Worn-up work XIXe siècle (≈ 1865)
Led by Camille Olive, luxurious interior decorations.
Deuxième moitié du XVIIIe siècle
Initial construction
Initial construction Deuxième moitié du XVIIIe siècle (≈ 1875)
Built by the Olive family, wooden traders.
21 décembre 2016
Registration MH
Registration MH 21 décembre 2016 (≈ 2016)
Protection of facades, gardens and interiors.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Fronts and roofs; the English court on the back and the bridge over it; the terraced garden up to the first floor with its architectural ordinance and fountain - Inside, the two entrance halls and stairwells serving respectively the 49 and 51 Pierre-Puget courtyards; the apartment of the first floor in full, with its low offices and its small apartment intersulated between the first and second floors (cad. 826 A 168, 171): inscription by decree of 21 December 2016
Key figures
Famille Olive - Owners and sponsors
Wood dealers, hotel builders.
Camille Olive (1793–1876) - Patron and beautifier
Finance interior decorations and orientalist tomb.
Pascal Coste - Architect of the tomb
Designs the funeral monument at the cemetery.
Origin and history
The Hotel Olive is a former Marseille mansion, built in the second half of the 18th century by the Olive family, landowners and timber traders established in the Phocean city since the 15th century. Located on the course Pierre-Puget (6th arrondissement), it reflects the social ascent of this commercial dynasty, whose commercial activities – including the timber trade – allowed to finance its construction and subsequent beautifications. The building, registered with historic monuments since 2016, is distinguished by its classical facades and its interior organization, designed to highlight the status of its owners.
In the 19th century, Camille Olive (1793–76), heir to the family, undertook major development work to transform the hotel into a luxurious reception place. The living rooms, decorated with stucco, fireplaces, marked parquet floors and wallpapers, illustrate the eclectic styles of the century, while a back terrace features a monumental rock-style fountain. Camille Olive also extended his patronage beyond the hotel by ordering an orientalist tomb at the Saint-Pierre Cemetery, decorated with polychrome ceramics and designed by architect Pascal Coste, demonstrating his taste for exoticism and decorative arts.
The Hotel Olive thus embodies the golden age of the Marseille bourgeoisie, where architectural heritage and social ambition mingle. Its designation as historical monuments in 2016 protects its most remarkable elements: facades, roofs, English courtyard with bridge, hanging garden and apartments on the first floor, maintaining intact the atmosphere of a place dedicated to prestige and worldly receptions. The legal protections also cover vestibules, stairwells and a small intersolate apartment, highlighting the consistency of this heritage complex.
