Gourette is forced to close again its SPA La Bulle

The thermal spa of Eaux-Bonnes, located in the resort of Gourette and one of the biggest attractions of the area, was forced to close its doors again on March 29. It will remain closed at least during the entire summer season of this year. The reason? The problems of the wooden structure that supports the glass bubble have appeared again.

As stated by the mayor of Eaux-Bonnes, Stéphane Courtié, to FranceInfo: ‘After these initial findings of the expert, we cann’t risk playing with the safety of the spa attendees and the employees of Valvital, the company that manages the spa’.

The expert’s full report, which will be key to the future of this spa, is expected to be ready for next June. But this is not the first time that the structure of the famous Bulle causes problems. Its construction, which began in 2014, had numerous problems and delays. Back in August 2016, when the spa had barely opened its doors a week before, an incident forced it to close until mid-2017. Due to a problem in the structure, the pillars that supported a pool in the thermo-recreational center exploded, leading to the closure of the facilities due to security reasons.

The pool suspended in the glass bubble was created by the Toulouse architect Luc Demolombe as an ambitious project, with a unique and innovative structure. This project was a millionaire investment for the area, in an attempt to revive tourism, but the investment has been causing more problems than benefits. That’s why the municipality already filed a claim back in December 2016.