La Grande-Motte, a resort town on France's southern coast, is attracting renewed interest from fans of modern architecture. Built in the late 1960s and early 1970s, the town was part of a French government initiative to offer an alternative to Spanish holidays.
Architect Jean Balladur designed the town, taking inspiration from ancient temples and Mesoamerican pyramids. The buildings feature shapes like Mayan pyramids and 'intergalactic curves', with few right angles. The urban planning prioritises pedestrian pathways and cycle routes, complemented by thousands of trees.
The town, a 30-minute drive from Montpellier, has had fluctuating popularity, experiencing a decline in the 1980s. However, it appears to be undergoing a renaissance, with a fashion designer creating a collection in its homage in 2014 and grandchildren of original apartment owners now discovering it.
Point Zéro, home to the main beach, received a Blue Flag award in 2025 for its environmental management and water quality. The beach also features concrete sculptures by Joséphine Chevry, originally designed to shape dunes and provide windbreaks and shade.