Ecole Montolivet
Between 1925 and 1930, the number of children attending school in the commune doubled, and existing school facilities became inadequate. The mayor at the time, Charles Deshommes, wanted to remedy this situation.
He decided to build a secular, modern and comfortable school based on the organizational model of the great Marseille schools of the late 19th century.
He called upon the Nîmes architect Paul Chabert to build a school complex on a vast 6000 m2 plot of land, acquired from the Villeneuve hospices and located slightly away from the village centre.
The school complex is organized symmetrically, on either side of a tall central pavilion, to house the girls' and boys' schools, as well as eight apartments. This pavilion gives the façade its monumentality. The classrooms are oriented north-south, and the school is located one level above the courtyard. The courtyard level houses playgrounds and common rooms, including a cinema, a gymnasium, a refectory, and shower rooms, which no longer exist. The classrooms are served by long, uncovered walkways. They benefit from beautiful sunlight, reminiscent of the facades of sanatoriums from the 1930s.
Did you know?
The Montolivet school has its origins on the Mount of Olives.
During World War II, the school served as offices for the German army headquarters stationed in the southern zone.
The Remarkable Contemporary Architecture label was awarded to the Montolivet school group by the Ministry of Culture in 2022.
He called upon the Nîmes architect Paul Chabert to build a school complex on a vast 6000 m2 plot of land, acquired from the Villeneuve hospices and located slightly away from the village centre.
The school complex is organized symmetrically, on either side of a tall central pavilion, to house the girls' and boys' schools, as well as eight apartments. This pavilion gives the façade its monumentality. The classrooms are oriented north-south, and the school is located one level above the courtyard. The courtyard level houses playgrounds and common rooms, including a cinema, a gymnasium, a refectory, and shower rooms, which no longer exist. The classrooms are served by long, uncovered walkways. They benefit from beautiful sunlight, reminiscent of the facades of sanatoriums from the 1930s.
Did you know?
The Montolivet school has its origins on the Mount of Olives.
During World War II, the school served as offices for the German army headquarters stationed in the southern zone.
The Remarkable Contemporary Architecture label was awarded to the Montolivet school group by the Ministry of Culture in 2022.