In 2025, the Aix-Marseille-Provence metropolis will launch the creation of nautical maintenance workshops on Anse du Pharo. But a collective is opposed to this project, which has been under study for eight years, and is proposing the development of a beach.
The Anse du Pharo collective is proposing a counter-project to the nautical center which is to be built in 2025 on this beach in the center of Marseille.
“This site was used in the 18th century as a bathing place, one of the first sea baths in Marseille. We would like the people of Marseille to be aware of this place and for there to be a debate about its future,” explains Étienne Dami.
For this member of the collective, it is the ideal location to welcome a new public beach. “The Catalans beach is completely crowded in summer, you can no longer put a towel there and it would allow us to double the surface area of beaches in the city center,” he continues.
However, since 2016, this site has been targeted by the Aix-Marseille-Provence metropolitan area for the establishment of maintenance workshops for small traditional boats.
Maintaining jobs and creating 45 new ones
“The site already houses several companies dedicated to this sector (the Borg and Sainte-Marie shipyards, the Phocaean sailmaker). The new hub will clearly be part of an artisanal and mixed dimension, with the maintenance of existing activities and the establishment of new activities (including offices)”, the community specifies on its site, adding that this requalification costing 10 million euros would create 45 jobs.
However, the Anse du Pharo collective fears that these developments will close access to this beach, which is currently unmaintained. “They will come and create a very large quay which will condemn this site.”
The creation of a beach was rejected three years ago
The metropolis states in a press release that “several dilapidated buildings have been demolished” and that “the new constructions will respect a sustainable development approach”. The community defends “this historic professional center dedicated to small and medium-sized pleasure craft (…) in addition to the large naval and large pleasure craft centers of Marseille and La Ciotat”.
Finally, Aix-Marseille-Provence considers that “the public consultation carried out in 2021 ruled out the possibility of a beach in this area where swimming is prohibited”.
Expected positioning of Marseille city hall
Sébastien Barles, deputy mayor of Marseille in charge of ecological transition, supports the collective but suggests, to BFM Marseille Provence, to preserve small ship repair companies and to name the site “Pharo-plage”. However, the city of Marseille has not adopted an official position on this beach idea.
The collective is planning a demonstration on October 10 in front of the metropolitan council at the Pharo Palace overlooking the famous Anse.
Jimmy Comte with Florent Bascoul
