A Market at the Crossroads: Sociological Insights into the Displacement, Urban Struggle, and Renovation of the La Plaine Market in Marseille

This article examines the transformation of the Marché de la Plaine in Marseille, focusing on urban struggles, gentrification, and regeneration during the controversial renovation of Jean-Jaurès Square. Initiated in 2018, the renovation displaced the market for three years, provoking widespread public protests and highlighting its contentious role in Marseille's urban transformation. Markets like La Plaine are vital public spaces that offer affordable goods, employment, and social interaction, serving as essential resources for vulnerable urban populations, including the elderly, single women, and migrants. As noted by Gonzalez and Waley (2013), markets are at a "critical juncture," facing decline due to competition from shopping centers and neglect while simultaneously being rediscovered as tourist attractions and valuable assets in urban regeneration. The city administration’s depiction of La Plaine as run-down prior to renovation underscores this tension.

The aim of this research is to analyse the socio-political mechanisms that drive the transformation of the market and the extent to which the renovation of the square has a social impact on the users of the market and the inhabitants of the surrounding area. In addition, the role of the market in the regeneration process is to be understood, whether as a brake on the gentrification process of the area or as its driving force.

The article operates on two levels. At the bottom level, it analyzes the experiences of the "market-scape" (Blennerhassett et al., 2022), focusing on market vendors, shopkeepers, customers, and residents through ethnographic methods such as interviews and observations. At the top level, it examines the perspectives of regulators and investors, incorporating interviews with city councillors and private stakeholders, alongside an analysis of official documents. This dual approach provides a comprehensive understanding of the complex dynamics at play in the renovation and its implications for the community.