Construction of the 2nd phase :
"In designing Port-Grimaud, I wanted to rediscover certain constants of scale, the permanence of vernacular architecture that I had admired during my travels in Greece. I also wanted to state unambiguously that reference to traditional and regional architecture can lead to a creation and not to a pastiche..." F. SPOERRY.
L'île de la Chaussette :It owes its name to its shape, which may remind one of a sock. 
The models of the Rue de la Tour and the Octagon 
Its shape is reminiscent of a sock...
It consists of the rue de l'Octogone and the rue de la Tour. Work began in the spring of 1967. The first section was well advanced and reservations for the 2nd section were becoming more and more numerous.
It included : - 87 houses, - 20 flats - 12 commercial premises which were delivered in May and June 1968. Construction of the Rue de la Tour :
Aerial view of the works which are progressing at the same time as the Grand'Rue...
Some pictures of the works in the rue de la Tour...
Photo taken from the Place du 14 Juin... 
Rue de la Tour on the inner lake side... 
The tower at the end of the street was bought by Claude GRAF, a marine architect and creator of the water coches. He lived there until his death on 4 September 2015. ( see the page dedicated to him ) At first the Tower was made of stone... Then it was covered with an ochre plaster which it has kept ever since... 
Photo taken from the Place des 6 Canons... 
Rue de la Tour finished: All houses have been sold... 
Life also settles on the canals...
a continuity of creation :" Jacques RIGAUD, in his book 'Culture for Living', points out that from the Roman Empire to the first third of the 20th century there is a continuity of creation in every region as well as in every country. This continuity, he says, applies to farms as well as castles, to houses as well as churches and public buildings. He sees this as one of the most profound manifestations of the solidarity between popular culture and elite culture... And Maurice CULOT thinks that it is absolutely necessary to prevent this solidarity from disappearing. My colleagues and I have tried to find it in our various constructions..." François SPOERRY 
The first body of water between the Grand'rue and the Chaussette was irrigated by a canal linking it to the nearby river "La Giscle". Work also began on building a pipe for a pumping station at the Place des 6 canons. (See the Windmills anecdote...)
Quay of La Tartane :Concerned about detail and the environment, François SPOERRY designed the Quai de la Tartane in such a way as to integrate the young pine tree that he could not bring himself to cut down or move... This pine tree has grown enormously, its foliage obstructing the view from the balconies and loggia of the flats. It is therefore necessary to regularly cut back a few branches as the years go by... It was commonly known as 'Quai de la Tartane' because of the gourmet restaurant that had opened and whose terrace surrounded the pine tree. The restaurant has since changed its name... 
In this photo we see the young umbrella pine, alone and already majestic, facing the street of the Tower under construction... 
In the foreground, the future church square can be seen... 
Many postcards of the time show this commercial quay : 
The restaurant 'La Tartane' had become a popular place for residents and tourists alike. People used to party there until late at night ! 
Work was progressing rapidly. The waiting list of future buyers was getting longer and therefore prices tended to rise.
The third section, consisting of the rue des 2 Ports and the rue de l'Ile Longue, was already under construction, while the next stage was taking shape on the ground: The Place du Marché ...
All that remains is to bring the Rue de l'Octogone out through the porch and the bridge that will join it to the future Place du Marché, and to build the corner house next to the porch...
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