 décembre 2020
  19. ^ "Piscine de Baud". guide-piscine.fr (in French). 28 June 2016. Retrieved 21 August 2016.
  20. ^ a b "La piscine Tournesol en phase de démolition". ouest-france.fr (in French). Ouest France. 27 November 2015. Retrieved 21 August 2016.
  21. ^ "Démolition de la piscine communautaire". CCB – Communauté de Communes du Bouzonvillois. Retrieved 2016-08-29.
  22. ^ "Lille: la piscine tournesol de la rue François-Coppée". La Voix du Nord. 26 April 2016. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
  23. ^ "Fermeture définitive de la piscine Tournesol à Louvroil". Agglo Maubeuge-Val de Sambre. 2016-03-24. Retrieved 2017-01-09.
  24. ^ Dixième anniversaire de la piscine Atlantis.
  25. ^ "Sa démolition a débuté : la piscine à ventre ouvert". 19 December 2012. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
  26. ^ Réouverture de la piscine d'Oloron sur le site C.C. Haut Béarn, 2 octobre 2019
  27. ^ "Adieu Tournesol (Goodbye Tournesol)". DNA: Les Dernières Nouvelles d'Alsace. 2 August 2013. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  28. ^ La Piscine Tournesol a Vecu| Retrieved 3 May 2017
  29. ^ La coupole orange à terre (The Orange Dome Grounded)| Retrieved 21 March 2020
  30. ^ La piscine a été demolie (Pool demolished)| Retrieved 3 May 2017
  31. ^ Rapports au Conseil Municipal de la Mulatiere, Dec 2018
  32. ^ Piscine Tournesol de Montereau-Fault-Yonne
  33. ^ "Démolition de la piscine Tournesol". actu.fr. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  34. ^ Communauté de Communes du Sud-Ouest Amiénois|Retrieved 9 Jan 2017
  35. ^ "New life for Péronne Tournesol pool". Courrier Picard. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  36. ^ "La piscine municipale a déjà quarante ans". www.lyonne.fr. 2016-06-27. Retrieved 2019-12-01.
  37. ^ Boucher, Alexandre (7 February 2019). "JO 2024 : Herblay-sur-Seine en pointe pour la pétanque (Olympic Games 2024: Herblay-sur-Seine at the forefront for pétanque)". leparisien.fr (in French). Retrieved 2021-09-01.
  38. ^ Schoeller, Bernard, Piscine tournesol, plans de projet M 1:100, Archives Commune de Larochette, Paris, 1974.

Additional reading

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  • Schoeller, Bernard; Secrétariat d'État à la Jeunesse et aux Sports (1972). Projet Tournesol. Paris: R. Lacer. p. 31. LCCN 75503940. OCLC 1505704.
  • Monnier, Gérard (2000). "Les piscines Tournesol". L'architecture moderne en France. Librairie de l'architecture et de la ville (in French). Vol. 3. Paris: Éditions Picard. pp. 16–18, 311. ISBN 2-7084-0571-3.
  • Patrick Facon, « Les piscines Tournesol », dans Monnier, Gérard; Klein, Richard (2002). Les années ZUP (in French). Paris: Picard. pp. 91–110, 301. ISBN 2-7084-0629-9.
  • "Remise à neuf de la coupole d'une piscine 'Tournesol'". Les Cahiers techniques du bâtiment (279): 32–34. 2008. ISSN 0241-6794.
  • Fillion, Odile (2000). "Volumes d'eau". D'A. d'Architectures (104): 36–51.