Usine hydro-électrique
MonumentHidden Treasure
Usine hydro-électrique, located in Jouques (Bouches-du-Rhône), is a modern edifice built in the 19th-20th centuries. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- autre
- Period
- Modern (19th-20th century)
- Location
- Jouques, Bouches-du-Rhône, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 43.6810, 5.6568
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00081501
Joyau industriel des années 1950, la centrale hydroélectrique de Jouques incarne la modernité conquérante de l'EDF avec son architecture « à toit ouvrant » et ses trois turbines Kaplan domptant les eaux de la Durance.
History
In the heart of Provence, nestling against the limestone foothills that border the Durance, the Jouques hydroelectric power station stands out as one of the most eloquent testimonies to French post-war industrial reconstruction. Far from the banality that is sometimes associated with energy facilities, this building designed by the architect Jean Crozet reveals a real aesthetic ambition, where functionality and architectural expression are combined with a rare coherence. What immediately sets Jouques apart from its peers is its so-called "opening roof" system: a daring design that allows an external gantry crane with a force of 120 tonnes to travel above the engine room, offering the possibility of removing or replacing heavy equipment without compromising the integrity of the structure. This device, borrowed from the best industrial engineering practices of the time, gives the building a singular silhouette and an immediately legible constructive logic. The interior of the engine room is a spectacle in itself. Three Kaplan turbines, state-of-the-art technology for the conversion of low-head hydraulic energy, three three-phase alternators and three transformers of the same type make up an ensemble that is both monumental and precise, a veritable cathedral of rural electricity. The space is bathed in light, the rigour of the alignments and the muted power of the machines in operation create an unexpected sensory experience. Registering this site as a Historic Monument in 1989 was a visionary act: to recognise the cultural and memorial value of twentieth-century industrial heritage in the same way as castles and cathedrals. In this way, the Jouques power station is part of a wider movement to re-evaluate France's technical heritage, alongside other major hydraulic works on the Durance and Verdon rivers. For visitors, it's an invitation to rethink the very notion of a monument.
Architecture
The architecture of the Jouques power station is in keeping with the rationalist trend of the post-war period, as expressed in the major French industrial buildings of the 1950s. Jean Crozet opted for a horizontal, sober and resolute volume, set against the Provençal limestone hillside to minimise the visual impact of the structure on the landscape. The facades, probably made of rendered concrete, feature a rhythm of regular openings that let natural light into the engine room - a concern that was both functional and aesthetic, typical of the humanist industrial architecture of the period. The most remarkable technical feature is the "opening roof" system that gives the building its identity. This system, integrated into the design from the outset, allows an external gantry crane with a capacity of 120 tonnes to slide longitudinally over the engine room. This open-air gantry crane, a real engineering feat, allows the heaviest equipment - turbines, alternators - to be handled without having to remove the roof, considerably reducing downtime during maintenance operations. Inside the machine room are three Kaplan-type turbines, suitable for low-head, high-flow rivers such as the Durance, coupled with three three-phase alternators and as many transformers. The ensemble forms a symmetrical, orderly composition, characteristic of the industrial aesthetic of the post-war EDF, where the rigour of the spatial organisation meets the precision of the energy production processes. The generous ceiling height required for the gantry to function properly gives the space an almost sacred grandeur.
Related Figures
Jean Crozet — architecte concepteur de la centrale, représentant de l'architecture industrielle rationaliste française des années 1950Marcel Paul — ministre de la Production industrielle et initiateur de la nationalisation d'EDF en 1946, père symbolique de ce programme hydroélectriqueAndré Coyne — ingénieur des grands barrages de la Durance, figure tutélaire de l'aménagement hydraulique provençal de l'après-guerreRobert Lacoste — ministre de l'Industrie sous la IVe République, défenseur du programme d'électrification nationale dont Jouques est un fruit direct
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Usine hydro-électrique located?
Usine hydro-électrique is located in Jouques, Bouches-du-Rhône department, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, France.
When was Usine hydro-électrique built?
Usine hydro-électrique dates back to a period built in the modern era (19th-20th century).
Is Usine hydro-électrique open to visitors?
Usine hydro-électrique is currently closed to visitors.
