LA SOUCOUPE

La Soucoupe, listed as a Historic Monument, is a symbol of the Reconstruction of Saint-Nazaire in the 1950s.

Located on the Plaine des Sports site in the heart of Saint-Nazaire and listed as a Historic Monument, the Soucoupe is one of the symbols of Saint-Nazaire sport, but above all of the creativity of the architects of the 1950s Reconstruction.

In the aftermath of the Second World War, Saint-Nazaire, which had been largely destroyed by Allied bombing raids to liberate the town, wanted to fill in the Grand Marais and began developing this gigantic leisure complex, comprising a 26-hectare landscaped park and a 20-hectare sports park. Architect Roger Vissuzaine and landscape architect Albert Audias were commissioned to study the Parc des Sports project, and in 1950 they presented a preliminary design.

In 1962, the town of Saint-Nazaire decided to build a "revolutionary" sports hall. The project was entrusted to the team of architects Roger Vissuzaine and René Rivière. The new facility would be able to host both sporting and cultural events all year round. La Soucoupe could accommodate up to 3,500 people.

The architects proposed an innovative construction in the form of an inclined spherical dome with a surface area of 16,00 m². The use of reinforced concrete, a material that is both solid and light, creates a large open volume with no load-bearing walls or pillars, allowing the public to enjoy the show wherever they are in the hall.