“Who was Marx Dormoy?” you might ask yourself as you stand here on Rue Marx Dormoy. This Lille street carries the name of a significant French political figure. Marx Dormoy lived from 1888 to 1941. His life met a tragic end through assassination in Montélimar.
Rue Marx Dormoy also is home to the Piscine Olympique Marx Dormoy. This swimming pool offers a place for recreation and exercise. The Olympic-sized pool measures 50 by 21 meters. There is also an instruction pool. It measures 25 by 12.5 meters.
Originally, the pool’s opening was planned earlier. The inauguration was delayed until February 1970. A restaurant’s underwater porthole cracked due to multiple bullet impacts. The original complex included a sauna and a gym. It also featured an underwater restaurant. There was even a solarium and a diving pit. The diving pit reached a depth of 14 meters.
The Piscine Olympique Marx Dormoy cost 30 million French francs to construct. The City of Lille owns and administers it. However, the Piscine Marx Dormoy will permanently close in the summer of 2025.
So, Rue Marx Dormoy represents both political history and community recreation. It is a place where the past and present intersect. Take a moment to appreciate this street’s story. It is a Lille landmark.