EUROMED 2 : Transformation sociale et urbaine à Marseille

Photographie documentaire,2025.

Houses on the Rue de Lyon that have not been touched by the project with behind the new building that will host Institutional offices in Marseille in the south of France on August 12, 2025. Before the urban renewal project of Euroméditerranée 2, the Les Crottes area underwent expropriations and evictions to clear occupied properties and prepare the land for redevelopment.

Map of the Euromediterranèe revewal project concerning the area of Les Crottes in Marseille in the south od France on august 12, 2025. The Euroméditerranée 2 extension covers about 170 hectares and it was formalized by decree on 20 December 2007 and the work in parts of the Crottes area began in 2022.

Claude a former syndacalist and activiste agaist expropriation and expulsions of the Les Crottes neighbouroud in Marseille in the south of France on August 12, 2025. The neighborhood is at the center of an urban renewal project led by Euromediterranée and that changed the composition of people living in Les Crottes neighbourhood with its economic and social activities.

Entrance to Geze metro station in Rue de Lyon street created out the expulsion and the demolitions of several houses in Marseille in the south of France on August 12, 2025. Before the urban renewal project of Euroméditerranée 2, the Les Crottes area underwent expropriations and evictions to clear occupied properties and prepare the land for redevelopment receiving accusations of not clearly communications to concerned people.

Beginning of the Rue de Lyon street is the borderline between the end of the Euromediteranèe1 renewal project and the Euromediterranèe2 renewal project in Marseille in the south of France on 2 August, 2024. The neighborhood Les Crottes is at the center of an urban renewal project led by Euromediterranée and that changed the composition of people living in Les Crottes neighbourhood with its economic and social activities.

Toni together with her neighboroud on the Rue de Lyon in Marseille in the south of France on Juin 6, 2025. Their houses were not included in the areas interested by the renewal project and in which owners and habitants have been forced to sell or to leave.

Said and Fouad on the Rue de Lyon street during the Aid Kebir celebration day in Marseille in the south of France on Juin 6, 2025. The area involved in Euroméditerranée 2 has a rich history of migration, beginning with Italian and Corsican settlers in the late 19th century and later welcoming people from various parts of the world, shaping the neighborhood's diverse cultural and social fabric.

Houses and closed shops on the Rue de Lyon in Marseille in the south of France on July 7, 2025. Before the urban renewal project of Euroméditerranée 2, the Les Crottes area underwent expropriations and evictions to clear occupied properties and prepare the land for redevelopment.

Houses on Lyon' street in Marseille in the south of France on August 26, 2025. The area involved in Euroméditerranée 2 has a rich history of migration, beginning with Italian and Corsican settlers in the late 19th century and later welcoming people from various parts of the world, shaping the neighborhood's diverse cultural and social fabric.

Osvaldo Rodriguez street vendor and habitant of the center for people without fix residence in Marseille in the south of France on Juin 6, 2025.

Houses and closed shops on the Rue de Lyon in Marseille in the south of France on July 7, 2025. Before the urban renewal project of Euroméditerranée 2, the Les Crottes area underwent expropriations and evictions to clear occupied properties and prepare the land for redevelopment.

Houses and closed shops on the Rue de Lyon in Marseille in the south of France on Juin 6, 2025. Before the urban renewal project of Euroméditerranée 2, the Les Crottes area underwent expropriations and evictions to clear occupied properties and prepare the land for redevelopment.

The Pellegrini factory in Les Crottes was a historic site producing mineral oils and fuels for lighting and industrial use and played a key role in the early French petroleum industry in Marseille in the south of France on August 12, 2025. The area targeted by the project was formerly an industrial zone with several abandoned production sites and warehouses.

Two kids living at the near La Capucelle neighbourhood going to the sea on the other side of the city in Marseille in the south of France on Juin 6, 2025. Access to the sea is blocked by port infrastructure for residents of the northern neighborhoods including the areas involved in the Euroméditerranée 2 urban renewal project.

Publicitary communication showing the map of the neighborhood before and after the project in Marseille in the south of France on Juin 6, 2025. Odyssée in the Euroméditerranée 2 project is a program by Eiffage that is part of the Smartseille development and consists of innovative sustainable buildings combining residential spaces offices and public areas to create a smart low impact neighborhood.

Buildings of the ecocity Smartseille in Marseille in the south of France on Juin 6, 2025. The Smartseille eco-city complex in Marseille is claimed as sustainable urban district integrating energy-efficient housing smart technologies green spaces and mixed-use public facilities and is innovative because it combines energy-efficient buildings smart urban technologies sustainable mobility and integrated public services to create a low-carbon connected and resilient neighborhood.

