Boulevard Frédéric Mistral

The "Habitations Bon Marché" of the Loucheur law were built in 1930. They are the ancestors of the HLM. In 1932, the Loucheur law was voted to allow the realization of 200,000 housing units and to offer attractive loans to individuals. It is within this framework that F. Clermont and A. Bossu are in charge of the construction of this "Habitations à Bon Marché" (HBM), in Istres. Composed of 84 housing units distributed over four floors, this building is distinguished by its plan, which runs along the Boulevard Frédéric Mistral, adopting the curve of the old rampart of the historic center. The façade is presented in a single block, as if eight buildings had been joined together, with the stairwells, set back, connecting them. No decoration breaks the rhythm of the facade: the only fantasy conceded is a darker coating on the first floor which creates a distinction with the more luminous upper floors. The complex is pierced in its center by an arcade, overlooking a courtyard adorned with a fountain, a place of conviviality necessary for any collective housing complex. This is an atypical neighborhood and housing, emblematic of Istres.