Because of its avant-garde architecture unique in Europe, La Grande-Motte is the only French city to be labeled Heritage of the 20th century in its entirety. This achievement is the work of a particularly visionary architect, Jean Balladur, who was commissioned in the 1960s to create a new seaside resort on this previously deserted and marshy site. The town has 4.35 miles (7 km) of fine sandy beaches and is home to numerous water activities. La Grande-Motte is divided into two districts: Couchant (setting), the feminine district with its curved buildings; and Levant (rising), the masculine one in the city center with truncated pyramids and rectilinear buildings.