A little dive into a time that those under twenty cannot know.
The question “Palavas-les-Flots, why go elsewhere? “, title of the DVD offered by the mayor to his fellow citizens, could, 100 years ago, have been posed in the same way to the inhabitants of the area. A document, published in 1921 by the Tourist office and made available free of charge to tourists, already answered it with forceful arguments.
From the outset, the tone is set: “Favorite walk of the people of Montpellier barely six hours from Lyon by PLM railway or by car, it is the favorite meeting place for Lyonnais and families of the Rhône Valley who, drawn to the big blue, come to seek health , rest and entertainment in this climatic seaside resort … “
“A first-rate sea bathing beach”
At the cutting edge of progress, Palavas had at that time a “Post, telegraph and telephone” office open every day, even on Sunday mornings. In addition, progress requires, we can phone the Granier casino, in some hotels and restaurants and in some fishmongers. The small train of the local interest line drops off passengers, in 1st class for 3.35 francs on weekdays and 4.65 francs on Sundays, in the center of Montpellier.
The important sanitation works that have been carried out allow the General Council, in its session of May 20, to grant the municipality a new concession which will allow the department to be endowed. “a first-rate sea bathing beach”. A farm company even offers to create, on the left bank beach in front of the station, a municipal establishment with hot baths and hot seawater showers.
The Bonnafous bakery already present on the quay
There is no shortage of leisure activities, essential to the resort’s standing. The Palavasian Philharmonic, chaired by the mayor François Molle and Marius Granier, the director and owner of the casino, regularly gives concerts. The casino opens its 40th opera season on June 4.
The poster is prestigious there. We will give, among other things, La Traviata, La Tosca, La Vie de Bohême, The Pearl Fishermen. The establishment’s terrace is obviously, during this summer of 1921, the meeting place of all elegance. Trade is flourishing. On the left bank quay, then called Quai Malakoff, the Bonnafous bakery and pastry shop is already there, Auguste Bouissou runs a “bourgeois pension” and Fernand Bories L’Épicerie des gourmets … It was the beginning of those “roaring twenties” that tempted to forget the disastrous period of 14-18 …
New public service hours
Following the advance to 6 p.m. of the start of the curfew, the opening hours of public services such as the town hall are defined as follows: from 8:30 a.m. to noon and from 12:45 to 4:15 p.m. These measures are applicable for a minimum period of 15 days from Saturday January 16. Note that appointments already given by municipal services for essential formalities will be honored at the scheduled times. Information on +33 4 67 07 73 00.
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