Vision of the Les Fabriques building in Marseille in the south of France on August 18, 2025. As other projects of the renewal plan the Les Fabriques project in Euroméditerranée 2 aims to redevelop a former industrial area into a sustainable eco-district with housing public spaces and community facilities.

Buildings of the ecocity Smartseille in Marseille in the south of France on Juin 6, 2025. The Smartseille eco-city complex in Marseille is claimed as sustainable urban district integrating energy-efficient housing smart technologies green spaces and mixed-use public facilities and is innovative because it combines energy-efficient buildings smart urban technologies sustainable mobility and integrated public services to create a low-carbon connected and resilient neighborhood.

Crhistiane habitant of the Horizon residence in Marseille in the south of France on October 13, 2025. Christiane moved in the new appartement in 2019 renting a T3 at the 4th floor in a building within Smartseille. 

Vision of the Les Fabriques building in Marseille in the south of France on Juin 6, 2025. As other projects of the renewal plan the Les Fabriques project in Euroméditerranée 2 aims to redevelop a former industrial area into a sustainable eco-district with housing public spaces and community facilities.

Ulrich sapeur pompier and his son Adam habitants in one of the Smartseille residences in Marseille in the south of France on October 11, 2025.

Buildings of the ecocity Smartseille in Marseille in the south of France on Juin 6, 2025. The Smartseille eco-city complex in Marseille is claimed as sustainable urban district integrating energy-efficient housing smart technologies green spaces and mixed-use public facilities and is innovative because it combines energy-efficient buildings smart urban technologies sustainable mobility and integrated public services to create a low-carbon connected and resilient neighborhood.

Worker at the Free Pro restaurant in the Smartseille eco-city in Marseille in the south of France on July 18, 2025.

Restaurant at down at the Free Pro building with-in the ecocity Smartseille in Marseille in the south of France on July 18, 2024.

RTE Méditerranée’s regional office will gradually move into their new headquarters in northern Euroméditerranée, Marseille. Built by Linkcity and Bouygues Immobilier with architects Vincent Lavergne and Kardham Group, it’s the first office building completed in this urban renewal area.

Mediators for the project of Euromediterranée next to the building of Les Fabriques in Marseille in the south of France on October 14, 2025. The aim of the mediation is to take feedback of the new light system of the night and the projections on the street of images and childreans songs. 

Buildings of the ecocity Smartseille and the Tram lines in Marseille in the south of France on July 17, 2025. The urban revewal project includes the construction of differernts eco-citites among which there is Smartseille and it includes the extension of the metro to promote sustainable urban development and smart mobility in Marseille.

Crhistiane habitant of the Horizon residence in Marseille in the south of France on October 13, 2025. Christiane sold her appartement in another area of Marseille and started to rent her appartment in Smartseille. 

Vision on the Skyline of Marseille from an appartement of the ecocity Les Fabriques in Marseille in the south of France on July 18, 2025.

Crhistiane habitant of the Horizon residence in Marseille in the south of France on October 13, 2025. When she started to rent her new appartement she had the vision of the sea and on the colin of Marseille before that other ecocities have been built in front of her appartment. 

Crhistiane in her house looking at the sea from her window in Marseille in the south of France on October 13, 2025.

Vision on the sea from the ecocity Smartseille and the Tram lines in Marseille in the south of France on July 17, 2025. The urban revewal project includes the construction of differernts eco-citites among which there is Smartseille and it includes the extension of the metro to promote sustainable urban development and smart mobility in Marseille.

Archeological site in one of the workplaces of the Euromediterranée project in Marseille in the south of France on Juin 6, 2025. During construction works for the Euroméditerranée 2 urban renewal project in the northern neighborhoods of Marseille an archaeological site was discovered at the Boulevard Charles-Nédélec that revealed the oldest known Neolithic unfired brick architecture in France dating back over 8,000 years.

Workfiels of one of the projects of buildings part of Euromediterranèe2 in Marseille in the south of France on Juin 6, 2025. This is the Place Cazemajou project in Euroméditerranée 2 that will transform a 6-hectare former industrial site into a sustainable mixed-use neighborhood with housing public spaces educational facilities and green areas.

Worker on the new tram line connecting the Geze metro station in Marseille in the south of France on July 15, 2025. The tram project in Euroméditerranée 2 will connect the northern neighborhoods to the Geze station, improving mobility and access, with initial test runs originally scheduled for July 2025.

Buildings of the ecocity Smartseille and the Tram lines in Marseille in the south of France on July 17, 2025. The urban revewal project includes the construction of differernts eco-citites among which there is Smartseille and it includes the extension of the metro to promote sustainable urban development and smart mobility in Marseille.

