Marseille - La Joliette: a brand new old port

The future of Marseille is just a ten-minute walk from the Old Port. Its HQ: the Joliette docks, a long series of warehouses where bright offices have taken the place of containers. It's a radical change of destiny for this district, which until now had been a symbol of the city's industrial and port history. A century ago, the area was used to load, unload, store and process anything that could be traded between the East and Europe. Then nothing. The ravages of war, the end of the colonies and competition from ports in the north of the continent slowly eroded this frenzy.

Discarded in the 1970s with the exodus of port traffic to Fos and the Etang de Berre, dozens of kilometres away, La Joliette was no more than a shadow in 1990, a caricature of Marseille's economic anaemia. But the scene changed in 1995 with the launch of Euroméditerranée, an operation of national interest led by the State and the city to bring this rundown district into the 21st century. The first offices opened in 2000, the residential buildings in 2004, the public facilities the following year, and the tramway in the wake.

Since then, the area has been extended and embellished. The motorway slip roads that prevented the district from breathing have been buried, and the area has been embellished with some wildly contemporary cultural institutions: the Villa Méditerranée, the Silo d'Arenc, the Théâtre de la Minoterie... Less than twenty years after its launch, Euroméditerrannée is claiming to be "the most modern, the most modern, the most modern".20,000 jobs created"in what is presented asSouthern Europe's largest city-centre business district". The pace has quickened in recent months, with a flurry of inaugurations to ensure that everything is ready for "Marseille-Provence 2013, European Capital of Culture".

Who's there?

Spread between the Old Port, the commercial port and Saint-Charles station, the economic heart of Euroméditerranée is based on three main sectors.

 
International trade, directly derived from the port history of Marseille. The Joliette area will be home to national shipping giants such as CMACGM and Daher, as well as a number of international shipowners including APL, Hanjing and NYK.

Financial services and insurance, traditional support functions for the port's commercial activity. BNP Paribas, Société Générale, GE Capital Bank, Crédit du Nord, CETELEM, GAN and MAIF have all set up their regional head offices or representative offices in La Joliette.

Telecommunications, with many players having their regional headquarters or just their headquarters in the Euroméditerranée area, from Telecom Italia to Orange, including Neuf, Futur Telecom and Completel. The wave also extends to new information and communication technologies, as demonstrated by the success story of Digitick, a start-up launched in Marseille in 2004 and taken over by Vivendi in 2010.

How to get there

By train
Paris-Marseille from city centre to city centre in 3hrs 15mins: it's bound to be tempting, and the SNCF is continuing to push its advantage on this route, with more than 20 direct connections a day. Most of these operate non-stop, but some stop at Lyon Part-Dieu or Avignon.
Information: 3635 or voyages-sncf.fr

Saint-Charles station is just two stations from La Joliette on metro line 2. There is an original alternative to the waiting room and the Grand Voyageur lounge for waiting on the return journey: on platform A, the "Viens attendre à Marseille" bar/tea room, where there are plenty of games, comics and books freely available.

By plane
Marseille-Provence is accessible from 25 airports in France. The most important route is obviously the 'navette' linking Marseille to Orly - with up to 18 flights a day - to which must be added the seven daily connections from Roissy. Air France retains exclusive rights on these two services. Lyon, Strasbourg and Toulouse are served by its subsidiary HOP! Ryanair is the challenger on the Bordeaux, Brest, Lille and Nantes routes.
Information: 3654 or airfrance.fr

From there, there are two ways of getting to the city centre: by taxi (costing around €50) or the shuttle bus to Gare Saint-Charles (costing €8), which leaves every fifteen to twenty minutes and takes an advertised "25 minutes".

Information: navettemarseilleaeroport.com

Hotels in Marseille

The days when the district's hotel offer consisted of a handful of dodgy rooms on rue Mazenod seem long gone. The landscape has changed, but the palaces have not invaded the Joliette, where contemporary practicality is more the order of the day. Ibis, Novotel suite, B&B, Adagio: the range of chains operating in the area clearly reflects this attitude. The number of establishments remains small and the bulk of Marseille's hotels are still concentrated around the Gare Saint-Charles and, above all, the Old Port, where you will find the Radisson Blu, Novotel, InterContinental, Mercure and MGallery brands, as well as the Newhotel chain from Marseille. But the situation is set to change over the next five years, with several projects announced for La Joliette. In the meantime, let's take a look at what's already on offer.

