Résidence du Palais

Résidence du Palais is a private senior-care residence in Marseille, set inside a nineteenth-century townhouse on Rue Roux de Brignoles in the city's 6th arrondissement, a short walk from the Old Port and the Palais de Justice.

What exactly is Résidence du Palais?

It isn't a sightseeing attraction in the usual sense. It's a working nursing home (EHPAD) operated by the French group DomusVi, first established in 1940. The bourgeois-style building was fully restructured in 2007 and now houses 66 rooms of 19 to 36 square metres across five floors, accommodating up to 80 residents.

So why do visitors even come across it?

Passers-by tend to notice the building because of its ornate nineteenth-century facade, a good example of the residential architecture that lines this part of Marseille's 6th district. It stands next to the former headquarters of Rocca, Tassy et de Roux, a historic vegetable-oil manufacturer, which adds a small footnote of local industrial history to the street. Local guides sometimes mention the residence as an architectural detail worth noting near the Palais de Justice.

What's the view from the terraces like?

One distinctive feature is a set of three terraces spread across different floors, offering a 360-degree panorama that reaches as far as the Notre-Dame de la Garde basilica. That view, however, belongs to residents and staff — there's no public viewpoint or terrace access for outside visitors.

Can you go inside and look around?

No. Résidence du Palais is a private medical and residential facility, not a tourist site open to the public. Entry is limited to residents, their families, and staff, and any visit needs to be arranged in advance with the administration. Anyone interested purely in the architecture can appreciate the facade from the street.

What kind of care is provided here?

The team includes a coordinating physician, nurses, caregivers, physiotherapists, and a psychologist. Meals are prepared on site in a traditional style and served in a communal dining room. Residents can take part in activities such as gentle gymnastics, board games, memory workshops, cooking sessions, live performances, sewing, painting, singing, and minibus outings around the area.

How much does it cost to stay there?

According to figures published by senior-care directories, the monthly cost runs around 3,000 euros, though the final price depends on a resident's level of dependency and the specific services required — only the facility's administration can provide an exact quote.

How do you get there?

The address, 7 Rue Roux de Brignoles, 13006 Marseille, sits within easy walking distance of the Old Port and the Rue Paradis shopping axis, surrounded by the classic townhouses typical of the 6th arrondissement. Public transport in the area is convenient, though the residence itself offers no services to outside visitors.

Frequently asked questions

Is Résidence du Palais a hotel? No. It's a nursing home (EHPAD) run by the DomusVi group, not accommodation for tourists.

Can visitors go inside just to look around? No — access is limited to residents, their families, and staff, and any visit must be arranged beforehand.

What's worth noticing from the outside? The nineteenth-century facade and the proximity to the former Rocca, Tassy et de Roux headquarters, a piece of Marseille's architectural and industrial history.

Where does the name "Résidence du Palais" come from? It references the nearby Palais de Justice, next to which the building stands.