PolyPlay S and LigaTurf Cross in Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, France
Sport at the foot of Mont Blanc
The French spa town of Saint-Gervais-les-Bains lies to the west of the Mont Blanc massif at an altitude of just below 1,000 metres. With only 5,500 inhabitants, this small community is shaped by tourism; attractions include nearby winter sports and ski resorts, the Tramway du Mont-Blanc cog railway and the historic thermal baths in the heart of the village.
In addition to winter sports, school sports are also very important here. The Mont-Blanc René Dayve secondary school opened its sports centre as early as 1968. Originally, it consisted solely of a swimming pool and a sports hall. Steadily increasing student numbers subsequently led to the Centre Sportif du Fayet being expanded. This proved to be a constant challenge given its geographical location in the middle of the local thermal park and squeezed into a narrow valley. Ultimately, it was decided that fundamental renovation work was the best solution. In September 2021, the inter-municipal sports centre re-opened after several months of work. Located at the heart of the spa park, it now includes two sports halls, a swimming pool, a climbing wall and an outdoor multi-purpose athletics track.
Two of our floors have been installed in the outdoor facilities. Our durable PolyPlay S all-round surface in brick red was used on the circular running track and the integrated sprint circuit. It is the perfect solution for both school sports and various leisure activities. Since PolyPlay S is water-permeable, the surface dries very quickly and can therefore be used all year round. Another benefit of the low-maintenance surface is its slip resistance and high wear resistance. Given that PolyPlay S is generally installed flat over a base layer, the construction method ensures consistently good values for damping and deformation.
A special feature at the Centre Sportif du Fayet is that there is an additional running track in anthracite, also made from PolyPlay S. One of the two sections, which is used for the high jump, is also in anthracite. In contrast, the opposite section and the two volleyball courts next to it are equipped with our LigaTurf Cross, which combines straight and textured filaments. The benefits of both turf types come together in an ideal turf surface that can be used for various kinds of ball sports. Users of our LigaTurf Cross benefit from the use of straight LigaTurf RS+ CP filaments, which look and feel almost like real turf and have already been used successfully worldwide. What’s more, the textured filaments of the LigaGrass Pro CP provide low and easy maintenance, greater infill stability and increased turf volume.
The circular running track includes a multi-purpose playing field to round off the now modern, environmentally friendly and handicapped-accessible sports facility. It is used not only by the students of the two secondary schools – Mont-Blanc René Dayve and Lycée du Mont-Blanc – but also by local sports associations and clubs.
