The Chambre d’Amour grotto, and its legend:
"Long, long ago, Laorens, a poor orphan, and Saubade, the daughter of a rich planter, were together, despite her father’s opposition, in a cave facing some huge waves. There, they were making an oath to love each other until death. It was a lovely day, the storm was howling in the Gulf of Gascony and the sea pushed by the off shore wind rapidly grew larger than normal and carried away the lovers. The fatal grotto which still attracts lovers and the curious was called the Chambre d’Amour."

 

General presentation

In past times…. famous “baths”

In 1928 a new set of baths was built in Chambre d’Amour.

Its architects from Bayonne, Anatole and Durruty, were inspired by the new Art Deco style, which was very fashionable at the time. The architectural layout included a bar, a pool, around ten ‘cabins’ (private bathing cabins) and a spacious room for receptions.

It was used to host beauty competitions, sports events and gala dinners.

Anyone who was anyone in the Basque Coast,
set met up there, along with a few prestigious aristocrats.
 













But the war put a sudden stop to these festivities and society life...

Later, in the 1960s, Chambre d’Amour was redeveloped in terms of more social tourism.
But the baths remained one of the top spas in Anglet.  

Anglet’s very first Surf Club “Le Surfing-Club de la Chambre d’Amour” was inaugurated in 1963 attended by Deborah Kerr, famous actress and wife of Peter Viertel (who introduced surfing to France in 1957), which became the Surf Club de France a year later.

Terrible storms damaged the pool in 1963, 1965, 1973, then again in 1975. After twelve years fighting the sea the pool, bar and cabins were removed and major coastline protection work (sea walls and a jetty) was carried out in 1977.

The main building became the municipal reception room, with temporary occupation in the summer.

In 1979, the Comic Drawing Festival, presided over by Jacques Faizant, set up its summer headquarters there.

In 1980 it was used by associations (Amicale des Anciens marins, Anglet Surf-club, Anglet Olympique Canoë kayak, Surf-casting club) and seasonal activities (bar-restaurant, surfshop).

2003-2007 : la réhabilitation du "Espace de l'Océan"

In 2003, the town of Anglet committed to making a decision regarding the future of the building, as a prior step to any restructuring project.
In 2005, the “King Kong” architecture workshop from Bordeaux won over the architect’s competition jury.

The winning project focussed on strong features from the past, providing a style which was modern and yet also inspired by art deco..  
 
This new volume, with a double layer of glass and perforated aluminium slabs, evokes a 1930s atmosphere with its geometric motifs which sift the light and plays shadow games inside. This vast hall leads to the main room on the ground floor.

Another strong feature: the inside of the reception hall and its ceiling have translucent luminous beams, in an art deco style.

Faithful to the original building, large west-facing bay windows open out over the ocean. The technical areas (catering area, toilets, storage cupboards) are conveniently located on either side of the room. 
 


Outside, visitors can be entertained under the rebuilt pergola. On the sea front, the north and south wings house two annexe rooms, a bar-restaurant (Vent d’Ouest Café) and a restaurant-brasserie (Paseo Café). 




 

Upstairs, the building has recovered its expansive terrace, which can be reached via the reception hall and the restaurant. The small summer kitchen is connected to the ground floor by a staircase, and service lifts make events run smoothly... 

This building helps to give the place des Docteurs Gentilhe the feel of an esplanade.