The thirty swimming pools that were brutally closed two weeks ago in France will all be reopened at the end of next week, the operator Vert Marine, which had closed its establishments due to an explosion in the energy bill, said on Friday.
Reopenings in several municipalities this week
This sudden closure, announced without prior notice on September 5, generated astonishment among the affected communities, accusing the delegate “of taking them hostage”, also in the middle of the return to school period. The French Swimming Federation had called for the “immediate” reopening of the pools.
Since this week, several swimming pools have already reopened, such as Limoges, Versailles, Clichy-sous-Bois, following the agreement with the communities. In some cases, such as Versailles, the municipality allows the operator to benefit from the negotiated rate for gas and electricity.
Vert Marine continues discussions with local authorities
The operator specified that it was “continuing discussions to find lasting solutions in times of very expensive energy.” Swimming pools, often gas-heated, are highly energy-consuming pieces of equipment. Of the 4,000 swimming pools in France, approximately 10% are managed under public service delegation. A few companies share this market and Vert Marine is one of the largest.
Source: BFM TV
