Pompadour
Location: Auvergne
Type of village: Club village
Year of opening: Spring 1972
Year of closing: September 2014
A little background: In the mid-1960s, the Limousin region wanted to embrace a new and innovative form of tourism. To this end, SOMIVAL (Société de Mise en Valeur Auvergne Limousin – Auvergne-Limousin Development Company) was created to implement the region's desired development projects. The horse was to be the central theme.
In 1967/68, a 60-hectare farm in Beyssac came up for sale. SOMIVAL acquired the land, but needed to find financing and an operator to promote and market it. You get the picture!
As for funding, that had been secured. It was put in place with the help of the Rural Renewal Commission, the Ministry of Agriculture, and the CNCA (Crédit Agricole)
There remained the other part, and it was no less important. Remember SOMIVAL, mentioned earlier.
SOMIVAL got in touch with Club Med and SODETO (National Tourism Development Company), which was founded on March 3, 1967 under the impetus of Gilbert TRIGANO and which brought together various players in the world of finance.
SODETO, along with the Suez Financial Company and the La Henin Company, created a real estate company.
I will return to SODETO (as well as SODACOTO) on another page, as they played a role in the Club's history during the late 60s and 70s.
The village's foundation stone was laid in 1970. SOMIVAL was the general contractor, and SODETO became the owner upon completion of the works. They then leased the property to Club Med. And that's it!.
The old farm buildings are being preserved and restored to accommodate staff accommodation, a horse infirmary, a forge, and a pony club with stables, riding arena and paddock.
Other large-scale construction work, led by the architect Noëlle Janet, assisted by her decorator, Christian Demonchy (they are responsible for Ouarzazate, Les Boucaniers, but also Otranto, Playa Blanca) is being carried out on the site to allow the entire hotel section to be put in place and also to design the necessary equipment to accommodate 160 horses.
A little further out, a second high-quality equestrian center was built to allow advanced riders to practice their sport.
Tennis courts were also constructed in this area.
Inaugurated by Jacques Chirac, the village opened on June 17, 1972, and operates year-round. It can accommodate up to 400 GMs (Gentils Généraux - French military personnel)
The village at the end of its history covered 90 hectares. It had 19 clay tennis courts (a large part of the indoor courts had been created in 1983), an equestrian center, an Olympic riding arena, a golf driving range, a 9-hole course and a congress center.
For the GMs (Gentils Organisateurs - Club Med staff), Pompadour was a mecca for horseback riding and tennis. Numerous training courses were held there. The village offered 5-day weeks, weekend packages, and extended stays. For many GOs (Gentils Organisateurs - Club Med staff), it was a training ground for the performing arts, much like Vittel.
In 1999, the renovation of the aging village was put on the agenda. (Pompadour had become a 2-Trident resort).
The cost of the work amounted to 33 million francs, more than half of which was earmarked for accommodation.
Unfortunately, the bell tolled in 2014. Club Med left the Noailles estate. Excessively expensive renovation and upgrade work was one of the reasons, as well as the village's lack of profitability, it was said.
Village Chiefs
It was Bernadette CHARRIE who opened the village in 1972. She was followed by village chiefs who became regulars in Pompadour. Among them, we should particularly mention La Duchesse (Marcelle FAYT), Jean Pierre FRANQUIN, Gilbert HERON, Arlette GILLES, and Philippe CALVET, who oversaw the final years of the village before closing it.
Today
Purchased by a Lebanese family after the club's initial ambition was to create an equestrian center called "L'Étoile de Pompadour," the establishment, which opened in 2016, filed for bankruptcy in December 2019 and was placed under court-ordered administration.
Today, the club's buildings stand abandoned. A sad, wasteful sight.
To go further
Visit the Facebook page of Les Amis du Club Med de Pompadour
More photos of Pompadour here
Videos
Club Med "Pompadour 1974."
Last sequence of the 16mm film "From One Village to Another."
Archive from the Gérard Pigeon Decosterd collection, given to him upon his departure for Collierbar.
Village Overview
Postcard from Pompadour 2013-2014 with atmospheric images recalling good times spent with Philippe Calvet and his GO! team.
Archive from the Gérard Pigeon Decosterd collection, donated upon his departure to Collierbar.
Pompadour 1973
Archive from the Gérard Pigeon Decosterd collection, transferred upon his departure to Collierbar
Archive from the Gérard Pigeon Decosterd collection, transferred upon his departure to Collierbar
Archive from the Gérard Pigeon Decosterd collection, transferred upon his departure to Collierbar
Hello,
your website is excellent. It's a pleasure to see these pictures of this club again, which I loved when I was 15. I was there with my father, and we played tennis, rode horses, and did archery. If I happen to have a photo in the tennis hall with the people we took lessons with and the instructor, please share it.
Sincerely,
Stephanie