Friche la Belle de Mai

La Friche la Belle de Mai is an arts complex in the north of Marseille, near the Gare Saint-Charles, set in the buildings of a former tobacco factory. The factory of the state tobacco monopoly, the Seita, was a major employer in the Belle de Mai district, a working-class area, until it closed in the early 1990s and left a vast industrial site empty. Artists, theatre companies and musicians took over the sheds, and the name friche, which means wasteland or derelict industrial site, stuck, even though the place has become one of the best-known cultural centres in southern France. The Friche was the symbol of Marseille's cultural renewal, and it played a big role when the city was European Capital of Culture in 2013.

The complex is huge and varied. It covers several hectares of old halls, workshops and courtyards, and it houses dozens of organisations, including theatre and dance companies, a radio station, recording studios, design studios, a bookshop and a restaurant, as well as hundreds of artists and creative workers. Throughout the year the programme runs to hundreds of public events, from concerts in five performance venues to exhibitions, film screenings, festivals and workshops, and the site welcomes hundreds of thousands of visitors a year. It is open every day, and entry to the grounds is free, though some events are ticketed.

One of the highlights is the Tour-Panorama, a contemporary art space inaugurated in 2013, built on top of the old factory as part of the Capital of Culture programme. Its modular exhibition platforms host international contemporary art, residencies and temporary shows, and on the roof is a large terrace of about 8,000 square metres, with long views over the port, the Vieux-Port, the hills around Marseille and the sea. The roof is a social space as well, with a bar, picnic areas and sports facilities such as a skatepark and playgrounds, and gardens have been planted in the courtyards. It is popular at sunset, when the city is bathed in light.

Entrances are on the Rue Jobin and the Rue François Simon, and the site is accessible to visitors with reduced mobility. Because of national security measures, large bags may not be allowed in, and visitors may be asked to open their bags, so travel light.

The Friche suits lovers of contemporary art and music, families who enjoy the roof and the playgrounds and anyone curious about the new Marseille. It is less visited by tourists than the Vieux-Port and gives an insight into the district and the city's creative life. It is a short walk or metro ride from the centre, and Cours Julien and the Panier are other places to see the city's alternative side.