People waiting at the temporary bus station on the Rue de Lyon street in Marseille in the north of france in August 12, 2025.

Vision on the workplaces of the Odysèe project in Marseille in the south of France on October 11, 2025. Odyssée in the Euroméditerranée 2 project is a program by Eiffage that is part of the Smartseille development and consists of innovative sustainable buildings combining residential spaces offices and public areas to create a smart low impact neighborhood

Owner of the Le Metro restaurant on Rue de Lyon' street in Marseille in the south of France on July 15, 2025. Local buisseneess has been hugely affected by the project without clear communication of the timetabl of the workfields.

Construction site from the Le Metro restaurant on Rue de Lyon' street in Marseille in the south of France on July 15, 2025. Local buisseneess has been hugely affected by the project without clear communication of the timetabl of the workfields.


Juliano owner of the Le Maeva bar in Marseille in the south of France on July 18, 2025. Coming from a sicilian family Juliano always lived in Les Crottes village.


Celine worker and owner of the Maeva bar on the Rue de Lyon street in Marseille in the south of France on August 26, 2025. Local buisseneess has been hugely affected by the project without clear communication of the timetabl of the workfields.


Reflexions of the Smartseille's buildings of the mirror of a narguilè bar on the Rue de Lyon's street in Marseille in the south of France on 6 August, 2025. Local buisseneess has been hugely affected by the project without clear communication of the timetabl of the workfields.

Vision of Les Fabriques ecocity from the Rue de Lyon street in Marseille in the south of France on August 26, 2025. Local buisseneess has been hugely affected by the project without clear communication of the timetabl of the workfields.

Friche used by the project Ici Marseille in Marseille in the south of France on Juin 4, 2025. Ici Marseille is a workshop space in Marseille operating under a usage concession established with Euroméditerranée and is used by woodworkers who share tools and equipment for collaborative projects.

Jordan Cassage associed in the project Jodisserie with a space in Ici Marseille in Marseille in the south of France on Juin 6, 2025. Les Jodisseries is a Marseille-based company founded in 2024 specializing in the development and sale of plant-based products to promote the benefits of medicinal plants through gourmet offerings.

Craft worker in ICI Marseille in Marseille in the south of France on Juin 6, 2025. Ici Marseille is a workshop space in Marseille operating under a usage concession established with Euroméditerranée and is used by woodworkers who share tools and equipment for collaborative projects.

Locals of Ici Marseille in Marseille in the south of France on Juin 4, 2025. By sharing tools and low rent places this model significantly lowers production expenses for individual craftsmen.

Picture of the projection of the artistic installation made by Transhumanza collectif within the project Faire Villa - Make village - in Marseille in the south of France on October 11, 2025. The Faire Village project engages the Les Crottes community in artistic and social activities while the Ninna Nanna' Tranhumanza's project uses lullaby performances to highlight the cultural heritance within the Euroméditerranée 2 renewal area.

Exhibition in Jeanne Barret in Marseille in the south of France on Juin 4, 2025. Jean Barret is a cultural and artistic center operating under a usage agreement with Euroméditerranée offering shared workshops to artists and artists collectifs using the space for artistic expositions and community activities.

Lilia stagaire at Jean Barret in the service of neighbourhood links in Marseille in the south of France on Juin 4, 2025. Among activities oganized in Jean Barret there are ateliers for kids and the organization of events together with a group of woman leaving near the Les Crottes.

Access to home ownership is a central element of the urban renewal strategy acting as both a driver of social inclusion and a factor of exclusion.

In Marseille’s 15th district housing costs average around 2,200 euros per square meter while new Euroméditerranée projects such as Smartseille and Les Fabriques reach between 4,700 and 7,000 euros per square meter.

In August 2025 a serious fire broke out in the Les Crottes neighbourhood around a carpentry workshop covering about 500 m². The blaze was exacerbated by the explosion of several gas bottles stored inside the building.

From right to left: Isabelle Campagnola-Savon, President of Euroméditerranée; Georges-François Leclerc, Prefect of Marseille and the Bouches-du-Rhône; Martine Vassal, President of Aix-Marseille-Provence Métropole; and Renaud Muselier, President of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Region, are viewing a model of the Euroméditerranée 1 and 2 projects during the 30 years cerimony of Euromediterranée. 

Martine Vassal speaking at the 30 years celebration of the Euromediterranèe activities at Les Docks in Marseille in the south of France on Juin 4, 2025.

Isabelle Campagnola-Savon president of Euromediterranée in Marseille in the south of France on Juin 4, 2025. Isabelle Campagnola-Savon is the president of Euroméditerranée and also serves as a regional councillor for Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, president of the region’s economic commission and member of both the Aix-Marseille-Provence metropolitan council and Marseille city council.

