The Saint-Georges Pool in Rennes, a Vibrant Cultural Landmark

The project was commissioned from city architect Emmanuel Le Ray by socialist mayor Jean Janvier, who aimed to equip the city with a public swimming pool and promote the ideals of hygienic sports in urban life. Le Ray designed the project as early as 1911, and construction began during the interwar period in 1923, with the pool inaugurated in 1926.

He drew inspiration notably from the Nancy-Thermal pools by architect Louis Lanternier (1912) and the Butte-aux-Cailles pool (1924), at a time when such facilities were still rare across France. He chose a classical architectural vocabulary, enhanced by a spectacular Art Deco decorative scheme.

The exterior ornamentation was created by the Parisian ceramicists Gentil and Bourdet, while the exceptional interior decor of the pool and public baths — designed by the architect himself — was executed by Isidore Odorico Jr., from the renowned Italian mosaicist family. The mosaic, made from green, blue, and brown Briare enamels, symbolizes the sea.

Listed as a Historic Monument in 2016, the Saint-Georges Pool hosts a rich cultural program. It transforms into a DJ set during the Trans Musicales, has welcomed aquatic performances, and in 2010 featured a cinema screen for a projection by artist Herman Kolgen as part of the Festival Maintenant, or a giant inflatable moon by Luke Jerram during the Tombées de la Nuit festival in 2017. That same year, it was ranked the 8th most beautiful swimming pool in the world by Architectural Digest magazine.