Port Grimaud, The Dream of One Man
The creation of a village for sea lovers was the childhood dream of François SPOERRY, an Alsatian architect and sailor.
This dream was born at an early age during a visit to a museum in
Zurich. There he discovered a model of a lakeside city, situated along the Swiss lakes and dating
from prehistoric times. The discovery of Venice at the age of 40 and its many ports of call in the
Mediterranean reinforced his desire to create a lake city.
During a family dinner at his parents' house in Cavalaire, he hears for the first time about a
swampy area at the bottom of the Gulf of Saint Tropez. That's how his dream began to come true:
a village where land and sea intermingle.
The life of François Spoerry: creator of the lakeside city of Port Grimaud
François Spoerry was born on 28 December 1912 into a wealthy family of Alsatian industrialists.
- In 1930, he began his training as an architect in Strasbourg.
- In 1932, he wanted to join the navy, but his poor eyesight prevented him from doing so.
- In 1943, he began his studies at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Marseille.
As a member of the resistance, he was denounced, arrested by the Gestapo in April 1943 and deported to the German concentration camps. He finally graduated in 1948.
After the war, he opened his first architectural practice in Mulhouse and took part in many postwar reconstruction projects. He designed the largest French structure of the time, the European Tower of Mulhouse, which houses a revolving panoramic restaurant.
He also participated in the creation of new districts: in Gassin in the Gulf of Saint Tropez, in Port Liberté in New York Bay, in Puerto Escondido in Mexico, in Porto Cervo in Italy, etc...
He died on January 11, 1999 in his magnificent and large residence located on rue de l'île Longue where a flag was flying while he was staying there. At his request, François Spoerry rests in a vault inside the city church.
A street in Mulhouse has been named after him since June 2007.
It is a tribute from the Mulhouse
Municipal Council who wanted to pay tribute to the architect who was elected municipal councillor
for 24 years. The Place du Sud of Port Grimaud 2 was also renamed in his name, and his portrait
was placed on the magnificent fountain there.
Thousands of visitors from all over the world come every year to discover the famous marina of Plaisance on the French Riviera. With 2,400 homes, 7km of canals and more than 2,000 moorings, Port Grimaud covers 75 hectares. In his project, the architect took into account 3 natural elements: Wind, Earth and Sea.
Beneath its allure of a small village with its shops, church, artisan baker, houses and apartments with moorings, Port Grimaud is in reality a huge co-ownership with its own rules and regulations.
The lakeside town is divided into 3 zones managed by three separate and autonomous syndicate associations: Port Grimaud I, Port Grimaud II and Port Grimaud III.
A Unique Design in Port-Grimaud
Nicknamed the "Venice of Provence", Port Grimaud has many features inspired by François Spoerry's many travels in Greece and around the Mediterranean basin.
He wanted a village for lovers of the sea, a village where every house is accessible by land and sea.
Suite à la réalisation d’études et de nombreux croquis, il a créé une cité harmonieuse à l’image de la région, avec des façades colorées, des tuiles anciennes romaines et des petites ruelles.
After carrying out studies and numerous sketches, he created a harmonious town in the image of the region, with colourful facades, ancient Roman tiles and small streets.
The architect wanted a village close to the sea with, nevertheless, some greenery, which is why there are many gardens and some parks within the city.
It is composed of 33% vegetation..
Some pine trees, present on the site before the construction of the city, were preserved in the plans. Notably the one located on the quay of the former restaurant "la Tartane", now called "le Grand Pin".
François Spoerry did not wish to follow the architectural movements of the time, which favoured vertical lines.
He wanted to favour, for his creation, a "soft architecture". This is the title
of his book published in 1989.
In spite of modern construction methods, François Spoerry was able to perfectly transcribe the soul and the artisanal and non-monotonous aspect of Mediterranean villages, so much so that many visitors think it is an old, renovated village.
Materials from a demolition site in Auvergne Rhône Alpes were used to give Port Grimaud a more authentic feel.
