Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Anatole France school in Hyères, built in the last quarter of the 19th century, embodies the application of the Jules Ferry laws of 1881-1882 on compulsory public education. Its construction, decided in the 1880s, reflects the Republican will to democratize education in France. The plans, designed by architects Charles Maurel and Édouard Angeli, were approved in 1885 by the municipality and in 1886 by the Minister of Public Instruction. The building was built between 1888 and 1889 by entrepreneurs Alexandre Maretti and Michel Olgiati.

The building adopts a symmetrical structure, typical of the schools of the period, with a central body housing a covered meadow and two wings dedicated to the classrooms. Materials, such as limestone for the south facade and the Moorish red sandstone for capitals, highlight aesthetic and functional research. Together, including school, administrative and housing premises, was designed to meet the needs of a modern school, integrated into the urban fabric of Hyerois.

Ranked a historic monument in 2011, the Anatole France school bears witness to the architectural and educational heritage of the educational reforms of the Third Republic. Its registration protects the entire main building (cadaster BW 139), recognizing its heritage value. Located at 1B rue Michelet, it remains a local symbol of Republican commitment to education for all, in a department then marked by significant population and urban growth.

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