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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The bath-douchs of Laval were built in a hygienist context marked by the lack of sanitary facilities at the beginning of the 20th century. In 1923, only 20% of the Laval households had a bathroom, pushing Mayor Eugène Jamin to launch this ambitious project. Inspired by models such as Château-Gontier, the building was to become a social palace combining popular and elite classes, reflected in its luxurious Art Nouveau and neo-Egyptian architecture. The project was subsidized by the State through the profits of the games, illustrating the public commitment to hygiene.

Trusted to architect Léon-Henri Guinebretiere, the building was inaugurated on 27 January 1927 with 8 baths, 16 showers and a toilet. Its interior decoration, centered on the theme of the water drop, blended mosaics Art Deco from Isidore Odorico (sons), ironwork from the lockhouse Bourny, and a stained glass window from Auguste Alleaume — destroyed in 1944 and reproduced in 2017. The entrance was decorated with a mosaic leopard, taking over the Laval coat of arms. This place, both utilitarian and artistic, embodies the hygienist utopia of the inter-war period.

Attendance declined from the 1980s with improvements in private housing, leading to closure in November 2003. A renovation project (2014–2017), supported by the Local Heritage and Sponsors Foundation, allowed its reopening at Heritage Days 2017. Ranked a historic monument in 2014 and labeled a 20th century heritage in 2010, the building today bears witness to Laval's social and architectural heritage.

The establishment, modest by its size, has retained all its original elements: mosaics with geometric blue, yellow and green patterns, ironwork, and even the pillars of the adjacent gate. These details, protected by the inscription to the Historic Monuments, make it a rare example of architecture dedicated to public hygiene, where art served a social mission. Recent restoration has preserved this unique heritage, while adapting to contemporary uses.

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