It can be seen that no façade is identical to another. Diversity is the watchword of this construction. A multitude of doors, windows, colours, balconies, fences, railings, genoises, columns and ironwork are visible in the village.
The houses are nested next to each other without ever being at the same height and their façades are never completely vertical.
Whether houses, apartments or shops, all alterations to the facades must be authorised by a Port Grimaud trade union association. In fact, it is the site's three trade union associations that manage the maintenance and preservation of the marina.
In order to ensure that the inhabitants, shopkeepers and visitors can live together all year round in the best possible conditions, internal regulations exist. It stipulates in particular the prohibition to hang laundry on balconies and the prohibition of two-wheeled vehicles to circulate in the city. Security guards trained in first aid and fire-fighting are present 24/7 to help enforce these regulations.
Always concerned about maintaining the quality of life of residents and preserving the environment, there is a land transportation service using electric carts and a water transportation service, the water coaches, which operate 80% of the time in sunlight.
The city's plants are maintained without chemical agents and selective sorting is effective throughout the city. For some years now there have been several charging points outside the village for recharging electric cars.
The aesthetic details of Port-Grimaud not to be missed
Throughout the lakeside town, there are incredible details that make Port Grimaud pleasing to the eye and attractive :
- The calades of the market square
The calades represent images that were to announce the businesses in front of which they were located: bread for the bakery, glasses in front of the bar, ice cream in front of the ice cream parlor ... Unfortunately today the images no longer always correspond to the juxtaposed businesses. We can thus see on the market square that the current press house was supposed to be the bakery.
- Cables and pipes are buried
Water, gas, telephone and electricity cables and pipes are underground. No cables are visible in the city.
- The city's bridges are all unique
The large bridge of Port Grimaud was designed in the dry, a few meters from its current location, which at the time greatly amused the local press: "They're crazy!».
- The Port Grimaud alleys are not straight
In order to recall the old Mediterranean villages. François Spoerry wanted to limit car traffic by creating narrow alleys without pavements and parking lots in order to preserve the tranquillity of the city. A large car park was built at the entrance so that residents and visitors can reach the village on foot. During the Easter holidays in 1968, residents were able to understand the importance of this choice when two thousand cars invaded the outskirts of the town. When PG2 and PG3 were built, an interchange had to be constructed to ensure the safety of motorists travelling to Port-Grimaud.
- Discoveries in the city
One can also discover while walking in the city: a dovecote under a porch, a portrait of the architect in a fountain, trompe l'oeil such as false windows, a woman at her window, false mouldings...
- The bell tower of Port-Grimaud
The architect hesitated for a long time about the aesthetics of the bell tower, which he financed himself. Many models and sketches show different types of tops. It can be seen that the top of the church of Saint-François d'Assise is sometimes minimalist, sometimes domed. It is finally the wrought iron summit that was chosen. It recalls the conical-shaped summit of the church of Grimaud village. The view from the top of the bell tower of Port Grimaud offers an incredible panorama of the lake city and the Gulf of Saint Tropez. The maintenance and repairs of the church of Port Grimaud is self-financing thanks to paid visits to the bell tower.
- The perspectives of the lakeside city
As you walk around the city you will notice that the perspectives have not been put aside.
For example, from the first porch of the square of Port Grimaud 2, you can see in the extension of the second porch of the square, the bell tower of Port Grimaud 1.
The architect wanted to remind the visitors of the still central place of the village church despite the enlargement of the city
- The Singles Tower
Inspired by Turkish forts, at the entrance to Port Grimaud 1, was built to accommodate the seasonal workers of the village.
At all hours, Port Grimaud shines...
The little French Venice
Port Grimaud benefits from 7km of canals and 14km of quays. Boats that can access the canals must be less than 35m long and must be able to navigate in 3m depth. The maximum speed allowed is 3 knots. Three captain's offices are present on the marina to ensure the reception of boats, to enforce the internal regulations and to monitor the port.
In the early days, access to the sea was via a single pass through the Giscle, but eventually a direct access to the sea was built and today there are two passes through the Giscle. During the construction of Port Grimaud, the architect François Spoerry had to face several imperatives such as the access to the quay for each boat and the hydraulic system of the city.
