Lucien de Gracia Square

Lucien de Gracia Square is the administrative and historical heart of Arcachon. You are standing before one of the finest examples of Second Empire architecture in the Gironde. This elegant Town Hall was designed in 1858 by architect Julien Dmokowski, barely a year after Napoleon III created the commune of Arcachon by imperial decree. Originally, the building housed a market on the ground floor and the municipal offices on the upper levels. The edifice you see today is the result of several transformations. In 1902, it gained its current grandeur with the addition of the magnificent four-column portico that graces the façade. This square, once called Place Sainte-Anne, was renamed in honour of Lucien de Gracia, an iconic figure of Arcachon who passed away in December 1985. Born in Arcachon in 1896, Lucien de Gracia was first a schoolteacher before joining the Resistance during World War II. After the Liberation, he became mayor of Arcachon on 18 May 1945, holding the position for an exceptional 32 years until 1977. Under his visionary leadership, Arcachon underwent a spectacular transformation. He had the fishing and pleasure ports built, now among the city’s calling cards, as well as the municipal swimming pool, the municipal tennis courts, and the renowned international golf course. His ambition was clear: to make Arcachon the equal of Biarritz on the Atlantic coast. A skilled politician, he also served as a Member of Parliament for Gironde and as a departmental councillor. Today, this square remains a symbol of Arcachon’s administrative continuity and civic identity, standing as a testament to the vision of those who transformed a modest fishing village into a seaside resort of international renown.