Discover the six administrative departments of the Provence-Alpes Côte d'Azur region.

When it comes to its economic opportunities, each territory has its distinct advantages!

Discover the identity, advantages, and unique aspects of the six departments that make up the Sud Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region: Alpes-de-Haute-Provence (department code 04), Alpes-Maritimes (department code 06), Bouches-du-Rhône (department code 13), Hautes-Alpes (department code 05), Var (department code 83), and Vaucluse (department code 84).

 

The Bouches-du-Rhône


Provence is a dynamic territory with a concentration of cutting-edge and global expertise in a wide range of fields: energy, aeronautics and space, optics and photonics, health and life sciences, green technologies for industry, agri-food, digital...With a population of more than 1.8 million people, the Aix-Marseille-Provence metro area is connected to a network of infrastructure and logistics platforms, and has established itself as a major Euro-Mediterranean decision-making and trading center.  

The territory's economic development is underpinned by its high value-added services cluster, diversified economy, solid industrial base, centers of excellence in higher education and research, and exceptional quality of life. 

 

 

#2
French metro area
128 cities
 with direct flights

from the Marseille airport

New Marseille-Shanghai line opened in July 2024

#1
economic hub

in the South of France

50%
of territory is natural space
 
 
 
 

The main business parks that can welcome your company or project are:  

The Port of Marseille-Fos industrial zonewas created in 1964 by the French government to set up factories on a 10 000-hectare site on the shores of the Gulf of Fos and is now one of Europe's largest industrial port zones. It is a regional economic powerhouse with a wide range of industrial activities, notably in the steel, energy, and petrochemical sectors.  Learn more

 

There are many other business parks in the Bouches-du-Rhône (Technopôle de Chateau-Gombert, Parc scientifique et technologique de Luminy, Technopole de l’Environnement - Arbois Méditerranée, Pôle d’Activité d’Aix-en-Provence, Provence Studios, Ecopolis Martigues Sud...) 

 

Leading companies

CMA CGM, Airbus Helicopters, NHIndustries, STMicroelectronics, Infineum, LyondellBasell, Pernod Ricard, Petroineos, Onet, Sartorius Stedim, Richardson, SNEF, ID Logistics, Colas 

The Var

The Var is home to a dynamic and energetic economy that generates countless opportunities and offers major advantages for bringing the most ambitious projects to fruition. Situated between the sea and the mountains in close proximity to the region's three metro areas, the Var offers an exceptional environment for combining the art of living with the art of business.

 

The Var features seven strategic sectors (maritime economy, defence & security, tourism, sport & culture, food, health & wellness, environment & new energies...) while the Toulon Provence Méditerranée metro area and its port underpin the entire economy.

 

 

Bloc chiffres clés

 

1 million
residents
220
active business parks
kilometers
of Mediterraean coastline

The department is home to leading-edge companies in naval maintenance and repair, maritime safety and security, and marine and submarine technologies, such as Naval Group, CNIM, ECA Robotics, Alseamar, Lapp Muller, Sofresud... 

 

 

The Vaucluse

Renowned worldwide for its tourism, culture, and art of living, Vaucluse is a human-scale region that attracts talents, businesses, and tourists every year.

Thanks to its strategic location and developed transport infrastructure, this area offers a pleasant quality of life and hosts promising economic sectors: agribusiness, creative and digital economy, tourism, cosmetics and well-being, industry, and logistics. A pioneer in food innovation and naturalness, Vaucluse is a major agricultural production area, hosting a network of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and large groups throughout the value chain.

Bloc chiffres c

2h30
from Paris

(travel time for Avignon-Paris in the TGV) 

The main business parks that can welcome your company or project are: 

  • Technopole Agroparc d’Avignon: The first business park to be created in the Vaucluse, this hub is located right next to the A7 highway and is home to a diverse ecosystem of 600 companies and 9000 employees. Learn more (in French)

 

  • Cavaillon business park: Dedicated to the natural living and well-being sector, this 45-hectare park in the Luberon area specialises in biological controls, natural ingredients, and high-quality food. 

 

  • Pertuis  business zone: With more than 800 companies, this 102.5-hectare zone is a major economic hub and hosts a wide range of industries and services. Learn more (in French)

 

 

Leading Companies

Etex, GSE, MCCormick, KP1, Aldi, Pellenc ST, Valerian, U proximité France, SEPR, Groupe Sabatier Marius, AZ France, Agis, Perrin et Fils, Saint Gobain, Eurenco, Spie Batignolles, Eurosilicone, Blachère, Aptunion 

The ecosystem's flagship facilities 

  • The Innov’Alliance hub is a competitiveness cluster that brings together a network of companies and research centers in the food, wellness, and natural living sectors. The cluster is surrounded by numerous other specialized structures: Avignon University (Agrosciences), INRAE, CTCPA, Food in Provence, etc. 

 

  • The Cité de l’innovation (Avignon Technopôle)  brings together a unique concentration of expertise to support companies in the natural living sector.  There is also the Ma Première Usine in Carpentras (an incubator for businesses in the agricultural sector) and the Cité du Végétal in Valréas (an incubator for companies specializing in plant-based solutions). 
  • The Campus des métiers et des qualifications Agrosciences, Agroalimentaire et Alimentation  (3A)  is a campus that brings together training and educational establishments and centers, professional and inter-professional organizations, companies, competitiveness, innovation, and research clusters, and technology transfer centers.

 

The Alpes-de-Haute-Provence

With its combination of Provençal and Alpine influences, the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence offers an ideal climate for attracting new talent and business!  

