Piscine Molitor, Paris

I’ve been thinking about pools lately.  It’s hot here and I usually get off work during the perfect mid-afternoon sunbathing hours.  I tried going to the park the other day but laying in the grass just doesn’t compare to a lounge chair.  Maybe one of these days I’ll cave and get a pool membership somewhere and if I lived in Paris (and had a much larger income), it would definitely be here…

Piscine Molitor, built in 1929, recently reopened after a 25 year closure. Originally a public swimming pool, Molitor is now 124-room hotel, restaurant, spa, and private club.

And does this pool have a history!  Not only is the building famous for the art-deco design, but Molitor was the birthplace of topless sunbathing and the modern bikini.  It was a place to see and be seen and often home to fashion shows and galas during the summer and turned into an ice skating rink in the colder months. One of the pool’s first lifeguards was an Olympic gold medalist swimmer and later was cast to star as the original Tarzan.  You may also recognize the pool from it’s role in the novel/movie Life of Pi.

When Molitor closed in 1989, it became very popular with graffiti artists and skateboarders.  Raves and concerts were held in the empty pool.

Today, you can visit the pool by purchasing a day pass for 180 euro or an annual membership for 4500 euro.   The pool will be free to local school kids a few days a week.