Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

Prouvé-Novarina is a thermal establishment designed in 1956 to replace the old buildings of the Buvette Cachat, which are considered unsuitable. Sponsored by the Evian Waters Society, its construction is entrusted to architects Maurice Novarina and Jean Prouvé, assisted by engineer Serge Ketoff. The site, formerly occupied by the Hôtel de Paris (damaged by a fire), dominates Lake Geneva. The project integrates technical innovations such as steel crutches and a light wooden and metal roof, while dividing the space into three areas: buvette, rest and music room.

The separation between these spaces is marked by two walls-paravents decorated with mosaics, created by the painters Raoul Ubac and André Beaudoin. The whole, completely glazed and elongated, symbolizes a synthesis of architectural experiments. The buvette was first listed as a historic monument in 1986, before being classified in 2013 for its exceptional heritage value, excluding a subsequent extension (1983-1984).

According to the analysis of researcher Giulia Marino, the building illustrates the audacity of Jean Prouvé, combining heteroclite materials (reconstituted wood, aluminum, glass) and a functional aesthetic. The star crutches, now a Prouvé signature, are deployed for the first time on a large scale. The roof, a complex and aerial system, also bears witness to this quest for originality. Today, the buvette remains a major example of modern French architecture, linked to Évian's thermal history.

The monument is located avenue Jean-Léger (or close to Rue Bernard Mustardier), in the commune of Évian-les-Bains, in Haute-Savoie. Property shared between a private company and the municipality, its access and current uses (visits, rentals) are not specified in the sources. The 2013 ranking plans specifically delineate the protected land, excluding post-1950 additions.

External links