Acta Vista

Awakening the stones, revealing the human
As a longstanding partner, ACTA VISTA has been instrumental, alongside the Groupe SOS, in bringing the Citadelle de Marseille project to fruition.
©ACTA VISTA - JC Verchère

Created in 2002, ACTA VISTA has been working since 2003 on the restoration of the Citadelle de Marseille with a unique and innovative approach. Indeed, the association has been using historical heritage in peril as a lever for social integration for over 20 years: awakening the stones, revealing the human.

How? By developing, on the Historical Monuments entrusted to it for restoration, integration and professional training projects in traditional building trades, dedicated to people facing economic and social precarity.

Its approach?

  • Entrusting prestigious projects to people distant from employment, allowing them to regain confidence and pride;
  • Providing qualifying training in a work environment, based on hands-on learning, through the BAO Formation teams;
  • Individually supporting recruited individuals in their integration process to overcome barriers to employment, define their professional project, and regain stability after the program;
  • Restoring exceptional sites in accordance with traditional methods and bringing them back to life;
  • Raising awareness among young people (students and youth facing fragility) about the history of the sites, the trades involved, as well as citizenship and solidarity concepts.

Key figures

  • 500 people facing difficulties are supported each year, of whom 2 out of 3 find their way back to employment.
  • 9 out of 10 pass the exams (Professional Titles recognized by the Ministry of Labor, Employment, and Insertion).
  • 40 integration and training projects conducted, with an equal number of sites restored and enhanced since 2002.
  • 5 ongoing projects: Château de la Morinière (Mur-de-Sologne), Domaine National de Chambord (Chambord), buildings in the heart of old town centers (La Ciotat), Marseille Citadelle(Marseille), Abbey of St-Sever-de-Rustan (St-Sever-de-Rustan).

ACTA VISTA, like the Citadelle de Marseille, is a member of the Culture branch of the GROUPE SOS, a leader in social entrepreneurship in Europe.