BEST WESTERN LA JOLIETTE

The first four-star hotel to open in the district, the Best Western la Joliette enjoys a highly favourable location, a stone's throw from the docks, but also within easy reach of the Old Port, the Panier district and the MuCEM. The size is human, the atmosphere familiar, if not family-friendly, and the decor inspired - without overdoing it either - by the cruise liners of the Belle Epoque. A bar, sauna, fitness room and free WiFi complete the offer. Three types of room are available: Comfort, Superior and Superior Terrace. If you have a choice, you'll prefer rooms with a street view, especially those on the 5th floor, which have a balcony. A good step down, but just a few metres away, there is an alternative in the same network: the Best Western MuCEM (22 rue Mazenod).
49, avenue Robert Schuman Tel: 04 96 11 49 49 Email: reservation@hotel-joliette.com Internet: www.hotel-joliette.com

SUITE NOVOTEL MARSEILLE CENTRE EUROMED
Between the docks and the tramway, on the lively Boulevard de Dunkerque, a large immaculate façade houses Accor's premium offering at La Joliette. On the menu: 127 suites, some with balconies, others with terraces.
33, boulevard de Dunkerque
Tel: 04 91 01 56 50 - Email: h6189@accor.com - Internet: www.suitenovotel.com

IBIS MARSEILLE EUROMÉDITERRANÉE
This Ibis is located in the same building as the Suite Novotel. The plus points: its central location, the 192 rooms
air-conditioned rooms, free WiFi and the large, colourful Pasta&Cie restaurant.
25, boulevard de Dunkerque Tel: 04 91 99 25 20 - Email: H6190@accor.com - Internet: ibishotel.com

B&B HOTEL MARSEILLE CENTRE LA JOLIETTE
WiFi galore and a great location, right next to the metro station, for this B&B with unbeatable prices.
52, rue de Forbin - Tel.: 08 92 70 22 18 Internet: www.hotel-bb.com

Not far away
INTERCONTINENTAL MARSEILLE - HÔTEL DIEU
To find a palace-style establishment, walk towards the Old Port and stop at the Hôtel Dieu. This is where Marseille's new five-star hotel opened its doors last spring. With its huge terrace, views over the port and the Bonne Mère, vaulted passageways and large Spa by Clarins, there's no doubt you're in for some real luxury, with a special mention for the hotel.
special for the 23 suites and 33 rooms with private terraces.
1, place Daviel - Tel: 04 13 42 42 42 Email: marseille@ihg.com Internet: marseille.intercontinental.com

Hotel residence
ADAGIO MARSEILLE VIEUX PORT
Studios, studios with terrace and flats, all brand new and fully equipped: located between La Joliette and the Old Port, the Adagio Marseille Vieux-Port is a solution to consider for long stays in the city of Marseille.
30, rue Jean Trinquet - Tel: 04 96 11 67 00 - Email: H7525@adagio-city.com - Internet: www.adagio-city.com

Restaurants in Marseille

DOCK OF THE BAY
With its large terrace, mauve lights and space capsule decor, the Dock of the Bay has become a natural meeting place for Euroméditerranée's business clientele. The unclassifiable menu ranges from burgers to sashimi, and combines the flavours of the Mediterranean with those of the Andaman Sea.
35, boulevard de Dunkerque Tel: 04 91 01 43 62 Email: contact@dockofthebay.fr Internet: dockofthebay.fr

THE BLUE PARROT
The Parc de la Joliette is still devoid of gastronomic establishments, but that doesn't mean it's devoid of honourable and friendly addresses. The proof is in this neighbourhood restaurant, taken over in 2009 by Réda Merad - Kad's brother - and which takes on a special dimension at the weekend, between the Thursday evening apér'ok and the Friday concert.
72, boulevard des dames Tel: 04 95 09 65 13 Internet: le-perroquet-bleu.com

LA TABLE DE L'OLIVIER
Another "bonne petite adresse", a stone's throw from Place de la Joliette. The name is not misleading: it is Mediterranean cuisine that takes pride of place here, with thyme and rosemary to the fore.
56, rue Mazenod - Tel: 04 91 91 17 04 Internet: www.latabledelolivier.com

Not far away
LE MÔLE PASSÉDAT
"Here, all the countries of the Mediterranean come together on the plate, to arouse gourmet delight.". This is the gastronomic promise of the restaurant installed on the roof of the MuCEM by Gérald Passédat, a local boy with three Michelin stars to his name from Le Petit Nice. The setting is exceptional, and the views magical. The restaurant has been packed ever since it opened, and it's worth booking well in advance - sometimes for a long time - to secure your place.
1, esplanade du J4 - Online booking only at www.passedat.fr

Express breakfast
In and around the docks, you'll find an impressive range of fast-food outlets, including some unusual sandwich/salad shops. Two examples are Taste, on the ground floor of the FRAC (20, boulevard de Dunkerque) and Spok (48, rue Mazenod). For a more 'local' feel and a slightly slower lunch, head for the Panier and Place de Lenche, which also offers plenty of options, including the restaurant Le tablier (14, Place de Lenche).

