Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The École Saint-Valère de Port-sur-Saône, built between 1937 and 1938, is a remarkable example of 20th century school architecture. Its construction was initiated by André Liautey, then Mayor of the city and Under-Secretary of State for Agriculture. The project received multiple grants: from the Undersecretariat to Agriculture (through the Timber Committee), from the Ministry of National Education, and from the Major Public Utility Works launched by the Popular Front. The plans were designed by the architect of Les Eaux et Forêts Métuchy and his collaborator Debière, with particular attention to the use of wood, a material which was then in full innovation, particularly for its fire-fighting.

The building, registered as a historic monument in 2018, consists of a hall, four classrooms, changing rooms into a library and storage room, as well as technical spaces (heating, sanitary). Its structure and interior decoration, entirely made of wood, illustrate the architectural research of the 1930s. The school was financed through pro-wood propaganda, reflecting policies to develop local resources and sustainable materials of the time. Its inscription covers the whole building and its courtyard, excluding the annexes.

Located at 5 rue de Remaucourt, the Saint-Valère school is now owned by the commune of Port-sur-Saône (département of Haute-Saône). Its history is part of a broader context of modernization of educational infrastructures in France, marked by the commitment of the state and local authorities. The choice of wood, an abundant material in Burgundy-Franche-Comté, also underlines the link between architecture, local economy and technical innovations of the inter-war period.

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