Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The pool of the Tennis Club of Reims, built between 1922 and 1923 by architect Jacques Rapin, is an emblematic example of the Art Deco style. Made of reinforced concrete, it is distinguished by its two basins dedicated to water-polo and diving, as well as its mosaics and pergola. This place, designed in an ideal of body development by sport, also became a cultural space welcoming concerts and shows from the 1920s. The ensemble, including pergola, benches and gardeners, has been listed as historical monuments since 2001.

The Tennis Club was founded after World War I thanks to the support of the American Committee for the devastated regions, with Maxence de Polignac as president and personalities such as A.M. Dike and A. Morgan as honorary presidents. The landscape architect Edward Redont designed the first buildings and layout of the island, while Jacques Rapin signed the pool and Henri Rapin his decorations. In 2021, the association launched a call to patrons to preserve this heritage, threatened by maintenance costs.

The historical interest of the swimming pool also resides in its social role: a meeting place between sport (water-polo, swimming) and culture (concerts), it symbolizes the reconstruction and dynamism of Reims in the inter-war period. The original divers have disappeared, but the red concrete surrounding the basin, inspired by ancient decorations, and mosaics remain. In 2001-2006, a modern metal cover was added by G. Henry, marking a new stage in its evolution.

The other facilities of the club, such as the cottage-style club house (1922) with its wooden gallery or covered tennis courts (rebuilt after 1945 by Jacques Herbé and the Galloy brothers), complete this ensemble. The shaded courtyard, designed by Redont, harmoniously connects the spaces. Today, the swimming pool remains a unique testimony to sport architecture and the Franco-American exchanges of the time.

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