Palais des Sports Pierre Coulon / Maison des Sports
Bellerive-sur-Allier, France
The Palais des Sports Pierre-Coulon is an indoor arena in Bellerive-sur-Allier, France. The building belongs to a wider sports complex created in the 1960s by Pierre Coulon, who served as the mayor of Vichy from 1950 to 1967. The complex was inaugurated on September 28, 1969, two years after Coulon's death, and named in his honor. The arena itself was put into service in 1973. The main gymnasium measures 42 m × 24 m with a ceiling height of 9 m and features a parquet floor, which is a natural wooden surface standard for indoor sports halls in France. The venue has a seating capacity of 3,200 (places assises). It is situated in the Allier department (03) within the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, specifically on the left bank of the Allier River bordering the Lac d'Allier. The address is Route du Pont de l'Europe, 03700 Bellerive-sur-Allier. The primary tenant team is JA Vichy Basket (Jeanne d'Arc de Vichy Val d'Allier Auvergne Basket), a professional basketball club that plays in the Pro B league. The venue hosts various sports disciplines, including basketball, and has been used for international competitions such as the Global Games 2023. There are no records of former names for the venue; it has been known as the Palais des Sports Pierre-Coulon since its naming in 1969. The database identifier 9657 could not be verified in public sources. The venue is distinct from the Gymnase des Closiaux in Clamart, which is a different facility opened in 1977 (or 2016 according to some architectural records) and used by Clamart Basket Club.