64% of French people are attached to their city center, a figure that rises to 82% in cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants!
The connection that French people have with their city centers was confirmed once again by the 10th edition of the Downtown and Retail Survey, presented by the CSA (French Audiovisual Council) on May 20, ahead of the 19th National Conference on City Centers, which began the following day in Montpellier.
Town centers are a symbol of conviviality. But town centers today face many challenges that municipal authorities must address. “All mayors want their residents to feel as safe and comfortable as possible in their town, especially in the downtown area, which is a key feature of the European way of life,” emphasizes Philippe Laurent, president of Centre-Ville en Mouvement (Downtown in Motion), whose Assises du Centre-Ville (Downtown Conference) is the organization’s flagship event.
The City and Montpellier Métropole quickly realized the importance of taking action to address these challenges. Starting with one issue that may seem distant: global warming. If we are not careful, global warming could turn city centers into ovens, particularly those in southern cities, due to their high mineral content and lack of green spaces, which contribute to the formation of heat pockets.
Perrine Prigent, deputy mayor of Marseille, highlighted the scale of the challenge ahead. “We predict temperatures of 90°C on the ground in 2050 on city blocks where there is no wind or shade,” she warned. That’s an increase of 10°C to 20°C between 2017 and 2050!
The city of Montpellier is well aware of this danger, which threatens the attractiveness of its city center. On May 21, Michaël Delafosse, mayor and president of Montpellier Métropole, and Sylvain Waserman CEO of Ademe (French Environment and Energy Management Agency) officially announced the city's commitment to the national “Plus fraîche ma ville” (My Cooler City) initiative.
Three projects led by the City of Montpellier will therefore be presented on the initiative's website: the Esplanade-Comédie project, the Place des Martyrs de la Résistance project, and the new Place Max Rouquette project, which is going to replace a parking lot in the Arceaux neighborhood.
Montpellier is rethinking its spaces to address climate challenges. “We decided to replace the fountains with water spouts, which reduces our water use by 40%, and all the de-impermeabilization work, water spouts, and trees have reduced the temperature by 2 to 7°C,” says Michaël Delafosse, whose strategy is to bring back nature and cool the city.
The goal of the 50,000 Trees Plan is to fight urban heat pockets. “130 trees are being planted in place of the former Max Rouquette parking lot, and we are re-enabling the soil to absorb water,” explains Boris Bellanger, deputy mayor of Montpellier, adding: “We are ensuring that pedestrians can move around and cross these open plazas without obstacles, finding shade and a place to rest in a city that is also child-friendly.”
Supporting investment in the city center and boosting its appeal by offering consumers a pleasant heart-of-the-city experience. Montpellier postponed a 100,000 m² commercial real estate project that was planned for the outskirts of the city and instead is investing extensively to boost foot traffic in its city center. “We must rise to the challenge facing city centers. It's a commitment to conviviality and community living,” insists Michaël Delafosse.
Implementing soft mobility and a walk-friendly environment is part of making the city more livable. “Today, we are continuing the expansion of pedestrian-only zones, an effort that began in 1986 with the creation of a 45-minute walkable axis. By the end of our term, this will be the largest pedestrian space in Europe,” reminds Julie Frêche, vice president of Montpellier Métropole, in charge of Transportation and Active Mobility.
While soft mobility plays a major role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, it also encourages people to visit the city center. The same holds true of free public transportation, which is reserved for Montpellier Métropole residents. “Free public transportation is attracting residents back to the shops in the city center,” adds Julie Frêche. Proof of this is that ridership on the TAM network has increased by 35% compared to 2019. And the local eco-friendly transport network continues to expand (see call-out).
In addition, the City has developed a strategy for low-impact deliveries in the city center. Montpellier also supports the development of specialized companies, such as Service Écusson Vert, while promoting the growth of cycle logistics services.
This is confirmed by Guy-Pierre Sachot. Director of Urban Logistics Deployment for La Poste Group and its Geopost subsidiaries, he pointed out during the first round table discussion on “Getting around and moving in city centers” that in Montpellier, “84% of [his group's] delivery vehicles are very low-emission, both ensuring environmental protection and maintaining service quality.” As of today, the national group's fleet includes 16 cargo bikes in Montpellier.
Faced with fierce competition from online platforms, local retailers also need support to adapt and meet the expectations of consumers in today’s digital age. From Cœur de Ville en Lumières (Downtown in Lights) to the Christmas Market and beyond, the City of Montpellier organizes a wide range of activities and events. This is the result of the City of Montpellier's roadmap, established in collaboration with retailers, their associations, and other stakeholders. The goal is to mobilize everyone to meet the major challenges facing local businesses.
But that’s not all. Downtown commerce is also a means of maintaining health and DIY activities. “We helped a medical analysis laboratory with MRI set up in the former Post Office premises on the Place de la Comédie. The downtown area also has two DIY stores, not to mention the attractiveness of the Corum Conference and Opera center,” adds Alban Zanchiello, deputy mayor in charge of Commerce, Tourism, Entertainment, and Commercial Events.
However, attractiveness cannot exist without a sense of security. On one hand, Montpellier and Montpellier Métropole did not introduce free public transportation without taking this into consideration. In fact, this led to the creation of the metropolitan transport police unit to protect the public's safety. “By the end of our term, we will have the largest transport police force in France,” says Julie Frêche. In addition, park-and-ride facilities are now present on the outskirts of the city, where people can leave their cars and travel to the city center by tram or bus.
On the other hand, Montpellier and Montpellier Métropole are committed to maintaining commercial and artisanal diversity, just as they are fighting against “front businesses linked to drug trafficking.” “For me, there is a direct link between public peace of mind and commercial diversity,” affirms Sébastien Cote, deputy mayor of Montpellier in charge of public safety, who critiques sharply the replacement of traditional businesses by shady activities.
“Our shopkeepers are struggling because of rents and e-commerce, and they are up against people who are making a lot of cash,” he says, pointing out that the number of night-time grocery stores in Montpellier has risen from 20 to 170 since 2005. “These activities can lead to fights and gunshots, along with people double- and triple-parking. This is not unique to Montpellier. We are asking to regain control over commercial lease transfers,” he adds.
Since peace and quiet is a factor in attracting people, Montpellier has decided to take action: it has already allocated €1 million to preemptive purchases in order to preserve the diversity of commercial offerings, a key factor in the city center's appeal. Montpellier and Montpellier Métropole are attentive to the needs of local shopkeepers and artisans.
This was demonstrated by the 19th National Conference on City Centers. With 650 people from all over France attending the event, the economic benefits for the city center are expected to be significant.
