La olympic ice rink of Boulogne-Billancourt, inaugurated in 1955, has closed its doors for good. In its place, the municipality is considering the creation of a padel complex, with six to ten fieldsA decision that illustrates a sporting and ecological shift for the city, but which is not unanimous.

An infrastructure that has become too heavy to maintain

For nearly 70 years, the ice rink was an iconic venue for local sport, hosting figure skating, ice hockey, and even the French Ice Sports Federation at one time. But according to an audit commissioned in 2024, the building's upgrade would have required more than 8 million euros.The City, faced with a drop in funding and an increase in expenditure, has therefore decided to not to undertake new work.

In an interview with France 3 Île-de-France, Baptiste Chappotteau, director of sports in Boulogne-Billancourt, explains that alternative proposals, notably that of the Patiner à Boulogne association founded by Yan Le Men, relied exclusively on private sponsorship. "This is an option that would have put the City in legal danger," he said.

Padel, a more sustainable alternative?

In a press release relayed by news.fr, the town hall claims to want to "respond to the new expectations of residents" by focusing on the paddle, a booming sport, accessible to all ages and low energy. The transformation of the site would make it possible to offer 6 to 10 padel courts instead of ice, or even futsal pitches.

The mayor Pierre-Christophe Baguet assumes this direction in an official statement: "These painful decisions are imposed on us. We have done everything to maintain our support for the ice rink, but today we must make choices for the future."

A decision contested by users

This closure was experienced as a shock for the licensees, particularly those of theAthletic Club of Boulogne-Billancourt (ACBB). The hockey player Mathieu Bossu, interviewed by France 3, testifies: "It's a real blow. We were part of this place, and now we have to travel two hours to continue skating."

Faced with this decision, more than 4 people signed a petition online to demand that the ice rink remain open. The Patiner à Boulogne association, which has more than 800 members, even proposed a recovery plan with a budget halved thanks to sponsorship, but the town hall did not follow up.

padel boulogne no ice rink

A change in the local sporting landscape

If the reconversion is confirmed, Boulogne-Billancourt could become a new stronghold of padel in the Paris region. In line with sporting and environmental developments, the municipality seems to want to encourage a practice greener, more inclusive and economically sustainable.

The end of an era for ice sports, but perhaps the beginning of a new dynamic around padel.

Credits: Facebook images

Franck Binisti

Franck Binisti discovered padel at the Club des Pyramides in 2009 in the Paris region. Since then, padel has been part of his life. You often see him touring France to cover major French padel events.

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