Region: Marseille & Provence

Montredon

Close to nature, Montredon is ideally located between the sea and the garrigue at the end of the 8th district of Marseille.

Authentic and charming, the Montredon district is nestled at the southern end of the Cité Phocéenne, between the Pointe Rouge and the calanques. Crossed by the avenue de la Madrague de Montredon and its local shops, this residential area bordered by beaches and creeks has kept its character of a former fishing village.

The Parc Pastré, at the foot of the Calanques National Park, is a green space much appreciated by the inhabitants of Marseilles for its vast lawns, its horse riding centre and its double panorama of sea and hills. During their strolls, walkers can admire the Château Pastré, an architectural beauty completed in 1862 according to the plans of the architect Jean-Charles Danjoy. This Provençal bastide of stone and pink brick with rounded facades, which once belonged to a family of Marseilles notables, is the cornerstone of the local heritage.

Away from the town centre, the Montredon district was also an important industrial centre during the 19th century. Today, its old glassworks, marble factories and other factories are gradually being rehabilitated. A figure of the revival of Marseille’s culture, the Friche de l’Escalette has been home to an art centre for a few years now, including a sculpture and architecture park, and regularly offers exhibitions and tours.

Saint-Charles

Located in the 1st arrondissement, the Saint-Charles district is right in the heart of Marseille, close to the eponymous train station. Bordered by the Noailles, Belsunce, Thiers and Arenc districts, it offers a lively, multicultural atmosphere.

As part of the Quartiers Libres urban development project, the Saint-Charles district is set to benefit from a new dynamic. Already undergoing a major transformation, the district is home to the Faculty of Law and Economics, as well as the new Marseille School of Architecture.

In addition to the railway station that bears its name, the district is very well served by public transport, as it is central.

The nearby Noailles market offers a wide variety of products.

Saint-Julien

The Saint-Julien district is located between Saint-Barnabé, Montolivet and la Fourragère. It is a residential area that has preserved a rare quality of life.

In this village with its narrow streets, there are beautiful middle-class properties and many green spaces. It is centred around its church and overlooks the urban centre of Marseille and the sea in the distance. Popular with families for its natural beauty, it offers beautiful walks with panoramic views.

The residence Les Amaryllis, built in the 1970s, has the particularity of housing on its roof flats with vegetated terraces giving the impression of rooftop gardens.

Sainte-Anne

Sainte-Anne is a typical residential area of the ``city of 111 villages``.

Still structured around the old village core, with its charming main square and church, it is a good place to live. The food shops on Avenue de Mazargues and the large market on Boulevard Michelet on Thursday mornings make this a family-friendly neighbourhood.

A rugby match at O’Brady’s pub is a must, as well as the Set Squash. Le Corbusier’s Cité Radieuse is the architectural landmark of the area, with a panoramic roof terrace that is not to be missed.

À la fin des années 50, l’agence de construction de logements la Savoisienne entreprend de construire un ensemble immobilier sur un terrain en triangle. L’architecte Claude Gros dessine une construction composée de deux blocs distincts et perpendiculaires, d’une hauteur de 9 étages pour l’un, et 19 pour l’autre. Le complexe familial aux airs corbuséens verra le jour en 1962. Il compte en ses murs : une église existante avant le projet, une école, une salle de congrès, une galerie commerçante, l’hôtel le Royal Saint-Georges, un restaurant panoramique, tout en ajoutant à cela 222 logements, traversants pour la plupart.

L’ensemble du programme est logé dans une nappe basse qui joue le rôle de socle aux logements, tout en s’ouvrant sur l’espace public par une façade très ouvragée et variée. La structure est constituée de poteaux et d’allèges qui rythment la paroi, laissant libres les variations de division et les superpositions de fonctions différentes. L’église, dont le cloché perce le ciel, est sertit d’une verrière signée par le maître verrier Max Ingrand.

Claude Gros

L’architecte marseillais Claude Gros (1925-2016) est un élève brillant au sein de l’atelier Castel-Hardy, et fait partie de la génération des architectes formés dans l’immédiateté de l’après-guerre.

 

Auteur d’importants programmes de logements le plus souvent privés, il reste fidèle à une architecture rationnelle, où les structures s’expriment par des tracés rigoureux. Sa sensibilité aux lieux de vies partagés lui permet de s’emparer des programmes d’unité d’habitation, tout en partageant la volonté de Le Corbusier à la même époque, de créer un art de vivre communautaire. Il met en avant la nécessité de la préfabrication, et marque le paysage marseillais avec de nombreux bâtiments, comme le Parc Kalliste (15ème) en 1958, La Granière (15ème) en 1961, Castel Roc (10ème) en 1973, La Benausse (14ème) où il réalise des panneaux architectoniques préfabriqués en trois dimensions, ou encore Le Marceau (3ème) en 1964 qui reçoit le label du Patrimoine du XXème siècle en 2006.