In Marseille, we hurry to the Castellane swimming pool, open for free

“It’s the heat wave plan, so it’s free”. At the entrance to the Castellane municipal swimming pool, in the 16th arrondissement of Marseille, the reception agents tirelessly repeat the message. From the orange alert, we no longer pay at the entrance to the pools. “It’s really good, because in apartments, it’s hard to endure the heat” Explains Amine, 38, security agent in the metro, who came with her two sons, college students already on vacation.

At 3 p.m., a dozen people were already waiting for the reopening of the place, closed an hour for the meridian break. Since then, it is an interrupted line of young boys and families that come in. Outside, we are close to 40 degrees.

“When it’s free, there are more people. Most often, they are people in the neighborhood ”, notes Noémie Santiago. Only filter, control the identity documents. “We cannot accept those under 12 unaccompanied”, she explains.

Many of the diving candidates have zapped the school, whose court overlooks the entrance. “Ryan, you dried you”, arises a student who sees one of his classmates in the entrance queue. In Marseille, the heat makes the situation extreme in many schools, as evidenced by Provence of the day.

Inside, a forest of hats floods under the gaze of a handful of lifeguards. The swimming lines have been removed. The roof and the outdoor space, with its large pine, open.

At the Castellane swimming pool in Marseille on July 1, 2025. Theo Giacometti/Hanslucas for “Le Monde”

Antoine, 39, drowns a little in the shade of the tree. Delivery, he worked until 2 p.m. and accompanies his children aged 14 and 11. He comes from Vitrolles, about twenty kilometers. “The beaches are too full. I like this kind of pool because there are not necessarily many people ”, he explains.

Member of Solimam’s, the association of parents of students from the neighboring school group, Kenza Belahadji, 32, came with his children, his nephews and the neighbors. “We are six families”, she details. Normally, she pays: 3 euros full price, 1.5 euros reduced. But salutes the transition to free: “It allows more young people to come alone. I hope it will last like that all summer. It must be said to the mayor. »»

At the Castellane swimming pool in Marseille on July 1, 2025. Theo Giacometti/Hanslucas for “Le Monde”

Gilles Rof (Marseille, correspondent)