La Bourboule, a Belle Époque, spa town

A classic Belle Époque shop front

On a day off from skiing Lesley and I decided to drive the few kilometres to La Bourboule, this is Le Mont Dore's near neighbour and is famous for its thermes.  I understand a spa was first constructed here in 1463 but the town's real heyday was during the 'Belle Époque' period when the railway allowed the rich and famous to visit in order to take the waters.  La Bourboule was honoured by the visits of Sultans and Emirs.  One wonders what they would think today. It now seems apparent that the entire economy of the town rests on tourists visiting the spas for health reasons or for walking and activity holidays.  There are many hotels of all shapes and sizes in La Bourboule to provide accomodation, and whilst one or two seem to be in a good state of repair most of them seem to be in a steady decline. 

There are plenty of these original enamel glazed directional signs still to be found in the Auvergne

If you wander through the town which is constructed on both sides of the River Dordogne you will observe much evidence of this.  Sadly much of the architecture from this 'Golden Age' has been neglected but amongst the melancholy buildings one can still find a few gems.  Sometime during the French Third Republic the brothers Rozier opened a shop to sell thier wines, vermouth, and spirits.  Signs of their success can be seen on the old shop front (now a protected historical monument) in the form of some very fine moisac tilework. 

A fine example of 'Belle Époque' architecture courtesy of the Frères Rozier

L Jarrier, Architect of the Rozier bros shop

Gentil Bourdet, Mosaisiste of the Rozier Bros shop

Crossing one of the several bridges spanning the river more evidence of mosaic tilework can be found.  Again, probably due to lack of resources or maybe lack of skilled artisans in this particular field, upkeep has suffered and repair work has been carried out in a brutalistic fashion with no recognisance of what has gone before.

Something worth preserving?

or maybe not.  What not to do with a trowel and bucket of sand and cement

One of the better preserved buildings is the neo-Romain church built between 1885 and 1888.  It was constructed by the architect Gardin who also happened to be a previous Mayor.  

I find this an amusing juxtaposition, the beautiful church of M. Gardin, bordered by a municipal functional plastic bus shelter, very French!

In these cash strapped times you can see the enormity of the challenge facing the encumbent Mayor with regard to the upkeep of these grand buildings, many of them now redundant.  

As we were leaving La Bourboule Lesley and I noticed that one of the largest buildings on the route principale was undergoing restoration.  So we left town on this positive note and mulled over the thought that perhaps what the local authorities and tourist office should be doing is to push the health benefits of the special waters that flow readily in these parts with a little more vigour.  After all we are probably more health conscious nowadays and what the spa towns of the Auvergne have to offer is better taken directly from the source rather than from a toxin-releasing plastic bottle from a supermarket shelf.

 

All is not lost, restoration work is well underway on this very considerable building