A peak into the artists' cabins at the famous Molitor Swimming Pool in Paris

By The editor , Published: 14 July 2018

Molitor, a former temple of the Parisian avant-garde, has transformed the changing rooms of its winter pool into a huge gallery of contemporary urban art. We go behind some of the famous blue doors that line the pool to tell you what’s there. A truly private visit.

When it closed to the public in 1989, Molitor, with its two long swimming pools became, for nearly 20 years, a privileged playground for graffiti artists. It’s a legacy that Molitor celebrates, with an exhibition of street art on its famous walls.

Abyss

Michael Beerens, graffiti enthusiast of the aquatic world, couldn’t have hoped for a better canvas than the walls of a swimming pool to express his art.

Each featured artist has been given free rein to illustrate their style and their universe. The result is a wide range of colours, abstract and figurative forms, as shown here with the work of Panamanian artist Cisco Morel known for his fantastic geometric style.

An enigmatic and colourful figure, characteristic of graffiti artist Alber, watches over the winter pool.

Blue pool

In this cabin, it feels as if the artist Nasty has completed his work just minutes before we arrive: a wall of calligraphy, bright against a blue background.

Artist Joachim Romain works with recycled materials, transforming and refining them into artworks.

Signatures

Year after year, graffiti artists continue to mark the walls of the mythical swimming pool.

Swarm

The artist Stom500 is inspired by the world of cartoons, with a penchant for animal themes like the bulbous bees that can be seen lurking behind the door of one of the cabins.

As well as its indoor and outdoor pools, Molitor is also a 124-room hotel with a Clarins Spa, restaurant and rooftop bar plus terrace in the summer months.

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By The editor

The editorial staff of France.fr follow the trends and news of destinations to bring you stories from France that reveal its innovations and traditions revisited and make you long to (re) discover its territories.

Molitor in Paris

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