At a glance
Why choose the South of France for your creative projects?
The region combines production infrastructure, a pool of technical expertise and a natural setting ideal for filming. Several thousand audiovisual professionals (technicians, actors, directors) are based in the region, coordinated by a network of 17 film commissions.
Key sector figures
Filming infrastructure and studios
The Région Sud hosts around a quarter of France's studio and soundstage capacity, spread across four hubs: Nice, Cannes, Martigues and Marseille.
Provence Studios (Martigues and Marseille)
The Martigues site is one of France's largest filming complexes, with multiple soundstages and an expansion programme aiming to double capacity. Provence Studios has signed a strategic partnership with The MBS Group (California), the world's leading studio operator. A film industry training institute (IPS Provence) was inaugurated on site in 2026.
In Marseille, the Saint-Louis Sucre project plans a new studio complex on a former industrial site, awarded under the Grande Fabrique de l'Image programme (France 2030). The site already hosts productions (Pax Massilia, Mercato series).
Studios de la Victorine (Nice)
The Studios de la Victorine in Nice are one of French cinema's historic sites. Managed under a 35-year concession by a consortium of CCI Nice Côte d'Azur and Color (post-production), they are undergoing a France 2030-awarded modernisation programme.
The programme includes new production stages, a backlot, and a training campus integrating several schools (ISART, e-art Sup', ESRA). The goal is to create an integrated production-training-business hub.
Campus Bastide Rouge (Cannes)
The Bastide Rouge campus (Cannes) has welcomed companies, students and filming studios since 2021. An extension on the former Ansaldo Breda site, led by Novelty, will add further studios and TV stages to strengthen the Cannes audiovisual ecosystem.
Digital animation: a growing hub
The SudAnim association brings together animation, video game and VFX professionals in the Région Sud. France is the world's 3rd largest animation producer after the United States and Japan, and the region accounts for a significant share of this sector.
The Villa Créative in Avignon, inaugurated in 2025, hosts several animation studios (including Chromatik, Toon Factory, Les Fées Spéciales) and aims to become one of France's leading animation hubs. Watch Next - La Factorie, one of France's top animation producers, has also set up there.
Two specialised schools structure training: MoPa in Arles (Level 7 diploma recognised by the Ministry of Higher Education) and the École des Nouvelles Images in Avignon.
Festivals and events: a territory of cultural outreach
The Région Sud hosts over 750 festivals and nearly 1,800 performing arts events each year, including the Cannes Film Festival, the Festival d'Avignon, the Rencontres d'Arles and the Festival d'Aix-en-Provence. These events generate major economic benefits for the region.
The Région Sud has a dedicated cinema and audiovisual budget (regional fund + CNC partnership) and is among the leading regions awarded under the France 2030 "Grande Fabrique de l'Image" programme.
Where to set up? Business parks and creative hubs
Several hubs structure the establishment of creative companies in the Région Sud:
| Business park / Hub | Specialisation | Key advantage |
|---|---|---|
| Pôle Média Belle-de-Mai (Marseille) | Image, Sound, Multimedia | Dedicated incubator, CCI start-up ecosystem. |
| La Bastide Rouge (Cannes) | Education & Audiovisual | Dedicated university campus and creative business hub. |
| Provence Studios (Martigues) | Film, Series, Advertising | 22 hectares, outdoor backlots and LED studio. |
| Studios de la Victorine (Nice) | Historic Cinema & Innovation | Iconic site undergoing full technological renovation. |
| Quartier Créatif (Arles) | Photography, Image, Publishing | Close to MoPa school and the LUMA Foundation. |
Explore all available business sites
risingSUD: your partner for a creative business set-up
The risingSUD agency supports creative project leaders in setting up in the Région Sud:
- Identification of suitable real estate and infrastructure (studios, co-working spaces, offices).
- Connection with sector stakeholders (SudAnim, film commissions, specialised schools).
- Access to funding schemes (regional grants, cinema tax credit, France 2030).
- Project structuring and recruitment support.
3 questions to our CCI sector expert
Which CCI segments are attracting the most project leaders in the South of France right now?
We are receiving more and more enquiries related to post-production and visual effects. The partnership between Provence Studios and the MBS Group, combined with the growth of the Villa Créative in Avignon, is creating momentum for mid-sized studios. Digital animation also remains a strong segment, with schools like MoPa and ENI training profiles sought after by international studios every year.
What advice would you give to a cultural company choosing between Paris and the South of France?
The cost of soundstages and commercial real estate is significantly lower in the Région Sud. But the main argument is the physical proximity between players: in Martigues or Nice, a post-production director can have lunch with a producer and visit a soundstage on the same day. This density creates synergies that larger cities don't always offer. And the natural light of the South remains a concrete advantage for outdoor filming.
What is the main barrier to setting up that you observe in the CCI sector?
The misconception that the film and audiovisual industry operates solely in Paris. This is increasingly untrue with the emergence of regional studios, CNC incentive schemes and regional film commissions. Our role is to help project leaders identify the right site, the right partners and the available support schemes.
Leading companies:
ACTES SUD, BLACK ET DARK EUPHORIA, CIRCUS, ELLIPSE ANIM, FESTIVAL D'AIX, FESTIVAL D'AVIGNON, GROUPE F, LES STUDIOS DE LA VICTORINE, PROVENCE STUDIOS, TNZPV, TOON FACTORY
Regional stakeholders supporting the sector:
FRENCH TECH AIX-MARSEILLE, FRENCH TECH NICE CÔTE D'AZUR, FRENCH TECH TOULON, FRENCH TECH GRANDE PROVENCE, AIX-MARSEILLE UNIVERSITÉ, ARSUD, BASTIDE ROUGE, PÔLE CULTURE ET PATRIMOINE, PÔLE MÉDIA BELLE-DE-MAI, UNIVERSITÉ CÔTE D'AZUR, UNIVERSITÉ D'AVIGNON, SUDANIM
Success Stories
Success Stories
FAQ: Investing in the Creative Industries in the South of France
What studio infrastructure is available?
The Région Sud hosts around a quarter of France's studio capacity, spread across Nice (Studios de la Victorine), Martigues and Marseille (Provence Studios) and Cannes (Bastide Rouge). Several expansion projects are underway, notably in Marseille and Cannes.
How does the region support digital animation?
The Villa Créative in Avignon has hosted animation studios since 2025. MoPa (Arles) and the École des Nouvelles Images (Avignon) train sector talent. The SudAnim association brings together regional animation and VFX players.
What funding is available for a CCI project in the South of France?
CCI companies can access regional cinema/audiovisual grants, the cinema tax credit (CNC), France 2030 calls for projects (Grande Fabrique de l'Image) and European schemes (Creative Europe). risingSUD supports companies in identifying and assembling these funding packages.
How does risingSUD support creative projects?
risingSUD offers free support for investors: identifying real estate and infrastructure, connecting with sector stakeholders (film commissions, SudAnim, specialised schools), financial engineering and project structuring assistance.
Sources and references
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