 

The territory features a vibrant ecosystem of companies in sectors such as agri-food, cosmetics, chemicals, energy, tourism, spa, and wellness.

Less than an hour from the Mediterranean, the Côte d'Azur, Nice, Marseille, Toulon, and Avignon, and bordering Italy, the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence is ideally situated at the heart of the Sud Provence-Alpes Côte d'Azur region. 

Bloc chiffres clés

 

#1
producer of renewable energy in France
#1
producer of fragrant plants in France

and 17 dedicated labels to ensure  agricultural quality 

#5
department for organic agricultural production

The main business parks where you can set up your company are:  

  • The Saint-Maurice business park in Manosque: This zone is undergoing a major transformation with a project to deploy renewable energies and redevelopment to promote mobility and the environment. The Saint-Maurice business park is now home to more than 230 companies and 2000 employees, including some of the largest companies in Manosque in terms of number of employees: Proman, L’Occitane, and La Pizza de Manosque.
  • The 40-hectare Château-Arnoux-Saint-Auban industrial platform has been awarded the ‘Territoires d'industrie A’ certification for its infrastructure. ARKEMA owns 11 hectares of the site, which have been cleared and decontaminated of all pollutants (northern part of the site). The Saint-Auban site is unique in that it is the major producer of the chlorinated solvent T111 in Europe, and the only Arkema site producing specialty PVC.  For more information, visit the site: https://www.investinalpesdehauteprovence.com/opportunites/2115/ (in French)
  • Sisteron business park: Situated between Provence and the Alps, this business park enjoys a key geostrategic position on the Durance River and is home to more than 150 companies, generating around 1500 jobs.
  • Digne-les-Bains industrial zone: The Saint-Christophe industrial park covers 62.6 hectares and is home to more than 280 companies, including leaders in various sectors.

 

The ecosystem's flagship structures  

Hautes-Alpes

The Hautes-Alpes is a rural mountain territory with more than 165 000 inhabitants. The local economy is powered by sectors of excellence such as tourism, agriculture and agri-food, aeronautics, renewable energies, and construction as well as the 27 winter sports resorts, the activities around the Serre-Ponçon lake, the three magnificent natural parks, and four airfields. It's a natural haven that attracts many tourists every year. It’s also the perfect landing spot for entrepreneurs who are seeking a harmonious environment to achieve the perfect work-life balance.

 

Bloc chiffres clés

 

57 900
hectares of protected natural areas

in the Ecrins national park

(and another 65 000 hectares in the Queyras regional park) 

#3
French department for organic agriculture

(Ranking of the proportion of organic and in-conversion land - 36.3% - of the department's total agricultural land)

 

#1
European aerodrome

for air sports and leisure activities in Gap-Tallard 

The main business parks that can welcome your company or project are: 

  • Micropolis technology park in Gap: an 11.56-hectare technology cluster comprising 120 companies.
  • Chorges industrial zone: the 31-hectare La Grande Ile zone is a dynamic site between Gap and Embrun that is home to a wide range of industrial and artisanal businesses. 

 

Leading companies

OvinAlp, Andrety, Société de Travaux Alpes Méditerranée, Routière du Midi, Districolis, Alpes Sanitherm, EMC2 

 

The ecosystem's flagship structures  

  • The Micropolis start-up incubator and the GAAAP business accelerator (Gap) and the Altipolis and Lucéo start-up incubators (Briançonnais-Ecrins).
  • Aix-Marseille University – Gap university center. Five programs: STAPS physical education, business management and administration, multimedia-internet-webmaster, sustainable management of mountain areas, aeronautics (Polyaéro).
  • Capénergies: the energy cluster is a partner of the Hautes-Alpes for testing new solutions in energy efficiency and smart grids (Emilie and Flexgrid projects). 

Alpes Maritimes

As a leading territory for research and innovation, the Côte d'Azur offers companies exceptional potential thanks to a constantly growing pool of expertise, its top-class research laboratories and, its wide range of services.The Alpes Maritime also has dynamic professional networks that encourage cross-fertilisation between companies, renowned universities, innovative SMEs, leading global companies, and a thriving ecosystem of public research and R&D centres.

Bloc chiffres clés

#2
destination

for business conferences in Europe

#2
French airport

for international flights

#1
technology park

in Europe

The main business parks that can welcome your company or project are:  

 

  • Sophia-Antipolis is Europe's leading technology park, a driver of high-potential innovation, organised around incubators, start-ups facilities, collaborative workspaces, and global corporations. It is home to the largest concentration of international R&D centres in France. Click here to learn more.

 

  • Nice Ecovallée is an official national zone for economic activites (OIN) and it fosters growth and generates employment while balancing business and environmental concerns. The zone is boosts companies in areas such as  green technologies, the city of tomorrow, and health.  Learn more about the business zone.

 

  • The Carros business park is a pilot partner of the Territoire d'Industrie de France industrial renewal program. It is home to 600 companies in a wide range of sectors and 10 000 jobs while generating an annual turnover of €1 billion.

 

  • Grasse business park: The Bois de Grasse business park is renowned for its dynamic ecosystem. It is run by the EBG business association and the Communauté d'Agglomération du Pays de Grasse and it offers a a great quality of worklife and an economically efficient environment.  

 

Leading Companies

Thales, Amadeus, Mane, Kone, Micromania, Virbac, Dow Agroscience, Robertet, Fayat Bâtiment, Luxxotica, Ubaldi, Argeville

 

Votre expert

Antonin Chef
Deputy Chief Executive, AttractivenessCONTACT US