Indeed, François Spoerry had to imagine a body of water where each dock is accessible without going under a bridge so that all types of boats can access their mooring. These were designed for medium-sized boats, 4m by 10m at the time. Today these moorings are considered small as a result of the modernization of the boats.
In order to stir the water and avoid dead water zones, François Spoerry asked the Centre d'étude et de recherches de biologie et d'océanographie médicale de Nice for a complete hydrological study. Following this investigation, a pumping station and three windmills on the beach of Port Grimaud 1 were planned. But when the Giscle was connected to the Port Grimaud canals, it was noticed that a cyclical current allowed this mixing to take place naturally. This work was therefore abandoned.
Frequently, a specialised team has to come and clear the seabed and combat silting at the entrance to the port. Silting is a recurrent phenomenon due to the action of winds and currents as well as boat engines. It reduces the depth of the canals. A first pier was built on 15 March 1968, with a straight shape.
Very quickly, additional work had to be carried out in order to bend the dyke so that it could fulfil its functions as well as possible. The beach at Port Grimaud 2 also had to benefit from a curved dike. Indeed, the construction of the Marines de Cogolin's stone dike caused a change in direction at the mouth of the Giscle, the river's course diverted towards Port Grimaud.
At the very beginning of the project, François Spoerry wanted to incorporate boat garages under the houses with direct access to the living room.
Eventually, for financial reasons, the only covered landing stage in the city is located in his own house, rue de l'ile longue, and gives access to the living room from the inside.
In order for the canals to replace the streets, a water transportation system for the residents was quickly put in place: the first waterches were designed by Claude Graf and Pierre Héry. The "coches d'eau" also allow visitors to discover the lakeside city from the sea
It was Claude Graf who moored a seaplane at the end of the rue de la Tour in 1977. Even the craziest ideas were realized in Port Grimaud.
A construction out of the ordinary
Inspired by Mediterranean architecture and respectful of Provençal tradition, François Spoerry's dream was to create a real village with: its church, its common house, its post office, its market, its "place aux boules", its shops, its cafés, its houses, its school, its cinema, a large car park, to limit traffic in the city by encouraging walking or boating, but also to welcome visitors and ensure a revenue in the lake city.
Some of these projects have come to fruition and are still visible, others have been abandoned and others have not lasted over time.
The 35-hectare plot of land that François Spoerry bought himself at the beginning of this adventure was located at the bottom of the Gulf of Saint Tropez on a marshy area between the river named "la Giscle" and the RN98. It was a place infested with mosquitoes where only duck hunting and agricultural activity was practiced. The soil was made up of sand and was ideal for foundations.
Many pine trees were present on the site and were included in the architect's plans.
When Spoerry discovered this place, he realized that he would make his dream come true there.
He applied for a building permit in 1963. Steps and administrative blockages followed for 3 years. The permit was finally issued on June 13, 1966. However, the date chosen was June 14... because the young son of a close friend of the architect wanted his birthday to be chosen.
So the architect honoured him by calling the first built square in Port Grimaud the 14th of June square.
In all of François Spoerry's sketches, the church had a central place and was high enough to demolish the 2 abandoned sand silos that the maritime administration did not want to demolish because they were used as landmarks for the sailors.
A decree forbidding construction within 50m of the shoreline complicated the work already begun, which had been planned according to the bumps and hollows created by the bombs during the war. The houses had to be moved back 25m and the bumps and hollows had to be "moved".
The greatest challenge of this construction was the creation of the canals and the different islands.
To do this, Mr. Spoerry used the sheet pile system. It is a rather expensive system, but it has proved its worth since no construction defects were reported. The concept of the sheet piling is to delimit the contours of the future islands and then to drive real steel walls deep into the ground, about 5 meters deep.
These walls are then dug along to create the canals. The rubble collected is used to raise the islands and stabilize the ground. The installation of pilings finally makes it possible to consolidate the whole. The construction of the houses can then begin and the water can infiltrate into the canals.