Model of the Euromed 1 and 2 project in Marseille in the south of France on Juin 4, 2025. The Euroméditerranée 2 extension covers about 170 hectares and it was formalized by decree on 20 December 2007 and the work in parts of the Crottes area began in 2022.

Aurélie Cousi, General Director of Euroméditerranée and former Deputy Director for Architecture at the French Ministry of Culture, is an urban planner and engineer with extensive experience in major urban renewal projects in Paris and the Greater Paris area; in her work, she declares her commitment to promoting sustainable, heritage-conscious, and innovative city transformation strategies.

People participating at the 30 years cerimony of Euromediterranée in Les Doks in Marseille in the south of France on Juin 4, 2025. 

The Euroméditerranée project in Marseille spans over 480 hectares of urban territory and has mobilized more than €7 billion in public and private investments, making it one of the largest urban renewal operations in Southern Europe.


[EN] The Euroméditerranée 2 project in Marseille aims to extend and renew large former industrial zones adjacent to Les Crottes, a working-class neighbourhood historically occupied by Italian and Corsican migrant workers and later by other early arrivals to the city. Once a major industrial hub with factories, gas works, petroleum depots and workshops, Les Crottes fell into decline as industries closed, leaving brownfields, derelict buildings and a socially precarious population. Civil society actors have denounced that in recent years many residents have faced expropriations and pressures to leave, especially small homeowners, as Euroméditerranée advances “Les Fabriques,” the requalification of the village core, and dramatic rises in property values. Proximity-based services (local shops, associations, public spaces) are being transformed: new public squares, renovated facades, green walkways, better pedestrian circulation are announced. These urban changes bring socio-economic shifts too: low-income households fear displacement; rents and property prices are increasing, previously informal or industrial uses are giving way to cultural venues, offices, housing; many long‐term residents wonder if the character of their neighborhood will survive.

[FR] Le projet Euroméditerranée 2 à Marseille vise à étendre et à renouveler de vastes zones autrefois industrielles le long de Les Crottes, un quartier ouvrier peuplé historiquement d’immigrés italiens et corses, puis d’autres populations arrivées les premières à Marseille. Autrefois pôle industriel avec usines, compagnie de gaz, dépôts de pétrole et ateliers, Les Crottes a décliné lorsque les industries ont fermé, laissant friches, bâtiments abandonnés et une population socialement vulnérable. Des acteurs de la société civile dénoncent que, ces dernières années, de nombreux habitants, notamment de petits propriétaires, ont subi des expropriations ou des pressions pour quitter leur logement, au fur et à mesure que le projet Euroméditerranée progresse avec “Les Fabriques”, la requalification du noyau villageois, et la montée des prix immobiliers. Les services de proximité (commerces de quartier, associations, espaces publics) sont transformés : nouvelles places publiques, façades réhabilitées, cheminements piétons, végétalisation, amélioration de la voirie. Ces changements urbains s’accompagnent de transformations socio-économiques : les ménages modestes craignent d’être déplacés ; les loyers et les prix de l’immobilier augmentent ; les usages informels ou industriels cèdent le pas aux lieux culturels, aux bureaux et aux logements ; de nombreux habitants anciens s’interrogent sur la survie du caractère populaire de leur quartier.

[IT] Il progetto Euroméditerranée 2 a Marsiglia punta a estendere e rinnovare vaste zone un tempo industriali nei pressi di Les Crottes, quartiere operaio abitato storicamente da immigrati italiani e corsi e poi da altre popolazioni fra i primi ad arrivare in città. Un tempo polo industriale con officine, gasometri, depositi di petrolio e laboratori, Les Crottes è caduto in declino con la chiusura delle industrie, generando aree in disuso, edifici abbandonati e una popolazione socio-economicamente fragile. Attivisti della società civile denunciano che negli ultimi anni molti abitanti, in particolare proprietari modesti, sono stati espropriati o messi sotto pressione per lasciare le proprie case, mentre Euroméditerranée prosegue con “Les Fabriques”, la riqualificazione del nucleo villaggioso, e mentre i prezzi immobiliari salgono sensibilmente. I servizi di prossimità (negozi locali, associazioni, spazi pubblici) si stanno trasformando: nuovi spazi pubblici, facciate recuperate, percorsi pedonali, verde urbano, migliore viabilità. Tali trasformazioni urbane si accompagnano a mutamenti socio-economici: le famiglie a basso reddito temono lo sfratto sociale; affitti e prezzi di mercato esplodono; gli usi informali o industriali lasciano spazio a attività culturali, uffici e abitazioni; molti residenti di lunga data si domandano se l’anima popolare del quartiere riuscirà a resistere.