A lengthy legal battle over a swimming pool construction in La Baule, France, has reached the administrative court in Nantes, highlighting tensions between modern architecture and traditional design preservation in one of the country's most prestigious coastal resort towns. The dispute, which has been ongoing for several years, centers on whether a contemporary pool design complies with strict architectural heritage regulations in the exclusive villa district.
The controversy began in January 2021 when a La Baule resident submitted his first building permit application to construct a 322-square-foot swimming pool with a "terrace on stilts" on Avenue de Lorraine, located in the town's prestigious villa quarter. Between January 2021 and February 2022, three successive permit applications were filed and approved by Mayor Franck Louvrier, a member of the center-right Republicans party. However, the owner of the neighboring property, acting through his real estate investment company (SCI), challenged these urban planning authorizations, arguing that the construction violated development regulations in this protected historic sector.
Interestingly, the Architect of French Buildings (ABF), a government official responsible for protecting historic architecture, had initially issued a "favorable opinion" for the pool project. The architect specifically noted that it was "not established" that the construction would "require the removal of pine trees" in this "remarkable sector" that constitutes La Baule's protected pine forest. This endorsement seemed to support the pool owner's case initially.
The central issue in the dispute revolves around La Baule's traditional architectural requirements, as mandated by the town's Area for Enhancement of Architecture and Heritage (AVAP) regulations. The ABF's main criticism focused on the pool design's lack of reference to local traditional architecture, which is strictly required under these heritage protection rules. New constructions in the area must "incorporate" or "reinterpret at least one of the characteristic architectural references" of the town, such as "decorative carved wood elements," "decorative ceramics," or "decorative ironwork elements" that define La Baule's distinctive Belle Époque architectural style.
Following the initial court hearing on November 19, 2024, judges granted a three-month period on December 17, 2024, for the pool's future owner to "regularize" the construction work. In response, a new preliminary declaration was filed on April 17, 2025, proposing to install "an iron railing on a low wall in place of the first step of an ornamental staircase." The public prosecutor argued that this "black ironwork" adequately incorporates La Baule's traditional architectural elements and would allow the original building permit to be validated.
However, the complainant's legal team strongly disagreed with this proposed solution. During the September 2, 2025 hearing, Attorney Bertrand Vendé, representing the plaintiff, harshly criticized what he called a superficial fix to a complex architectural issue. In this "rather unpleasant" case that has "dragged on for several years," the lawyer stated he did not "share the analysis" of the magistrate regarding "the incorporation of La Baule's architectural codes." Vendé dismissed the proposed ironwork addition as mere "tinkering" that has "nothing to do" with authentic local architecture.
The attorney also criticized the city of La Baule for being "not very diligent" in sanctioning violations of urban planning rules, calling it "quite audacious" for the public prosecutor to side with his client's neighbor. During the hearing, Attorney Isabel Léon, representing the mayor's office, and the lawyer for the accused resident made no additional observations, suggesting they were content to let their previous arguments stand.
The Nantes administrative court has now reserved its decision and will render judgment within one month. However, this upcoming decision will not definitively close the case, as the complainant's attorney has already appealed the initial December 2024 judgment that allowed the property owner the possibility to "regularize" his pool construction. This means the neighborhood conflict is likely to continue before the Nantes administrative court of appeals, potentially extending the legal battle for months or even years to come.
The case reflects broader tensions in French coastal resort towns between property owners seeking to modernize their homes and communities working to preserve their distinctive architectural heritage. La Baule, known for its grand Belle Époque villas and strict building codes, represents one of many French municipalities grappling with balancing individual property rights against collective heritage preservation in an era of changing architectural tastes and lifestyle demands.
