Convention Center

You’re standing in front of the Palais des Congrès of Royan, one of the finest gems of French modernist architecture. Inaugurated in 1957, it was among the very first convention centers built in France. Designed by architect Claude Ferret, with Pierre Marmouget and Jacques Bruneau, this reinforced-concrete parallelepiped seems to float above the Gironde Estuary. It was built on the site of the old Foncillon casino. Take a look at its façades, adorned with Jean Prouvé’s famous porthole panels, prefabricated elements that create the distinctive interplay of light and shadow so typical of 1950s architecture. Sadly, in the 1970s, a glass wall was added to close off its magnificent view of the ocean, distorting the original vision. But between 2021 and 2023, under the direction of Pierre Ferret, the designer’s son, the Palais regained its soul. The glass wall was removed, and the Prouvé panels were meticulously restored to their original colors. Now renamed “Palais Royan Événements,” it was officially listed as a Historic Monument in 2024, a fitting recognition for this masterpiece, which continues to host performances, conferences, and exhibitions.