THE DIFFERENT LIVES OF CINEMA-DANCING
Classified as a seaside resort since 1921, the town of Saint-Quay-Portrieux developed as such, attracting large numbers of holidaymakers in the summer.
In 1929, on the initiative of its mayor, Alfred Delpierre, the town council decided to equip the town with a multi-cultural and multi-activity complex, including a cinema and theatre, a village hall and a dance hall.
Jean Fauny, departmental architect for the Côtes du Nord region, was chosen to design the project.
In response to this demand, Jean Fauny designed an L-shaped building in a new architectural language. The main innovation was the juxtaposition of a cinema with a retractable screen giving way to a theatre stage and, at the rear of the building, a dance hall on the ground floor. The auditorium has a grandstand and dressing rooms in the basement, while multi-purpose rooms are planned above the village hall.
Since November 1995, the cinema-dancing hall, now known as Arletty, has been listed in its entirety on the Supplementary Inventory of Historic Monuments, as representative of the “Modern Movement in Brittany” (see the section entitled “Resolutely modern architecture”).
In small towns, cinemas often doubled as theatres, hosting theatrical performances, operas, music halls, singers and musicians. Saint-Quay-Portrieux is no exception.
The screenings and other entertainments attract families from Saint-Quay-Portrieux and the surrounding area. It’s the main event of the weekend. There are three prices to choose from, depending on the comfort of the seat, and sometimes more chairs have to be added in the middle of the aisles when the 486 seats provided are not enough to accommodate all the spectators.
The cinema-theatre also hosts end-of-year shows for young people and school cinema sessions.
The dance hall
Originally called the “foyer municipal”, the dance hall was intended for public celebrations. It was also intended to benefit sports clubs, social work, the protection of children and the physical and moral education of young people, as specified in the requirements specifications.
Out of season and during the week, it was used as a sports and gymnastics hall. The rooms on the first floor housed a workroom, a medical consultation room for infants and even classrooms to prepare for entrance examinations to certain administrations, such as the Post Office.
In the 1960s, young people who came to dance to the sound of local bands nicknamed the dance hall “salle Yéyé”. This name has continued to be used, even though the Yéyé period is over.
As the various spaces were not permanently used for communal activities, it was decided at the opening in 1932 that the buildings would be operated and leased under the following conditions:
“When the building to be rented is not used by the municipality for the purposes envisaged […] it will be used as a village hall for meetings, balls, shows, cinema and refreshment stands”].
Among other things, these provisions will enable many couples to celebrate their weddings there.
The sports clubs and associations that used to use the premises have now moved on to more suitable premises. This part of the building is now closed, awaiting complete renovation and a new lease of life.
