From birthplace of the bikini to graffiti temple, this newly renovated swimming pool has a unique place in the city’s history

Molitor lido shortly after it opened in July 1929. Photograph: Gamma-Keystone/Getty

Built almost a century ago, the art-deco Piscine Molitor in the 16th district of Paris is no ordinary swimming pool. It was here the first bikini was unveiled and the topless sunbathing revolution took off, and it is after this swimming pool that the main character in the 2001 novel Life of Piwas named. 

In its heyday, between the world wars, Molitor was the most fashionable place to be seen. By 1989, however, this French icon was slated to be destroyed and replaced with apartments. The project never actually saw daylight, but Molitor was closed down anyway and instead became a hallowed space for Parisian subculture, adorned by graffiti artists and ravers alike.

Now, 25 years on, Molitor’s indoor pool and lido complex has been given another life, reopening on Monday as part of a luxury hotel and spa. The 50-metre lido and 33-metre indoor pool have been completely renovated, with the indoor pool remaining the heart of this unique construction.

Molitor's indoor swimming pool became a giant canvas for graffiti artists after its closure in 1989. Photograph: Thomas Jorion

“Molitor is a legendary place for Parisians,” says designer Jean-Philippe Nuel, who was commissioned to renovate Molitor’s interiors. “I’ve met people who know Molitor for different reasons: some for its days as a swimming pool, others for its years as a hub for graffiti, and it’s this complexity that I love because it resembles us – we each have multiple facets. Molitor is a fascinating character.”

Inaugurated in 1929 by Olympic swimmers Aileen Riggin Soule and Johnny “Tarzan” Weissmuller, the lido was the place to be seen in summer, with its golden sand and colourful parasols, and also in winter when it became an ice skating rink. Fashion shows and galas were attended by a host of celebrities including French actress and singer, Mistinguett. It was also at Molitor in 1946 that the first bikini, worn by the Casino de Paris dancer Micheline Bernardini, was shown off in France.

With its gleaming white railings and porthole windows, Molitor was nicknamed the “white cruise liner”. But after its abandonment in 1989, the ship became a wreck of faded glamour and cracked cement – and a giant canvas for graffiti artists, who took full advantage.....Continue Reading

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