La Piscine sculpture hall ©Jonathan Turton, 2024
Post-industrial Roubaix seems an unlikely setting for an art-deco masterpiece. The former communal swimming baths – built when sunburst stained-glass windows were de rigueur – had been saved by the town once; so successfully it needed a major expansion, completed in 2018.
It was crowded on our visit – but no less beguiling. There is a slightly chaotic mix of classical statues, contemporary fashion, modern art and architectural wonder; but the tranquility of the now much-reduced pool brings a calmness even amid the clamour for the perfect Instagram shot.
Highly recommended 9/10
Read more about the history in this Guardian review.