The work was carried out in stages until the end of construction of the lake city in the 2000s.
Both architect and developer, François Spoerry sold one section in order to build the next. Indeed, he was very criticized for his large-scale project and therefore had great difficulty in finding investors. In fact, he had to finance certain projects himself, such as the outdoor parking lot and the bell tower, in order to carry out his project in its entirety.
The first section was the closest to the sea: the main street and the 14 June square. The first houses were delivered in July 1967. They were sold very quickly, so much so that the second section was bought in its entirety before the works even started!
It was a real success!
Over the years, the architect adapts the constructions according to the recommendations of the residents and changes in lifestyle: gardens on the quayside, more spacious living areas, parking close to the houses, attic space, solarium, ...
The architect has designed about ten typical dwellings ranging from a 30m2 studio to a 230m2 house.
We find the very popular "fisherman's house" with a width of 4 to 5.5m, 1 kitchen, 1 living room, 2 floors with 2 bedrooms and a toilet each as well as a bathroom on the first floor. The floors of the first houses in Port Grimaud were consolidated to be able to accommodate the boats in the living room during the winter.
The fireplace, nested under the staircase, has become a typical feature of the houses of Port grimaud.
The different types of accommodation in Port-Grimaud
Here are the different types of typical dwellings that François Spoerry designed for the lake city.
Are you looking for a house or an apartment in Port Grimaud? Many properties are available today in the sales catalog of our real estate agency in Port Grimaud Logiservice!
L’Appartement
From 28 m² to 48 m²
- 1 bedroom
- 1 bathroom with toilet
- In co-ownership
Le Bungalow
With a width of 4 meters
From 60 m² to 68 m²
Ground floor :
- 1 bedroom
- 1 living room
Upstairs :
- 2 bedrooms
- 1 bathroom
- 1 toilet
La Balandrine
With a width of 4 meters
From 60 m² to 69 m²
Ground floor :
- 1 kitchen
- 1 living room
- 1 toilet
Upstairs :
- 2 bedrooms
- 1 bathroom
La Hunière
With a width of 4.70 metres
From 61 m² to 65 m²
Ground Floor :
- 1 kitchen
- 1 living room
- 1 toilet
Upstairs :
- 2 bedrooms
- 1 bathroom
- 1 toilet
La Cassine
With a width of 5.50 metres
From 70 m² to 75 m²
Ground floor :
- 1 kitchen
- 1 living room
- 1 toilet and shower room
Upstairs :
- 3 bedrooms
- 1 bathroom
- 1 toilet
If 3rd level :
- Solarium
La Ostale
With a width of 5.50 metres
From 75 m² to 81 m²
RDC :
- 1 kitchen
- 1 living room
- 1 toilet and shower room
Upstairs :
- 3 bedrooms
- 1 bathroom
- 1 toilet
Or upstairs :
- 1 master bedroom
- 1 bathroom with toilet
- 2 bedrooms
- 1 shower room with toilet
La Maison de Pêcheur
With a width of 5.50 metres
From 77 m² to 97 m²
Ground floor :
- 1 kitchen
- 1 living room
First floor :
- 2 bedrooms
- 1 bathroom and 1 toilet
2nd floor :
- 2 bedrooms and 1 toilet
La Portale
With a width of 5.50 metres
From 90 m² to 99 m²
Ground floor :
- 1 kitchen
- 1 living room
- 1 toilet and shower room
First floor :
- 3 bedrooms
- 2 bathrooms
2nd floor :
- 1 parental bedroom with bathroom
- Balcony terrace
La Bord de Rive
With a width of about 9 meters
From 99 m² to 103 m²
Ground floor :
- 1 kitchen
- 1 living room
- 1 bedroom
- 1 toilet and shower room
Usptairs :
- 3 bedrooms
- 2 bathrooms
- 2 toilets
Port Grimaud is a major project that François Spoerry created from scratch.
