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Origin and history

The former cinema-theatre Le Colisée, located in Nîmes, was inaugurated on April 15, 1927 by architects Paul Furiet and Georges-Henri Pingusson, the latter from the city. Featuring an orchestra pit, a balcony with dressing rooms and a capacity of 1,000 seats (or 2,500 depending on the original plans), it combines cinema, theatre and various shows, including circus numbers or weekly galas organized by Baret. From the very beginning, he was distinguished by prestigious projections such as Napoléon d的Abel Gance or Ben-Hur, with sounds made live by the opener Jean Granier. In 1929, he adopted the talking film at an evening marking the broadcast of Le Chanteur de jazz, consolidating his reputation as a "prestigious room" thanks to constant technical innovations.

In the following decades, Le Colisée upgraded its equipment: a panoramic display of 8.5 x 5.10 m was installed in 1953, followed in 1963 by the projection of West Side Story in 70 mm. Repurchased in 1973 by Fernand Méric, it is transformed into a five-room complex under the name "K7", also incorporating a shopping gallery on the ground floor. This restructuring, led by architect Marcel Lauze, profoundly alters its interior. Despite changes in ownership (Océanic in 1974, UGC in 1987), the deterioration of rooms and programs led to a fall in attendance, resulting in its final closure on 31 December 1988.

After its closure, the building barely escapes destruction. It was finally listed as a Historic Monument on January 22, 2015, recognizing its heritage importance. Although projects such as a film school-museum have been mentioned by the municipality, none have been successful. In the 21st century, the name "Colosseum" in Nîmes no longer refers to the community hotel of Nîmes Métropole, while the old cinema, described as a symbol of "laughing and deceitfulness", remains an architectural testimony of the 20th century theatres.

The archives of Georges-Henri Pingusson, kept at the French Institute of Architecture (IFA), reveal that the building was erected at the site of the Petit Saint-Jean hotel, on order of Victor Régnier, president of the Palais de Provence company. The latter also financed the casino du Grau du Roi, which was destroyed in 1964. Subsequent changes to the façade (veranda in 1987, central panel crapped in 1995, aluminium box in 2002) gradually masked its original architecture, now protected for its facades and roofs.

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