CAUE des Bouches-du-Rhône

What CAUE des Bouches-du-Rhône does

CAUE des Bouches-du-Rhône (CAUE13) is a non-profit association (loi 1901) created in 1980 at the initiative of the Conseil Départemental des Bouches-du-Rhône under the French architecture law of January 3, 1977, and headquartered in Marseille at 18 rue Neuve Sainte-Catherine. It discharges a public service mission to advise, train, inform and sensitize citizens, local authorities and professionals on architectural quality, urban planning, landscape and the environment across the Bouches-du-Rhône department. CAUE13 operates a network of 48-49 architect-conseil and a permanent staff of approximately 6-7, serving 112 member communes and multiple institutional partners including the Métropole Aix-Marseille-Provence, two PNRs (Alpilles, Sainte-Baume), DRAC, UDAP, Aupa, Agam, ENSAM, and social and energy actors such as 13 Habitat and Territoire d'énergie 13.

The product portfolio is advisory- and content-led rather than technology-led: free permanent consultations for private individuals (1,830+ in 2025), convention-based accompagnement for municipalities and intercommunalities (160+ requests in 2025), public awareness and educational programs (Plans-de-Provence for schools, Journées Nationales de l'Architecture, guided visits, exhibitions), and a suite of methodology tools including the Kit «Ma future cour d'école» climate-adaptation toolkit, Palettes de couleurs for municipal chromatic reference, the «Opération façades» subsidy programme, 22 fiches conseils centre ancien, and a physical resource centre holding 4,000+ documents and 18 specialist journals. The Observatoire CAUE national database extends publishing footprint beyond the department via the FNCAUE network.

The business model is that of a publicly funded association: services are provided entirely free of charge, funded primarily by departmental grant, member-commune contributions, and convention fees; pricing is deliberately set to zero to preserve deontological neutrality ('dire-vrai'). The go-to-market combines institutional partnerships, event-driven engagement (national architecture days, technical days, annual general assembly), and direct municipal presence through permanent office hours in member communes. No commercial revenue streams, no equity funding, no M&A activity are present; the organization is structurally non-scalable in the venture sense but deeply embedded within its territory.

Name

CAUE des Bouches-du-Rhône

Legal name

CAUE des Bouches-du-Rhône

Website

https://caue13.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CAUE des Bouches-du-Rhône is a publicly funded non-profit association in Marseille that provides free architectural, urban-planning, landscape and environmental advisory services to 112 member communes, private residents and institutional partners across the Bouches-du-Rhône department in France.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Advisory Services

NAICS

Landscape Architectural Services (541320), Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (925), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241)

SIC

Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340), Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531)

akta.pro primary industry

Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Residential Landscape Design (HSAIABAA), Residential Affordable Housing Development & Construction (IMAFABAI)

Keywords

• Architectural advisory services
• Urban planning consultation
• Landscape and environment advice
• Public architecture services
• Heritage preservation guidance

Headquarters

HQ city

Marseille

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Public Funding: CAUE13 is an association d'intérêt public (public interest association) funded primarily by the Conseil Départemental des Bouches-du-Rhône. The public financing model ensures neutral, free advice to all users. Membership fees from 112 communes and other institutional members contribute to operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The CAUE des Bouches-du-Rhône (Conseil d'Architecture, d'Urbanisme et d'Environnement) is a non-profit association of public interest that provides free architectural, urban planning, and environmental advisory services. It operates a permanent municipal consultation program delivered by a network of approximately 49 consulting architects and landscape designers, advising private individuals, member communes, and educational institutions across the Bouches-du-Rhône department.

Product overview

CAUE des Bouches-du-Rhône operates as a public service association offering advisory, training, and awareness services rather than a traditional technology product company. Its portfolio consists of free advisory services for individuals (architect consultant office hours) and local authorities, training programs for elected officials, public awareness initiatives, and various publications and online resources. Key products include the Kit « Ma future cour d'école » (a methodology toolkit for school courtyard climate adaptation), Palettes de couleurs (local color reference guides for municipalities), the « Opération façades » facade renovation subsidy program, L'Observatoire CAUE (an architectural project database), and Fiches conseils/Fiches pratiques (advisory and regulatory guides for construction and renovation). The organization also maintains a physical resource center with over 4,000 documents and provides educational programs like Plans-de-Provence for schools.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Conseil architectural aux particuliers Free architectural advice provided to private individuals across the department through a permanent municipal consultation program delivered by a network of approximately 49 consulting architects conseil.
• Accompagnement des collectivités Advisory and technical support for municipalities and intercommunalities on urban planning, heritage preservation, and environmental projects, provided through consultations, methodological tools, and on-demand studies.
• Sensibilisation des publics Public awareness programs including exhibitions, films, training for elected officials and technicians, and school-based interventions to foster architectural and environmental culture among citizens and professionals.
• Centre de ressources documentaires Documentary resource center housing books, periodicals, dossiers, and audio-visual materials on architecture, urban planning, and landscape, open to the public for consultation and research.
• Kit pédagogique « Ma future cour d'école » Educational toolkit designed for teachers, parents, students, and elected officials to support reflection and design around schoolyard projects.
• Dossier « Nature en ville » Online dossier bringing together references and resources on integrating nature into urban environments for use by local authorities, professionals, and the general public.
• Opération façades Awareness device designed to encourage the renovation of façades in town centres and to improve residents' knowledge of heritage building features.
• Conseil en paysage et environnement (PNR) Landscape and environmental advisory service dedicated to municipalities located within Regional Natural Parks (Parcs naturels régionaux) of the department.

