“I always wanted to find something to be able to stay underwater as long as possible”, rewinds Jacques Rougeries. His “thing”, before imagining many others, he found it at the turn of the 1970s. In this case; an underwater capsule which, by an ingenious means of compressing the air, offers an oxygen bubble. Presented in Marseille forty years ago, the Aquabulle has returned to the country. It is also immersed in the middle of the works of the underwater museum, located in the cove of the Catalans. “It is a framework which corresponds to this adventure of humanity: the man under the sea”, understands Jacques Rougeries.
The architect passionate about the sea is over 70 years old but still talks about his world with childish eyes. “I’ve been wanting to put this little bubble, this treehouse in the water for a while,” he said. When he was younger, he had already spent twenty-four consecutive hours there, “to see”.
“The sea can calm the city”
Thursday, 70 young people were able to take advantage of this window under the sea for a few moments. An experience that should call for others, according to Hervé Menchon, assistant for the coast and biodiversity who intends to put the sea back in the heart of Marseille. “From the sea, most of the people of Marseille only see the shimmering carpet, while everything is happening below,” he considers. We are betting that the sea can calm the city, a bit like the Vélodrome can help. “
Marseille actors and patrons, representative of an architectural firm, a large construction company, an underwater film production company, a diving equipment manufacturer and a start-up were present . The message got through. In order to redeploy Marseille to the sea, the partners of the private sector will have to put their stone to the building. Especially since the city must host the nautical events of the Paris Olympics.
Projects are already swarming, more or less advanced [pourquoi pas un salon de la plongée, comme il en existe un à Paris ?] Without forgetting, the underwater path of the cove of Catalans which is on the rails. More than 100,000 euros of budget have been allocated to it and its opening is envisaged in 2022. On the horizon also, the ambition to create a museum of the sea which would bring together the collection of galleys of the history museum of the city, the underwater museum and the future underwater trail. This will require bringing together three major players who sometimes find it difficult to get along here: the metropolis, the port and the town hall.
In the immediate future, it is advisable to establish the existing one, such as the Aquabulle. “These pieces, I do not want us to lose them anymore, to see them going into private collections,” says Hervé Menchon. This Monday, the Aquabulle will leave its ephemeral museum and join the Saga, the Cousteau commando submarine stored in a hangar at L’Estaque and watched over by a band of enthusiasts. While waiting to find all these beautiful inventions, a museum capable of welcoming them for their old age.