Léon Laugier Lounge

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The secretariat of the Institut océanographique made a fine sight, with its wooden pigeonholes reserved for the professors and a decor that plunged the visitor into an underwater landscape. To create it, Léon Laugier painted several large canvases in his studio, later mounted on the walls and the ceiling of the room. Working in a naturalist spirit, the artist visited laboratories to observe species alongside the leading biologists of his day. The immersion therefore combines a scientific underwater vision with a poetic reading. Among the seaweed, between prehistoric or imagined animals, entirely real species appear: sea urchins, starfish, corals, anemones, sea bream, rays, octopuses, pike, morays, scorpionfish, catsharks, jellyfish, spider crabs, crabs, lobster…

With its original panelling, its marble fireplace and the old pigeonholes that once held the post of the professors and researchers of the Institut océanographique, the Salon Laugier is one of the most singular spaces in the Maison de l’Océan. Its decor, heightened by a wall painting drawn from the marine world, offers an elegant setting steeped in history.

Today the salon hosts meetings, workshops or working committees for up to 16 participants in an intimate, comfortable atmosphere. Adjoining the Salle du Conseil, it naturally accompanies institutional meetings by taking on welcome coffees, breaks and lunches. For larger events it complements the other reception spaces and helps cocktails and catering flow. Its heritage character also makes it a much-appreciated backdrop for photography and filming.