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Old VS New

Guided tour: Euromed architectural trail

Discover the architectural history of La Joliette on a captivating guided tour. Immerse yourself in the history and transformation of the Euromed district, witness to the modernisation of Marseille. Admire the avant-garde structures while learning about the innovation and vision that have shaped this district.

Published on 6 November 2023
Autumn Hallock CommunicationAutumn Hallock Communication
©Autumn Hallock Communication
Autumn Hallock
  • Marseille in 3 words

    Unforgettable, inspiring, unpredictable

  • My favourite neighbourhood

    L’Estaque, for its serene atmosphere, its magnificent port, its delicious ‘chichis’ with Nutella, and of course my favourite beach: Corbières beach.

A little history

The birth of the great seaport

The tour begins at Place Joliette, in front of one of the entrances to Docks Village, the prelude to our architectural tour of Marseille. Before delving into the unique and transformative history of this Mediterranean city, we take a moment to recall the origins and development strategy of Marseille.

It all began with the arrival of the Phocaeans in 600 BC. These sailors from Greece settled on the north shore of the Lacydon inlet (Old Port), in what is now the Panier district. In 49 BC, the city was annexed by the Roman Empire. Massalia then became Massilia. Hundreds of years later, the city saw a massive acceleration in maritime trade. During its heyday, the great seaport moved to Joliette to expand northwards and also to accommodate a railway line.

The neighbourhood regeneration project

However, this prosperity was short-lived and in the 1980s, Marseille chose to transform itself in an unprecedented way, thanks to the regeneration project. Today, we can admire the exterior of the Docks, a vast building that now houses shops, offices, restaurants and much more, and which was once an old building used to store paper and wheat. The original function of the docks obviously disappeared with the arrival of containers in the 1990s. The fear of fire was omnipresent due to the presence of wooden beams and structures, but renovation has made the building safer and more attractive in 2015. We wander through magnificent passageways clad in blue mosaic, designed by Italian architects to evoke the colour of water. Walking through these vast corridors, you can imagine the transformation that has taken place. Once outside, we head for the FRAC, Fonds régionaux d’art contemporain.

An architectural district in constant evolution

La Joliette, modern and attractive

The aim of the project was to make this part of the city attractiveagain and carry out a complete urban renewal, hence the construction of the coastal boulevard and the creation of a Mediterranean hub. It was led by Euromed, a structure created in 1995 to establish itself publicly, buy land and promote real estate.

As we walk towards the FRAC, which houses the regional contemporary art fund, we catch a glimpse of its futuristic facade made up of 1,600 sheets of glass reflecting the sunlight. It was created in 2013, for Marseille’s inauguration as European Capital of Culture. We continue our cultural and architectural exploration towards the Théâtre de la Joliette, which houses a small library, and then on to the Silo. Along the way, we get a breathtaking view of the 147m-high CMA CGM tower and the La Marseillaise tower designed by Jean Nouvel in 1999! We can see a garden with trees on the roof, so the view must be magnificent!

The scale model

The model serves as a 3D architectural plan for Euromed’s creations and future projects, as well as a map of the city listing important monuments and structures.

Did you know?

Legend has it that the CMA CGM tower was supposed to be 5 metres taller. However, if it had been built as such, it would have been taller than the Good Mother, making it impossible to surpass this iconic symbol of Marseille.

A gourmet end to our visit

We arrive near the Silo, a former factory through which cereals used to pass before being packed into bags on the spot. In the 1980s, during urban renewal, the city wanted to demolish the building because it had no use. However, it is said that a student from Kedge School launched a petition to save it. Today it is intact and has been transformed into a concert hall with one of the best acoustics in 2011. On our way back to the Docks to finish our tour, we had the opportunity to stop off at the MX Experience, the Pastis and aniseed museum. I won’t tell you any more about it, you’ll just have to find out for yourself…

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