New plan could save Marseille’s abandoned Charmerettes Estate

Since the closure of the Foyer Helvétique des Charmerettes in 2012, the Swiss enclave in the heart of Marseille has been abandoned. After a failed building project in 2020, the foundation in charge of the estate is now pinning its hopes on a new rehabilitation plan. Broken shutters, faded walls, peeling paint, and damaged floors: the splendour of the Charmerettes bastide and its annexes, built at the end of the 18th century, is a distant memory. Among the buildings that have been almost completely abandoned since the Swiss retirement home closed in 2012, only the Grütli – a small chalet – occasionally welcomes the Swiss community in Marseille. However, a new renovation project could, in the coming months, bring an end to years of neglect and infighting within Marseille's Swiss community. Respecting the site's values The Fondation Helvetia Massilia, which owns the Charmerettes estate – a 3.8-hectare country park with buildings, including a farm, nestled in the heart of Marseille – ...