Patrimoine Provence - Alpes - Cote d'Azur (en)

 -Observatoire de Nice (Alpes-Maritimes)

Situated on the top of a hill overlooking Nice and the Baie des Anges, in a 35 hectare park, the Nice observatory benefits from an exceptional location. It was built on the initiative of an astronomy enthusiast of Dutch origin, Raphaël Bischoffsheim,  the son of a banker. In 1879, he commissioned the architect Charles Garnier, assisted by Gustave Eiffel, to design an observatory on the site, which lies at an altitude of 372 metres. Building work began in 1881. The architectural project was highly ambitious, requiring the construction of an astronomy “city”, with independent buildings designed to house instruments, offices, a workshop equipped with a steam engine, stables and a carriage shelter, a concierge’s lodge and accommodation for the director and astronomers.

In 1988, the Observatoire de Nice merged with the Centre de Recherches en Géodynamique et Astrométrie (CERGA) to form the Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur. The Observatoire is now organised into four departments and is one of the world’s leading centres for research into the universe. An ambitious project to open the observatory to the public has been undertaken over the past ten years, requiring the restoration of numerous historic buildings to which the Total Foundation has contributed €220,000.

-The Marriage at Cana by Felix Ziem – Musée Ziem in Martigues (Bouches-du-Rhône)

To mark the centenary of the Musée Ziem in 2008, this painting, held in the museum’s collection since 1979, is being restored before being put on public display once again.

The painting takes as its theme a story from the New Testament - the first miracle of Jesus. One of the most famous representations of The Marriage at Cana was painted between 1562 and 1563 by the Italian artist Paul Veronese (1528-1588), who transposed the biblical scene to a celebration in Venice. Around 1849, the architect Félix Ziem acquired an unfinished copy of Veronese’s painting in Paris. It was produced in the 17th century by the famous painter and founder of the French classical movement, Eustache Lesueur (1616-1655). An admirer of Italian painting, and in particular the work of Veronese, Félix Ziem decided, with his friend Gustave Ricard, to complete the work begun by Eustache Lesueur before donating it to the town of Martigues in 1908.

The Total Foundation covered the full cost of restoring The Marriage of Cana, a total of €24,000.

-Bastidon du Domaine de Rayol (Var)

Located halfway between Lavandou and Saint Tropez in the Var département, this small Provençal country house or “bastidon” on the Rayol estate was built in the Twenties by the architect Guillaume Tronchet in the “picturesque” style to serve as a keeper’s lodge. Defaced by the addition of another building and the disappearance of certain features integral to the original architectural design, the building is now being restored with a view to opening it to the public and promoting the activities of the Domaine du Rayol, the current owner of the Conservatoire du Littoral.

The Total Foundation has contributed €92,000 to the restoration of the Bastidon du Domaine du Rayol.

- Total restores the ruins of Tholon -

The archaeological site of Tholon lies in the municipality of Martigues (Bouches-du-Rhône), beside the lake of Berre in an exceptionally scenic setting. Formerly the property of Total, the site has been owned by the municipality since the 1990s.

Since 1998, the municipal authorities of Martigues have been working on the restoration of the site, which contains the ruins of a Gallo-Roman settlement whose founder was known as Tholon.

The heritage policy of Martigues, funded by Total, is primarily aimed at restoring the site, opening it to the public and continuing with archaeological and scientific research.

Total is funding work on the consolidation and restoration of masonry, buildings and other structures, as well as urgent buttressing work and the improvement of access conditions.