| Luchon is a famous spa with affluence from the mid-nineteenth century. As is customary in these environments, there were cercles de jeux for the bathers' recreation.
"Cercles- foreigners are admitted on a monthly basis in the established establishments: CAFÉ RESTAURANT ARNATIVE, allée d'Etigny 46, HOTEL DU PARC, allée d'Etigny 32, GRAND CERCLE DES ETRANGERS allée d'Etigny 13”. (Luchon en Poche, 1874). With the opening of the casino in 1880, the cercles with gambling should have closed, which did not happen. Order of closure was given in 1881, which would not have been fulfilled immediately."There existed well, in a corner of l'allée d'Etigny, a certain establishment, called the GRAND CERCLE, very frequented by bathers and small bathers, a circle for men and women, a dovecote, as we the called. But if I do not disdain to make, by accident, a gambling party in my club with of colleagues or friends, I hate to gamble with foreigners .So the Grand Cercle does not existing for me I went to 'hotel “( From -The Mouche de Mme X, Adolphe Belot, 1885- Source www.gallica.bnf.fr |