Quantifiable outcome

• 160+ municipal projects supported in 2025
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• Département des Bouches-du-RhônecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1980Primary institutional partner and founding supporter. Created in 1980 at the initiative of the Conseil Départemental within the framework of the architecture law of January 3, 1977. Provides core funding that guarantees neutral, free advice accessible to all.
• Métropole Aix-Marseille-ProvencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor metropolitan partner for territorial development projects. CAUE13 accompanies the Métropole in implementing AMI 'Cours d'école' program and other urban development initiatives.
• Parc naturel régional des AlpillescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for landscape advisory services. Jointly offers free landscape consultations for residents of the 17 PNR Alpilles communes through monthly sessions at the Maison du Parc.
• Parc naturel régional de la Sainte-BaumecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for landscape advisory services in 7 communes: Auriol, Ceyreste, Cuges-les-Pins, Gémenos, Roquefort-la-Bédoule, Roquevaire, and Trets. Offers bi-monthly Wednesday consultations.
• Fédération nationale des CAUE (FNCAUE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational federation connecting all departmental CAUE organizations. Enables knowledge sharing, best practice development, and coordinated advocacy for quality architecture and urban planning.
• Direction régionale des affaires culturelles (DRAC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional cultural affairs directorate. Partners on architecture promotion and heritage protection initiatives, including Journées Nationales de l'Architecture.
• Unité départementale de l'architecture et du patrimoine (UDAP 13)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDepartmental architecture and heritage unit. Collaborates on technical recommendations for facade operations and heritage conservation in protected sectors.
• École nationale supérieure d'architecture de Marseille (ENSAM)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on educational initiatives, including Ajap exhibition hosting and joint programs for architectural culture promotion.
• Agence d'urbanisme du Pays d'Aix (Aupa)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership for housing quality. Combines Aupa's strategic analysis and project expertise with CAUE13's operational implementation capabilities to develop 'Habitat et construction' charters for communes.
• CAPEB 13majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorArtisan building confederation. Facilitates connections between homeowners and qualified craftsmen for facade renovation projects through the 'trouvermonartisan.com' platform.
• Agence d'urbanisme de l'agglomération marseillaise (AGAM)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMarseille metropolitan area urban planning agency. Collaborative partner on territorial development and urban planning projects.
• Académie Aix-MarseillesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional education academy. Partner for educational programs and school-based architectural sensitization initiatives.
• CANOPEsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational creation and support network. Provides pedagogical resources for school programs on architecture and environmental awareness.
• ARBE (Agence régionale pour la Biodiversité et l'Environnement)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeads the 'Territoire perméable' collective organizing technical days on rethinking parking. CAUE13 co-organizes regional events on permeable development and urban adaptation.
• LPO PacasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerLigue pour la Protection des Oiseaux regional branch. Co-hosts training on 'Rénovation du bâti et biodiversité' combining building renovation with biodiversity considerations.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• CAUE de Paris: Sister departmental CAUE organization serving Paris under the same 1977 architecture law mandate. Directly comparable in mission (advisory, training, awareness on architecture, urban planning and environment), funding model (departmental + membership fees), and service catalog (free consultations, publications, resource center).
• CAUE Rhône Métropole: Departmental CAUE serving the Rhône department and Métropole de Lyon. Operates the same statutory advisory mission with comparable service mix (architect-conseil consultations, public resource center, educational programs) and similar funding structure to CAUE13.
• CAUE du Nord: Departmental CAUE in Hauts-de-France operating under the identical 1977 law framework. Directly comparable service portfolio including free architectural consultations, municipal advisory, publications and awareness programs.
• Fédération nationale des CAUE (FNCAUE): National federation of all departmental CAUE organizations, of which CAUE13 is a member. Comparable as the umbrella coordinating body that defines shared tools (L'Observatoire CAUE), training programs, and policy advocacy for the network.
• CAUE des Hauts-de-Seine: Departmental CAUE serving Hauts-de-Seine. Operates the same statutory advisory, training, and awareness mission with parallel service structure (consultations, resource center, publications) to CAUE13.

Regional players

• Agence d'urbanisme de l'agglomération marseillaise (AGAM): Marseille-area urban planning agency and CAUE13 strategic partner. Comparable in delivering strategic analysis, urban planning advisory, and project support to local authorities in the same Bouches-du-Rhône territory, but focuses more on strategic planning studies while CAUE13 focuses on architectural advisory.
• Agence d'urbanisme du Pays d'Aix (Aupa): Aix-region urban planning agency and CAUE13 partner on the 'Habitat et construction' charter program. Comparable as a publicly-funded territorial planning advisory body operating in Bouches-du-Rhône, but with a more analytical/planning remit versus CAUE13's architectural advisory focus.

Broad incumbents

• Cerema: French public agency for ecological transition supporting territorial authorities on planning, infrastructure, and environment. Comparable as a state-funded advisory body providing expertise to municipalities — broader in scope than CAUE13, with overlapping municipal advisory and environmental themes.
• ADEME: French national agency for ecological transition, funding and advising on energy, environment and sustainable development. Comparable as a public-interest advisory/funder in environment and sustainable construction, with overlapping advisory relationships with municipalities in Bouches-du-Rhône.

Emerging players

• Fondation du Patrimoine: French non-profit dedicated to heritage preservation with regional delegations including in Provence. Comparable as a publicly-oriented advisory and funding body supporting building renovation, heritage education and local authority engagement — overlapping with CAUE13's heritage and facade advisory work.

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/77714278/admin/page-posts/published
• Instagraminstagram.com/caue_bouches_du_rhone
• Xx.com/caue_marseille
• Facebookfacebook.com/caue13.fr

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CAUE des Bouches-du-Rhône