Parc Bougainville

A "green lung" at the heart of the Ecocity

Located in the south of the Aygalades vale, geographically limited by the boulevard Lesseps and the boulevard de Briançon, the Parc Bougainville covers an area of 4 hectares, right in the middle of the ONI extension. It is the first step of the major project for the ecological restoration of a significantly degraded industrial site which spreads right along the Aygalades river (over 14 hectares). This park’s primary ambition is to entirely create a quality public space to make up for the lack of parkland in the districts in the north of Marseilles.

The foundation stone of the future metropolitan park of the Aygalades

The design of Parc Bougainville had to take the many constraints of the existing site into account. The underground and river structures today canalised, land pollution or even the difference in level between the two ends of the project. Once in place, this “green lung” will offer neighbouring districts new leisure time and environmental recreation places for its residents and users. With the cost of the works estimated at 12.5 million Euros, the planning studies started in 2017 should make it possible to begin a first phase of the works from 2020, with delivery of Parc Bougainville in 2023. Bougainville is the starting point for a wider project, the creation of the Parc des Aygalades over 10 hectares, along the bed of the “restored” river of the same name. This park will be considered to be the green backbone of the Ecocity, linking the town centre to the doorway of the northern districts of Marseilles. It will also play the role of a natural hydraulic and thermal regulation system for the town, by preventing flooding and by controlling the urban heat island within the Ecocity.