Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Molitor pool, located in Paris in the 16th arrondissement between the Bois de Boulogne and the Parc des Princes, was inaugurated in 1929 by Olympic swimmers Aileen Riggin Soule and Johnny Weissmuller. Designed by architect Lucien Pollet in an Art Deco style inspired by liners, it is distinguished by its two basins (covered and outdoor Olympic), stained glass windows signed by Louis Barillet, and its three levels of blue cabins. Nicknamed "the white ship", it became a worldly place of life, welcoming fashion shows, galas, and even the first presentation of the bikini in 1946 by Louis Réard.

During the occupation, the swimming pool is reserved for the German army. After the war, it remained a high sporting and cultural venue, with winter skating training and artistic events. However, its decline began in the 1980s: closed in 1989 for a controversial real estate project, it was partially destroyed in 2012 despite its inscription to historical monuments in 1990. This dismantling provokes controversy, opponents of heritage and promoters.

Rebuilt in the same way according to its developers, the Molitor pool reopens in 2014 after 25 years of abandonment. The new complex includes a 5-star hotel (124 rooms), a spa, restaurants, and small pools (33 m and 46 m instead of initially 50 m). Although some Art Deco elements have been preserved (glass windows, balustrades), critics denounce a "heritage imposture", the place becoming a private space accessible only to hotel guests or paid members (annual membership at €3,300).

Molitor's history reflects tensions between heritage preservation and urban modernization. Symbol of the 1930s, it still inspires popular culture, appearing in films, clips (Nudes de Claire Laffut), and songs (Nekfeu). Its architectural and social heritage makes it a case of studying the changes in Parisian leisure, between collective memory and economic logic.

The architects of reconstruction (Alain Derbesse, Alain-Charles Perrot, Jacques Rougerie) sought to reconcile modernity and homage to the original style, but the almost total destruction of the 1929 building (except for a facade wall) remained subject to debate. Today, Molitor embodies both a luxury place and a disputed heritage, between nostalgia for a past era and adaptation to contemporary expectations.

Future

However, on 27 March 1990, it was partially destroyed in 2012, causing intense controversy. A building inspired by the Art Deco pool was rebuilt in its place and opened on 19 May 2014 after two and a half years of work.
In addition to its winter and summer pools (33 and 46 metres respectively), the Molitor pool now has a 124-room hotel overlooking the swimming pool, a restaurant, a bar and a rooftop terrace.

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