Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

Lecoeur's thermal establishment, located in Bourbon-l Built between 1881 and 1884, it replaces a former thermal establishment whose origins date back to Roman times, with successive developments under Louis XIII and Louis XIV. The project was authorized in 1880 by the Minister of Commerce, and its implementation was entrusted to architect Charles Lecoeur, who designed an innovative cruciform plan. The interior ceramics, signed Achilles and Louis Parvillé, adorn the walls with floral motifs and references to local thermal springs, announcing Art Nouveau.

The building consists of a central entrance hall leading to a hall, flanked by two symmetrical wings with 32 cabins each (only for men on the left, women on the right). The swimming pools are installed at the back. Ceramic decorations, a modern style for the period, cover internal elevations, with the exception of supporting structures. Ochre panels with blue flowers, embellished with phylacteries naming the Bourbon springs, highlight the thermal identity of the place. The ensemble, registered with the historical monuments in 1987, bears witness to the golden age of the French spas.

The history of Bourbon-l In the 17th century, Gaston d'Orléans built the King's house, attracting an aristocratic clientele, including Madame de Sévigné and Madame de Montespan. In the 19th century, under the impetus of Charles X, the station underwent a renewal, leading to the construction of Lecoeur. The latter embodies both a multiseracular thermal heritage and architectural audacity, combining medical and avant-garde aesthetic functionality.

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