You may already have visited the Menier Chocolate Factory during the Journées du Patrimoine (Heritage Days). This site, which has been abandoned for a number of years and was the headquarters of Nestlé France between 1996 and 2020, is about to rise from its ashes, and is likely to attract quite a crowd.
The former Menier chocolate factory in Noisiel (Seine-et-Marne), a 19th-century architectural gem, is about to be given a new lease of life thanks to an ambitious redevelopment project led by Linkcity. By 2028, this iconic site, which has been vacant for four years, will be home to the Cité du goût, a complex dedicated to gastronomy, well-being and tourism, with the creation of 560 housing units, a luxury hotel and a spa. This transformation heralds a new era for a site once dominated by chocolate production.
Founded in 1825, the Menier chocolate factory was once the world's largest chocolate factory, pioneering the industry with innovative processes. However, over the decades, the historic buildings became unsuited to modern production, leading to a complete shutdown in the 1990s. Having housed Nestlé headquarters until 2020, the chocolate factory will now undergo a metamorphosis to become a space dedicated to indulgence and well-being. The project will preserve the historic facades, including the famous cocoa tree mosaic.
At the heart of the project is the creation of a 3500 m² spa, managed by the Italian QC Terme group, renowned for its high-end wellness centers. The spa will be housed in the former confectionery, an emblematic building on the banks of the Marne. This unique space will offer saunas, hammams, massage rooms and a winter garden. But the big innovation will be the roof-top pools, offering panoramic views of the surrounding historic monuments, such as the Moulin Saulnier, a symbol of industrial architecture.
The Cité du goût is not limited to the spa. A four-star hotel will be built in the "Cathedral", one of the historic buildings, complemented by a varied range of restaurants and a student residence. Residential accommodation will be divided between listed buildings and new constructions. This vast project also includes leisure and tourist facilities, making the site a true cultural and gastronomic destination.
Schematic view of the future La Chocolaterie district on the banks of the Marne in Noisiel (Seine-et-Marne).
The refurbishment is part of an ambitious ecological approach, with the installation of a geothermal heating network to reduce carbon emissions. Measures to protect local wildlife, such as the installation of nesting boxes, are also planned. This project will not only preserve an exceptional industrial heritage, but also regenerate it, opening it up to the city and creating a tourist attraction.
Originally, the developer and his local partners had big ambitions: to create a new residential area with around 1,000 homes. Their aim was to develop a tourist, commercial and economic destination, capable of attracting up to 350,000 visitors a year, while generating positive spin-offs for the area and providing for the creation of around 1,000 local jobs, as they announced in a July 2019 press release.
However, the project quickly aroused strong opposition from local residents, and was criticized by the regional environmental authority. As a result, the rehabilitation of the former chocolate factory was scaled back.
Before the prefecture of Seine-et-Marne decides whether to approve the planning permission submitted by Linkcity, a public inquiry will be held from March 10 to April 11, according to BFMTV, a key stage in the project's progress.
The Char collective, concerned about the lack of transparency surrounding the project, believes that this survey should enable residents to become fully informed. "This would mean increasing the population of Noisiel by 10%, in a district already facing a lack of facilities, parking problems and traffic jams", warns its president, Reda Belkacem on BFMTV. He also stresses the absence of a real economic project to accompany this transformation: "To date, only the operator of the spa has been announced. If the hotel project is abandoned, nothing will come of it."
He also expressed concern about the construction of five-storey buildings on the banks of the Marne, an area prone to flooding, and about the impact of the works on thenatural environment.
Currently, only a few tourists have the opportunity to discover theformer Menier chocolate factory during the four monthly guided tours organized by the Noisiel town heritage department. The developers have undertaken to make the site more accessible to visitors once the work is completed.
"Linkcity and the city will do their utmost, in compliance with safety regulations, to maintain visits during the works", assures the municipality. Completion of this vast project is scheduled for 2028.
In Noisiel, for example, the former Menier chocolate factory could well open a new chapter in its history, where the art of chocolate is replaced by the art of well-being and gastronomy. This is one of the major projects in the Ile-de-France region to watch.
Recommended age
For all
