The “sunflower pool” of La Mulatière

The story began with the “1000 swimming pools” project initiated by the French government in 1969. Following the failure of the French swimming team at the 1968 Olympic Games, which finished in last place, and a dramatic series of child drownings in the summer of 1969, the government decided to make swimming more accessible by rapidly building swimming pools throughout France. Various models were selected, including one named ‘Tournesol’ (sunflower), designed by the architect Bertrand Schoeller, and more than 600 swimming pools were built in a decade. The “sunflower pool” design was for an indoor pool with plastic panels that slide open and shut, making it possible to turn it into an open-air pool in the summer. Named after its ability to “follow” the sun, this swimming pool has a futuristic flying saucer shape with small portholes that let sunlight through. 183 “sunflower pools” popped up in France in the 1970s, including the swimming pool of La Mulatière, which was built in 1975. Since that time, many have been demolished, but the one at La Mulatière, on the other hand, has been fully renovated. “Aesthetic quality was central to the renovation project. We wanted to keep the spirit of the sunflower alive!”, emphasised the town mayor, Véronique Déchamps. Following a closure lasting more than two years, the swimming pool of La Mulatière (officially named ‘L’ammonite’), finally reopened its doors in January 2022 for schoolchildren and nautical associations like the UJSM (union of jousters and lifeguards of La Mulatière), as well as swimmers and bathers of all ages.