Where do you start with this one? The Stade Nautique Intercommunal Châtillon Malakoff (SNICM in the following) was quite a letdown for me. To get the positives out of the way first - the 50 Meters outside basin is not bad. Continuously 1,80m deep with 8 lanes - it´s just what the doctor ordered. And the basin itself is not in bad shape too. Also positive is that the swimming pool offers a large number of basins with many different usages. Indoor there is another 25 Meter long pool for swimmers as well as water-slides and diving boards.
Lots of security-guards in every area of the building and outside. Which would generally be a good thing, if they were friendly that is and wouldn't give off this "we hate to work here while you have fun" vibe. The Lifeguards on the other hand and the rest of the pool staff were quite friendly.
Negatives? The SNICM is old, poorly maintained, aesthetically unwelcoming, dark (inside even on a sunny day) and dirty. Toilets smelled awful and half the showers wouldn't work. Dressing rooms were small, dirty and grime was everywhere. The area around the outside pool is a very unwelcoming concrete landscape with a tiny patch of grass and plenty of high buildings around who have a good view of everything in the pool. In the 50 Meter basin, they were not using wave-breaking lane dividers - so there was quite a bit of swell going on.
In the pool-hall the noise level was very high when I was there.
Practical stuff: Bathing caps are not mandatory but surfer shorts are forbidden. Lockers work with code - but cost 50 Cents a pop. Dressing rooms and showers are separated for men and women but I saw a lot of women in the men's area - so that seems to be more of a suggestion rather than a strict rule.
5,05€ for the single entry is relatively cheap for an outdoor pool here, but then the SNICM isn't really offering much that one would want. Pack an extra 50 Cents piece for the lockers as they cost that if you need them and don't want to carry your stuff around with you - and no, you´re not getting those 50 cents back.
Verdict: Where is a wrecking ball when you need one? read more