Our History

Before becoming Marseille’s most important 5-star hotel, this building has spanned every era, steeped in a history intimately linked to the Phocaean city.

• 1593 Foundation of the Hôtel-Dieu following the merger of two medieval hospitals, Saint-Jacques de Galice and Saint Esprit.
• 1753 Extension of the new Hôtel-Dieu based on plans by Jacques Hardouin-Mansart de Sagonne, grandson of Jules Hardouin-Mansart, architect to King Louis XIV. Construction work lasted more than 100 years.
• 1785 The two monumental staircases designed by Esprit-Joseph Brun are completed.
• 1866 The new Hôtel-Dieu is inaugurated by Napoleon III on 15 November.
• 1963 A decree dated 14 October registers the facades and their exterior galleries, the roofing and the two staircases in the inventory of Historic Monuments.
• 1993 The last patients leave the hospital; the Hôtel-Dieu becomes a training centre for medical staff.
• 2006 The Hôtel-Dieu hospital closes its doors.
• 2007 Acquisition of the Hôtel-Dieu by the City of Marseille. The AXA Real Estate group acquires a 99-year lease and invests 120 million euros to give it a true metamorphosis: building the future while respecting the past.
• 2010 Start of construction works combining modernity, technology and sustainable development requirements, while preserving a venerable protected monument.
• 2013 Official opening of the InterContinental Marseille – Hotel Dieu, a crowned 5-star luxury establishment.
• 2016 150th anniversary of the Hôtel-Dieu.
• 2023 The hotel celebrates its 10th anniversary!

12th century: The remains of a 12th-century chapel are buried beneath the hotel gardens, whose Roman mosaic floor dates from the 1st century BCE, now visible in our Cultural Space (ground floor).

If you wish to deepen your knowledge of the history of the Hôtel-Dieu, a book is available from the concierge desk at a price of 39 euros.

Architecture

While the elegant exterior renovation of the InterContinental Marseille – Hotel Dieu was designed by architects Anthony Béchu and Tangram agency, its interior architecture was entrusted to Jean-Philippe Nuel, one of the world’s leading references in luxury hotel design, whose creations are distinguished by their diversity and refinement.

The main facade and the two staircases adorned with beautiful wrought ironwork are listed in the Supplementary Inventory of Historic Monuments (ISMH).

A pioneering environmental project, the InterContinental Marseille – Hotel Dieu is the very first hotel restructuring to receive High Environmental Quality (HQE) certification. Its construction followed stringent specifications, particularly regarding the choice of materials, energy and water management, visual and acoustic comfort, as well as the sanitary quality of air and water.