This Thursday, on the occasion of the inauguration of the Tuffery boutique on Boulevard du Jeu-de-Paume, the mayor gave an overall update on the sector.
“With this store, Montpellier is the capital of jeans!” These enthusiastic words come from the mayor of Montpellier, Michaël Delafosse. He who was no stranger to the arrival of Tuffery last year in his city, and more particularly on the Comédie. Here is the Lozère family business back in the Hérault prefecture on a permanent basis, at 13 boulevard du Jeu-de-Paume The official inauguration took place this Thursday, June 13. The opening is for this Friday, June 14.
“The Badge is a priority”
Tuffery? This installation is a very good thing for the city and its commerce, no one doubts it. For the mayor, it was also an opportunity to take an overall look at Montpellier’s trade during a relaxed inauguration-press conference in style: “is the arrival of Tuffery the tree that hides the forest ?” What about rue Maguelone, the south of the Comédie, the bottom of the grand-rue Jean-Moulin, and other unsavory places. “The city is transforming. The Crest is a priority. For a very long time, public money went to Port-Marianne. Today he goes downtown. On June 21, we will inaugurate the new Esplanade, on November 26 the new prefecture square.” And the mayor mentioned the efforts made on security, with “a new police station“coming in front of the station, free transport, attractiveness worked with the Christmas market, cultural programs…
“We have 6% commercial vacancies. Elsewhere, it’s 15!”
And concretely? “Not everything happens in one day. We work to control commercial spaces. We are very careful about it. Le Courreau takes up for example. Our city is attractive. We have 6% vacant commercial space. Elsewhere, it’s 15%. Go for a walk in Paris! And Marseille, are there those who think that Marseille is better? As people sometimes talk to me about Béziers… But Tuffery, they don’t go to Béziers, they could, or elsewhere. No, they come to Montpellier. So we will continue to work, and we will not give up.“
The imagery of Victor-Hugo soon on the Place de la Comédie
And Michaël Delafosse gives some examples. In addition to the arrival of Tuffery in Jeu-de-Paume, The North Face, already in place, should be joined by Patagonia. The former Comédie post office will house Victor-Hugo’s medical imaging practice. The Capoulié, a historic building on rue Maguelone which goes down to the station, is awaiting a project announced this Friday for November 2025… The mayor also does not hesitate to highlight discussions with the Polygone, on Place Molière…
Has the commercial graft taken hold in Jeu-de-Paume?
Boulevard du Jeu-de-Paume is very special. This axis, once so congested, is now empty of cars. And even moreover, currently, under major construction due to the tramway. Has the commercial registry taken effect? Hard to say. Nespresso has long expressed its desire to leave. In the meantime, they are still there. Tuffery arrives. Patagonia could join The North Face for a coherent hiking offer. In short, businesses which are also destinations, locomotives for the area so far from the Polygone-Comédie-prefecture axis. “These are very specific businesses, they are the strength of the boulevard, notes Laurent Roy, president of the association of traders and liberal professions of Jeu-de-Paume. The attendance rate is increasing, the dynamic is good.”
As for the story of Tuffery in Montpellier, it is perhaps only just beginning. Launched as a joke, the idea of setting up a new factory for the brand in the Hérault prefecture could be in the pipeline. Julien and Myriam Tuffery, well established in Florac, have no intention of leaving… but want to develop. Amidst the general enthusiasm, Michaël Delafosse held out the pole to them: “If you want to make a manufacturing site here, I’m at your side! I say banco!” Comments which did not displease Julien Tuffery, specifying that it is no longer 140 m2surface area of the Jeu-de-Paume store, but 2000 m2. We’re not there yet.
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