Collège Marcel Mariotte, Saint-Siméon-de-Bressieux

The town of Saint-Siméon-de-Bressieux in the Département Isère is about 40 km away from Grenoble and has a little over 3,000 inhabitants. Among its points of interest is the former Girodon silk weavers’ school from 1873, which remains as a monument to early industrial culture. Today, the town is home to the Collège Marcel Mariotte, which provides adolescents with an education up to middle-school level. The sports field of the school was renovated in 2022 and the football pitch fitted with Polytan LigaTurf Cross, our filled synthetic turf that combines smooth and textured filaments. The benefits of both turf types come together in an ideal surface that can be used for various kinds of ball sports; in Bressieux, it will first and foremost be used for football during PE lessons.

Unusually, the pitch has neither the standard football pitch dimensions of 105 x 68 metres, nor is it a mini-pitch. The reason for this is that the available plot did not allow for a bigger pitch, so the developers and pitch designers had to come up with a special solution. At the same time, there were the needs of middle-school students to take into account. By the way, our LigaTurf Cross is now available in various environmentally friendly variants, such as LigaTurf Cross R, which contains recycled materials, and LigaTurf Cross GT zero, the world’s first carbon-neutral synthetic football turf to be made from sustainable, organic PE raw material based on otherwise non-reusable sugar cane. Our flagship in terms of sustainability and future viability is the LigaTurf Cross GTR, which now contains recycled material in addition to renewable raw materials.

However, the size of the pitch is not the only special feature of the sports facility at the Collège Marcel Mariotte. The running circuit around the pitch is also highly unusual in its design. Of its three circular lanes, not only do five branch off towards the long jump facility further out, but there is also an integrated sprint track – two solutions that offer maximum flexibility and versatility when it comes to the variety of sports that can be practised in such a limited space. What is most peculiar about it is the shape of the running circuit, because it is not actually round, as one would expect. It too has been shortened along the two opposing straights and its curves do not follow a circular arc, but each have an additional inward curve at the ends. This not only gives the entire sports facility an usual appearance, but a playful feel, thanks to the organic, almost flowing lines. One thing is certain: the runners won’t get bored in Bressieux, even during longer runs. And this example shows that there are alternatives to conventional solutions that generate interest and encourage participation.

For the surface of the track, the developer and pitch designer opted for our tried and true PolyPlay S surface. The granulated, two-layered all-rounder is the perfect solution for school sports in general and various leisure activities. Its smooth surface is the ideal substrate for a multitude of outdoor uses. Since PolyPlay S is water-permeable, the surface dries quickly and can 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. Bressieux opted for Polytan PolyPlay S in the colour Hertha blue, an intense colour tone that further accentuates the unusual shape of the track.