Specialized exhibition in Paris 1937 (≈ 1937)
Presentation of the first wooden building.
27 novembre 1938
Opening of the school and the festive hall
Opening of the school and the festive hall 27 novembre 1938 (≈ 1938)
By Mayor Ludovic-Oscar Frossard.
16 juin 1940
Destruction of the party hall
Destruction of the party hall 16 juin 1940 (≈ 1940)
German bombardment during World War II.
1959
Replacement of the party hall
Replacement of the party hall 1959 (≈ 1959)
Construction of a modern hardwood building.
10 octobre 2008
Historical monument classification
Historical monument classification 10 octobre 2008 (≈ 2008)
With label "Heritage of the 20th Century".
été 2021
Start of renovation work
Start of renovation work été 2021 (≈ 2021)
Funded by the Heritage Foundation.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
The whole wooden school (case AL 258): by order of 10 October 2008
Key figures
Henry Jacques Le Même - Architect
Designer of school and party room.
Ludovic-Oscar Frossard - Mayor of Ronchamp (1938)
Inaugurated the two buildings in 1938.
Origin and history
Ronchamp's wooden school, located at 36 Pasteur Avenue, was designed by architect Henry Jacques Le Same and built in 1938. This building, entirely made of wood, embodies the traditional Savoyard architecture, the region of origin of its creator. It consists of a central pavilion framed with two wings housing classrooms, with an exterior decor decorated with chevron and diamond relief motifs. This style is representative of the 1930s, and the building is one of the few preserved examples of wooden school architecture of this period.
Originally, this project was part of a larger initiative: a first wooden building, designed by the same architect, had been presented at the 1937 Specialized Exhibition in Paris before going back to Ronchamp in 1938 to serve as a festive hall. The nearby school was inaugurated on 27 November 1938 by Mayor Ludovic-Oscar Frossard. The party hall, destroyed during a German bombardment on 16 June 1940, was replaced in 1959 by a modern structure in hard form, while the school, spared, remained.
Ranked a historic monument on October 10, 2008 with the label "Twentieth Century Heritage", the school is recognized for its rarity and architectural value. At the beginning of the 21st century, as its condition deteriorated, the Heritage Foundation launched a funding campaign for its renovation, estimated at 1.1 million euros. The Bern Mission contributed € 126 000 via the Heritage Lotto, with work planned from the summer of 2021.