If you have...

An hour or two
It's the ideal time to tour the symbols of the district's renaissance: the docks, of course, but also the Silo, the FRAC building, the J1 hangar, the CMA-CGM tower and the sculptures that criss-cross the landscape. The route will inevitably end along the coast, in front of the port of Marseille, on the way to the city's new stars: the Villa Méditerranée and the MuCEM, the Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisation. The footbridge leading from the MuCEM to Fort Saint-Jean has quickly become a must for visitors to the city.

One afternoon
Urban enthusiasts can continue their exploration at Euroméditerranée's other major site: the Belle de Mai, a tobacco factory converted into an audiovisual centre (where the TV series "Plus belle la vie" is filmed). Otherwise, there's no shortage of points of interest: Old Port, Corniche, Panier, Prado, Parc Borély, Vallon des Auffes, Cité Radieuse, not forgetting, further afield, the Calanques.

EUROMÉDITERRANÉE INFORMATION SERVICES

10 place de la Joliette
Tel.: 04 91 14 45 00
Email : centre.info@euromediterranee.fr
Internet: euromediterranee.fr

TAXIS

TAXI RADIO MARSEILLE :
04 91 02 20 20
TAXI MARSEILLAIS :
04 91 92 92 92

CHAUFFEUR-DRIVEN CAR HIRE

BUSINESS CLASS PROVENCE
(classeaffaireprovence.fr)
CAR AND CO (limousine-marseille.fr)
AMP LIMOUSINE (amp-limousine.fr)

FITNESS/YOGA

Apart from the gyms set up in the hotels, there are few places dedicated to sport in La Joliette, apart from the seafront, where jogging is obviously very popular. A quieter option: Yoga Indien Marseille offers lunchtime yoga sessions in the heart of the district.
yogaindienmarseille.fr.

TRAVEL

Metro, bus and tram services are particularly good in La Joliette. The "carte 1 voyage" (€1.5) gives access to one hour's transport. For more intensive use, RTM offers a 24-hour pass (€5) and a 72-hour pass (€10.5). The tourist office offers a city pass giving access to museums and public transport, as well as a large number of visits, excursions and activities. Price: €22 (24h pass), €29 (48h pass).
Information: 08 26 50 05 00 or www.resamarseille.com

Another solution is "Le vélo", Marseille's equivalent of the Parisian Vélib'. The prices are particularly attractive: €1 for a seven-day subscription, €5 for an annual subscription. Each subscription entitles the holder to 30 minutes' free use of the bike, with a surcharge of €1 for each additional hour.

BUSINESS CENTRES

REGUS MARSEILLE LES DOCKS
The main attraction of this business centre is its location in the heart of the rather flattering docklands.
10, place de la Joliette (Atrium 10.6)
Tel.: 04 91 13 45 00 - Internet: www.regus.com

MULTIBURO JOLIETTE LES DOCKS
This business centre is located just above the Place de la Joliette. On offer: 188 workstations and 71 workspaces for
rentals for a minimum of three months. Meeting rooms, on the other hand, can be hired by the day or half-day.
5, place de la Joliette - Tel: 04 26 84 57 57 - Internet: www.multiburo.com

SHOPPING

Let's be honest: at the moment, nobody goes to La Joliette to shop. But it won't be long now, as the Joliette retail park is in the process of undergoing a revolution. In the next two years, we expect to see the renovation of the Rue de la République - with 200 new shops - the opening of the Voûtes de la Major - with 40 shops - and a shopping centre presented by Euroméditerranée as a "monument dedicated to local shopping, culture, leisure and after-work". Not forgetting, of course, the Pharaonic Terrasses du Port project, where 170 shops are expected.

Indicator

Gilles BRUNSCHWIGManaging Director of Futur Télécom (which has been based at the Joliette docks since 1999).

"Should we stay at La Joliette? The question came up three years ago, when our lease was up for renewal. It was quickly resolved... here, there's plenty of space, light and high ceilings. The area is well connected by bus, metro and tram. This is important, because 40 % of the people who work here come by public transport. I've worked in Paris, Boulogne and La Défense; frankly, I'm happy with the change in lifestyle since I've been here.
There's a spontaneity and friendliness about it, and it's easy to make contact.
can easily find competent and motivated people.