Louis Simon Art Gallery in Royan

The Louis Simon art gallery  (former Royan bus station) is an art gallery located on Boulevard de l’Europe in Royan, between the seafront and the train station. The gallery promotes artists through exhibitions lasting one or two weeks chosen on file.
The building is that of the old bus station, designed by architects Louis Simon and Pierre-Gabriel Grizet, in collaboration with engineer René Sarger, and built from 1953, in connection with the Green Spot program. It was awarded the 20th century heritage label in 2001. It has the shape of a spiral or rotunda made of concrete, limestone and glass, with a central pillar, extended by a projection supported by concrete pillars – or a slab. of concrete supported on stilts. According to the Mérimée base, the old Royan bus station is inspired by the sea, and the facade resembles that of a pleasure boat. We can also see the influence of Brazilian architecture, represented mainly by Oscar Niemeyer, and the Pampuhla ballroom, in Belo Horizonte. Previously called Galerie du Cours de l’Europe, in 2008 it was renamed Galerie Louis Simon after its main architect, to whom we also owe the central market and the seafront.