Over a span of four years, photographers Laurent Kronental and Charly Broyez set out on a visual journey to explore La Grande Motte, an extraordinary seaside resort on the Languedoc coast of France.
Their project, aptly named La Cité Oasis [the Oasis city], is truly exceptional. These images skillfully capture the harmonious blend of the resort’s unique architecture and vibrant Mediterranean flora, delving into the utopian vision brought to life by architect Jean Balladur in the 1960s.
I had a conversation with Laurent and Charly to delve deeper into the history of the city and the evolution of this stunning photographic endeavor.
What sets La Grande Motte apart?
La Grande Motte emerged during France’s post-war economic boom, known as the Trente Glorieuses [Thirty Glorious Years], when a surge in paid holidays led to the growth of mass tourism. To counter French holidaymakers flocking to Spanish beaches, the government initiated an ambitious project to develop their own Mediterranean coastline.
„La Grande Motte’s establishment, spearheaded by the DATAR [Interministerial Delegation for Regional Planning], was part of a tourism and urban development initiative dubbed ‚Racine‘, or ‚Root‘,“ Charly explains. „The objective was not just to construct an ideal city but to breathe life into it—rooting its residents in this paradise, detached from the past and present, with the pursuit of happiness as its sole foundation.“
In 1962, architect Jean Balladur was tasked with designing this remarkable city from scratch. Similar to Oscar Niemeyer’s Brasília and Le Corbusier’s Chandigarh, La Grande Motte stands as one of the few 20th-century cities built ‚ex nihilo’—out of nothing.
Once marshlands and sandy terrain, this area was transformed into a modernist paradise, a „garden city“ where futuristic architecture and nature coexist seamlessly.
Intersecting artistic trajectories
For Charly and Laurent, capturing La Grande Motte represented a natural convergence of their respective artistic passions.
Laurent shares: „Since 2011, I’ve been intrigued by the new towns constructed between the 1950s and 1980s, particularly the expansive housing complexes in the Paris region. My photographs showcase the evolution of these often-overlooked suburban landscapes, capturing the poetic essence of a world that seems to age gracefully while holding onto the memories of a bygone era.“
On the other hand, Charly brought his own unique perspective. „Since 2005, I’ve been drawn to abandoned spaces—silent witnesses of a forgotten past,“ he reveals. „My artistic focus has revolved around these deserted structures that, left to decay, seem to embark on a new journey marked by a melancholic ambiance.“
Their collaboration kicked off in September 2019 when they visited La Grande Motte with a single camera, initially without the intention of a long-term project. „We were immediately captivated by the allure of this city,“ Laurent recollects. „Its striking architecture transported us into a realm reminiscent of science fiction. We soon realized that La Grande Motte held exceptional photographic potential, boasting an array of iconic architectural features.“
The city as a sculptural canvas
What truly captivated the photographers was Jean Balladur’s visionary approach to architecture as a form of sculpture. „His architectural work is that of a sculptor—an artist with a keen eye for shape, light and shadow, textures, and dimension,“ Charly enthuses. „It sparks dreams and a sense of escapism.“
Architect: Jean Balladur
Canopée I – Le Levant de La Grande Motte – 2020© Charly Broyez and Laurent Kronental. Architect: Jean Balladur
The resort’s most iconic features, its truncated pyramid buildings, draw inspiration from pre-Columbian civilizations, particularly Mayan and Incan architecture. But Balladur’s genius extended beyond mere form.
„At La Grande Motte, he redefined modern modénature,“ explains Laurent, referring to the ornamental details on building facades. „On his pyramids, he used prefabricated molded concrete latticework. Aesthetically, it gave the city a rhythmic graphic pattern, a musicality, sculptural profiles, and silhouettes resembling animals, waves, boat sails, sunglasses, or even swimsuits.“
These elements weren’t merely decorative; they also served practical purposes, framing each apartment’s loggia, blocking wind, and providing shade for residents.
An oasis city
Contrary to early criticisms that labeled La Grande Motte excessively concrete-heavy, Jean Balladur and landscape architect Pierre Pillet had envisioned „a green city ahead of its time—one whose vegetation would only fully flourish half a century after the resort’s construction.“ Today, that vision has fully materialized.
„Vegetation covers 70% of its territory, and nearly 50,000 trees have been planted since its construction,“ notes Laurent. „Umbrella pines, palm trees, laurels, tamarisks, and other Mediterranean species have thrived, creating the impression that nature has reclaimed its space.“
This verdant reality inspired the series title, La Cité Oasis. Each photograph showcases white modernist structures emerging from lush greenery; as Laurent puts it, „beehive-like structures nestling in shrubs and trees peering over walls“.
Capturing the essence
For Charly and Laurent, timing was all-important. Over four years and seven separate trips, they deliberately chose to document La Grande Motte during transitional seasons rather than the peak tourist period.
„Our choice of visiting during spring and early summer, as well as the early autumn months, was intentional,“ explains Laurent. „These periods offered a unique atmosphere, far from the bustling tourist season, revealing a more intimate and poetic side of the city. During these in-between seasons, La Grande Motte seems to adopt a different sense of time, one that is almost meditative.“
Le Babylone II – Le Levant de La Grande Motte – 2020© Charly Broyez and Laurent Kronental. Architect: Jean Balladur
La Grande Pyramide – Vue sur l’Etang de l’Or – 2019© Charly Broyez and Laurent Kronental. Architect: Jean Balladur
Coulée Verte I – Quartier du Point Zéro de La Grande Motte – 2020© Charly Broyez and Laurent Kronental. Architect: Jean Balladur
Their methodology was equally deliberate: working with a large-format film camera imposed a discipline that shaped their approach. „Large-format film photography often compels us to anticipate the composition of our images as if they were paintings,“ observes Charly. „The large-format camera is an extraordinary tool that requires discipline and patience. It forces us to slow down, make deliberate choices and truly contemplate our subject.“
This methodical process yielded unexpected discoveries about the optimal conditions for capturing Jean Balladur’s architectural vision.
„Although we were both accustomed to favoring soft lighting in our respective practices, we gradually realized that the architecture of La Grande Motte—a city of sunlight—thrived under a stronger, higher light,“ notes Laurent. „The unique shapes of the buildings and the intricate modénature of their facades created a dynamic interplay of light and shadow, most visible between 10 am and 5 pm.“
Beyond the resort: a tale of two worlds
The photographers also expanded their scope to include the surrounding landscape from which the city emerged. „To truly understand La Grande Motte, one must grasp the essence of the soil that supports it—on the threshold of the Camargue, shaped by marshes and wind, where nature is omnipresent,“ explains Charly.
This exploration led them to discover a contrasting way of life along the shores of the Étang de l’Or, where traditional fishermen’s and hunters‘ huts stand in stark opposition to La Grande Motte’s futuristic ambitions.
„Built from reclaimed materials, they embody human ingenuity and a deep connection to the land, symbolizing an alternative, fringe way of life,“ Laurent says.