Piscine Tournesol / UFO Pool, France

Piscine Tournesol was an abandoned swimming pool in France. “Tournesol” translates to sunflower, and relates to the shape and unique mechanisms of the dome covering the pool. Another name for the location is UFO Pool, which again relates to the shape of the dome cover. I visited this location in the summer of 2017, the pool had closed only year or two earlier. Sadly, this swimming pool no longer exists (demolition occurred in 2018).

This type of swimming pool dates to the mid-1970s and early 1980s. At this time there was a national program for their construction. Eventually 184 of these Piscine Tournesol would be built, out of 250 originally planned.

History of Piscine Tournesol (Sunflower Swimming Pools)

The driving force behind this initiative is an interesting one. The program launched in 1969, under the title of “1000 swimming pools”. After France’s poor performance in the 1968 Summer Olympics, this state-driven programme was born. Additionally two mass-drowning accidents occurred in the summer of 1969 , both involving children. All these factors prompted the state to invest in swimming education, and this required many large pools to be built. Therefore, the Piscine Tournesol style swimming pools popped up all over France.

The first prototype pools were built in 1972. Subsequently all the pools followed the same plan and design. The pools were industrially produced as prefabricated structures. These included the dome frame and panels, as well as many of the internal fittings. Changing rooms, toilet cubicles, filtration equipment, heating, water sterilization were all built following the prototype specifications.

The Piscine Tournesol were typically 25m long and 10m wide, covered by a dome with a diameter of 35m. The dome comprises of polyester segments supported by metal arches. The segments feature rounded rectangular portholes which let in natural light. Additionally, the dome was able to partially open. Two of the metal arches would be able to move, pivoting the dome open 120 degrees. This would enable the pool to be open to the glorious sunshine during the French summers.

Sunflowers and swimming pools – What is the connection?

Where do these sunflower pools get their botanical name? A sunflower response to sunlight, they rotate their flowerheads and leaves to track the sun during the day. Heliotropism is the name of this phenomenon. The way that part of the Piscine Tournesol dome was able to open to take advantage of the sunshine is a reference to this feature seen in sunflowers.