As with any project, certain elements were modified, added or removed as the work progressed. Indeed, on certain models and plans, we were able to see: a kiosk on the market square, a covered market on the craSsmen's square, a terrace on the roof of the Hotel Suffren, a small covered island bordered by moorings in the extension of the Ile des Pins, a swimming pool on the Ile des Pins, beach cabins, a nursery on the 14 June square, a nightclub, a small port reserved for the clients of the Hotel Giraglia, etc...
A social housing building on Septentrion Street was refused by the residents to the great regret of Mr. Spoerry, who wanted a true class mix in his village.
Among the projects that unfortunately did not last over Zme are: the cinema in the common house, which had to close in the 1980s and the Port Grimaud sewerage system, which was attached to the system of the commune of Grimaud in 1995, In order to inform the populaZon of the new shops, the progress of the works and informaZon about the town, François Spoerry created "Le Courrier de Port grimaud". This newspaper is unfortunately no longer published to this day.
Port Grimaud also has its stars…
Many artists have lived, stayed or visited Port Grimaud: Georges Monin, Alain Souchon, Laurent Voulzy, Serge Mendjisky, Mama Daktari (the sister of François Spoerry, the famous flying doctor who treated people in remote areas of Africa), Brigitte Bardot (above with François Spoerry), Eddie Barclay, Gilbert Bécaud and many others...
Many films were shot in Port Grimaud, here is a part of them:
- « Les biches »
a film by Claude Chabrol, filmed in 1967, with Jean-Louis Trintignant who plays an architect inspired by François Spoerry.
- A spécial clip of Brigitte Bardot
by François Reichenbach for a television program broadcast on January 1, 1968, on the occasion of the New Year
- « Le gendarme se marie »
Third film in Richard Balduchi's Gendarme series, released in 1968, filmed by Jean Girault, with Louis de Funès and Michel Galabru.
- « Poule et frites »
A film by Luis Rego, released in 1987
- « Les heures claires »
TV film with Mireille DARC, in 1994
- « Sous le Soleil »
television series created by Olivier Brémond and Pascal Breton, filmed in the Gulf of Saint Tropez, including Port Grimaud
(the actors were housed in the lakeside town).
Located in Port Grimaud since 1968, our real estate agency will be
delighted
to share with you all our expertise and anecdotes
about the beautiful lakeside town ...
Contact us at 04.94.56.28.18
Chronology Port-Grimaud
1962
Acquisition of swampy land, which is known to be unhealthy and infected with mosquitoes
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1963
Submission of the building permit
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24 June 1965
Request for building permit sent to the Var Prefecture
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13 June 1966
Building permit issued
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Spring 1967
Start of work on the second phase (rue de l'octogone and rue de la tour)
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Autumn 1967
Start of work on the Giraglia Hotel
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July 1967
The first houses in Port Grimaud are delivered
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11March 1968
Building permit granted for the market place
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March 15, 1968
Construction of the first right dyke
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Spring 1968
End of work on the first section (main street, place du 14 juin, place des 6 canons)
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May and June 1968
Delivery of the houses and apartments of the 2nd stage
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July 1968
Opening of the Hotel Giraglia
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Summer 1968
Work begins on the ditch wharf
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Mid-October 1968
Closure of the first right dyke
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Autumn 1968
Construction begins on North Street
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January 1969
Start of the construction of the 7th section (rue du ponant, île du couchant and rue
des 2 îles)
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1969
Construction of the common house
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Spring 1969
Reopening of the curved dike
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Summer 1969
End of the rue de septentrion
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2 November 1969
Laying of the foundation stone of the church
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February 1970
Start of construction of the singles tower
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Spring 1970
First house delivered on the "île du couchant" and "rue du ponant", rue des 2 îles
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Summer 1970
End of construction of the singles tower
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Summer 1971
The construction of PG1 is almost finished (only a few shops are missing from the
craftsmen's square)
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1973 to 2002
Construction of PG2
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1978 to 1993
PG3 construction
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Early 2000s
End of construction of the lake city
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September 2002
Port Grimaud is listed as a 20th century heritage site by the Ministry of Culture
|
May 2015
Port Grimaud II is awarded the Blue Flag label
(symbol of an exemplary sustainable
tourism development policy)