Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Pontoise swimming pool, located 19 rue de Pontoise in the 5th arrondissement of Paris, was built in 1933 by architect Lucien Pollet for the Société des Piscines de France. It is part of a set of four Parisian swimming pools (Molitor, Jonquière, Pailleron) designed in an Art Deco style, with decorations inspired by transatlantic ships. Its architecture combines red brick, central glass and glass roof, ensuring natural lighting and optimal ventilation.

In 1936, Commander Cousteau conducted his first scapandre diving trials, marking a turning point in the history of underwater sports. The swimming pool also became an emblematic cultural place: Johnny Weissmuller recorded Tarzan's cry in 1930, and it served as a setting for films such as Three Colors: Blue (1993) or Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain (2001).

Ranked a historic monument in 1998, the swimming pool closes in 2019 for renovation, led by Pierre Marchand agency. Reopened in 2023 under the name Espace Sportif Pontoise, it preserves its architectural heritage while integrating modern sports equipment. Its history reflects the evolution of bathing practices and its anchoring in Parisian culture.

The building is part of the urban history of Paris: built on the former courtyard of the Collège des Bernardins, it replaces an active municipal impound from 1850 to 1920. Its structure, similar to that of the Pailleron pool, bears witness to the technical innovation of the 1930s, with light metal farms and a functional plan.

The Pontoise pool also marked contemporary art, welcoming in 2002 the luminous work Deep Water by Nathalie Junod Ponsard during the first White Night. This monument thus embodies a dialogue between industrial heritage, sport, cinema and artistic creation.

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