Interview with : Sylvie Parcineau, Var Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Where are Toulon's main business centres located today?

Sylvie Parcineau - Traditionally, the two main business parks are to the east and west of the Toulon conurbation. There is the Toulon Ouest industrial zone, which covers the communes of La Garde, La Farlède and part of La Crau. It dates back to the late 1960s and is still expanding. It is also at the entrance to this industrial estate that we find the the largest concentration of shops in the department with Grand Var, Grand Var Est and Avenue 83, as well as a wide range of retail outlets. The industrial zone is home to a number of major companies, notably in underwater robotics. On the west side, in La Seyne and Six-Fours, there is the Playes zone, which is home to production and service companies, and the Technopole de la Mer Ollioules, which really is the city's spearhead for sea and defence-related industries, but which is also opening up to other sectors of excellence. Naval Group, for example, has established its flagship here. It's home to start-ups and activities linked to onboard marine and submarine systems, which can also be developed for the air and land sectors. This entire technical ecosystem around the sea is run by both the Pôle Mer Méditerranée and System Factory. This type of cluster brings together, on request, companies that aggregate technology building blocks to produce tailor-made proposals and meet the expectations of major customers in the defence or civil marine sectors.

The new eco-neighbourhood for creativity and knowledge is the spearhead and showcase of this ecosystem.

Is Toulon's economy diversifying, or is it still primarily focused on the sea and defence?

Sylvie Parcineau - There's the dockyard, of course, but that's not all: maritime techniques are developing in other areas, as is the technological ecosystem. The city wants to develop an ecosystem of high-performance start-ups. Chalucet embodies this dynamic in Toulon city centre: this new eco-neighbourhood of the creativity and knowledge is the spearhead and showcase of this ecosystem, driven by Toulon Var Technologies (TVT). There's an incubator, acceleration programmes, both in the technical field and in culture and knowledge. This is also reflected in the organisation of the Murex festival.

So the installation of an "arts street" in the city centre is not just a cosmetic change? Would it underpin a more global strategy, with an economic dimension?

Sylvie Parcineau - Absolutely: it's not just cosmetic! There's a strong desire to get involved, with tools that will enable us to nurture this Rue des Arts. This district corresponds to the former "Chicago", the notorious district of Toulon, which is currently being redeveloped. urban regeneration for fifteen years. It is now home to the Rue des Arts, a range of housing, facilities and services. There are also more and more third placesspaces coworkingetc. The idea, in the lower town, is for start-ups to find premises and an environment in which to develop in association with a number of small businesses. There's also a whole dynamic linked to design. So there's an economy developing around these themes, supported by the city and TVT.

Is this dynamic already attracting new business travellers and investors from new horizons?

Sylvie Parcineau - As far as culture is concerned, it's an emerging sector, with development still endogenous. We don't yet have an international aura, even though the last Murex event succeeded in bringing together foreign investors, notably from the Netherlands and the UK. As for our traditional sectors of activity, linked to the navy and defence, they are generating heavy investment and a more solid international reputation.

In France, have you noticed a "teleworking effect"?

Sylvie Parcineau - Yes, there are a lot of new arrivals in the city. Many estate agents describe the market as saturated. There is a real attraction for employees who come to work remotely.

Could this lead to the launch of new infrastructure projects?

Sylvie Parcineau - The metropolis had already initiated major works that are currently underway, notably to the north of the station, where a new district will be delivered at Montéty, with more than 15,000 m² of office space. This project also includes the repositioning of the nursing school. This is also one of the ambitions of the city, which wants to attract students back to the city centre to make it even more dynamic and attractive. This has already been expressed through the creativity and knowledge district, with thebusiness school Kedge and the design school Camondo.

Is the transport sector also affected by this wave of change?

Sylvie Parcineau - Absolutely, and with a number of areas of focus. There's the desire to improve mobility within the metropolis by a densification of regional express trainswith a kind of "Toulon RER. There is also a high service level bus project. At the same time, we can also rely on a very good rail service. maritime public transportwhich works very well inside the harbour. Finally, there is also the project to improve the new rail line, with the possibility of a new line between Marseille and Nice. There won't be a complete new line, but sections that will make it possible to increase the density of daily transport services.

A project that will be Toulon's new showcase

How will this "Toulon RER" project come about?

Sylvie Parcineau - This includes the creation of the Sainte-Musse stopover and the renovation of the Pauline station in La Garde. There is also a desire to use a station to the west of the conurbation, at Saint-Cyr-Sur-Mer. The project is therefore very wide-ranging, from Saint-Cyr to La Pauline, and even Solliès-Pont, where the station could be the gateway to the east. On the maritime front, there is also the major Mayol project in Pipady, including a new cruise ship quay, and urban redevelopment projects along the entire stretch from the rugby stadium to the Tour Royale. We are awaiting the results of the urban planning competition that has been launched. This is a major project, which will take time, with a ten or fifteen year vision, for a project that will be Toulon's new showcase.

Are all the projects confined to the Toulon metropolitan area, or are the other towns in the département also succeeding in attracting companies?

Sylvie Parcineau - The Toulon area accounts for 60 % of economic activity, but it is not the only driving force in the department. There are also developments in other areas, each with its own specific characteristics. Whether it's along the A8 motorway around Brignoles, towards Le Luc and Le Cannet on the "Cœur de Var", or at the gateway to the Dracénie, with areas that are also attracting businesses and land offers that are being built up.

What about business tourism? A destination like Toulon must have a card to play in the MICE sector...

Sylvie Parcineau - The city has dedicated facilities, such as the Palais Neptune, the Palais du Commerce et de la Mer and the Hyères Casino: there are structures to host events of all sizes. We work well with Provence Côte d'Azur Events to identify opportunities to organise trade fairs, for example around hydrogen, which is also a key element in the region's economic development, both on land and at sea.