The "Piscine Molitor," the famous Parisian pool that closed about 25 years ago, opened Monday after a new $109 million makeover and is looking stunning than ever before.
The "Piscine Molitor" is a familiar name. This is the famous Parisian pool that the protagonist in the award-winning movie - "Life of Pi" (based on the novel by the same title) - was named after. This is the venue where the first bikini of the world made its debut in 1946. This is the place where celebrities and commoners flocked to enjoy the sun. In fact, one of the first lifeguards of the pool was an Olympic gold-winner and even played the lead role in the film "Tarzan."
The era of pleasure pool in the 1920 https://t.co/4triOLHLdZ #PiscineMolitor #Paris #hotel #Nostalgia #goodtimes #play pic.twitter.com/nXu2Pgr39S
— Raluca Anghel (@hi_raluca) May 26, 2014
This was a majestic venue with a larger-than-life history. According to The Verge, the pool was closed down in 1989 to be replaced with a housing development. However, after locals staged continuous protests, the plan was abandoned and so was the pool. Over the years, the pool became a hub for urban artists and skateboarders. Illegal rave parties were also held in the area. Due to lack of maintenance, the pool fell into disrepair.
Finally the iconic Piscine Molitor #picsher #photography #urbanart #piscinemolitor #graffiti #AestheticaMag pic.twitter.com/1B66UVeJ73 — Nav Hir (@Navstar1865) May 24, 2014
However, it never lost its majesty. It was declared a historic monument in 1990. And now, the Molitor has risen like a phoenix from its own ashes. According to the New York Times, in 2007, the government of Paris started inviting bids to restore the famous pool and soon the Accor Hotel Chain purchased the property and breathed new life into Molitor.
Dope Destinations: Art Deco Molitor Hotel Reopens in Paris https://t.co/2i6twD4lRr #PiscineMolitor #Molitor pic.twitter.com/ly0909aFTL
— stupidDOPE.com (@stupidDOPE) May 27, 2014
Elle est belle la piscine Molitor hein ? C'est 4500€ par an pour en profiter. #Molitor #piscinemolitor #fistfuking pic.twitter.com/togSimpZgq — L'asocial (@Paulo_Douard) May 20, 2014
Currently, the pool is a part of the hotel "The Art Deco Molitor," which reopened last year. The pool has been restored to its former glory or even better. The new hotel offers 124 rooms; has three large meeting /banquet areas with two restaurants, a Chinese spa and a rooftop eatery. The indoor pool has been repaired as well.
Interiors of the hotel still preserve some of the urban art. It has been designed along the lines of the old structure.
"We tried to conserve the dialogue between past and present. For example, in the lobby under the original two-metre high ceiling (now mirrored) is a Rolls Royce bought by Eric Cantona, tagged by the American graffiti artist JonOne," architect Jean Phillipe Nuel told The Guardian.
Check out the Piscine Molitor website here.
