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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The General Navigation Company's marine warehouses are located southwest of Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône, on the edge of the harbour basin, opposite the Royal Tower. Built between 1880 and 1882, they consist of a house of the director on two levels, flanked by shops forming a cobbled courtyard, closed to the north by two housing buildings. Their architecture combines gable wall facades, long-paned roofs, and a horizontal banner for the director's house.

The creation of Port-Saint-Louis is part of the development projects of the Rhône in the 19th century. The Saint-Louis Canal, the harbour basin and the lock were built by the State between 1863 and 1871, with a launch in 1871. The warehouses, built a decade later, were initially used for port storage and logistics, before being leased to repair shops and river companies after the collapse of the General Navigation Company in 1898.

Port-Saint-Louis port activity declines from the 1960s with the development of the port of Fos-sur-Mer. Today, these warehouses, partially protected (facades, roofs, inner courtyard and ground of the crossings registered in 1999), testify to the industrial and maritime history of the region. Their current private property was acquired in 1974.

The site illustrates the evolution of the port infrastructure in Provence-Alpes-Côte d的Azur, marked by phases of growth in the 19th century, followed by a decline in the 20th century. Buildings, although threatened by decommissioning, retain a heritage value linked to their role in the regional river and maritime economy.

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