“Ihere are trades in tension, and those of the hotel industry, catering, tourism are part of it. So anything that can help develop vocational training should be supported. Because the stakes are enormous.”
In a few words, Nicolas Isnard, mayor of Salon-de-Provence and, above all, president of the EPF Paca (public land establishment, in charge of land portage), made the diagnosis.
For the contribution, it was at 161 avenue Francis-Toner, on the former Afpa site, that you had to be on Friday morning.
In the place where the prestigious hotel school Vatel will settle – at the start of the 2026-2027 school year, if all goes well.
70M€ of private investments
A monumental project [“70 Me d’investissements privés” renseigne David Lisnard] et “a strong operation, with three positive effects: for La Bocca, the students and the tourism industry.”
As part of the global project for the west of the town (Novelty-Magnum-Dushow, requalifications of La Frayère, Bocca center or BoccaCabana, Cineum, etc.), turned towards the student world (Méliès campus, Nouvelle Vague residence … the implementation therefore has a clear objective: “To supply the tourist sector with quality professionals”, shouts the mayor.
Who develops: “Tourism is one of the dynamic poles of Cannes [il rappelle le titre de “meilleure destination mondiale pour les festivals et événements” lors des derniers World Travel Awards]. The local sector must be efficient.”
Keeping “human presence” in the center, facing the development “AI and digital.” Thus, Vatel will come to magnify the tourist training offer, “with six organizations present”, already provided in the territory. And how…
The very first Vatel Academy
What will be found on site? Already, two Masters [Management du luxe et Events Management]but also a “pilot training”, named Vatel Academy.
Objective: to train young people and those under 40 looking for work in cooking, catering and hotel trades.
Initially, 500 students will take over the campus; a figure that will eventually double. And all these little people will have everything at their fingertips to learn.
“An educational kitchen and pastry, but also structures for application [en « condition réelle”]: a classic restaurant, another food-court, a hotel, a training tourist residence”, list Karine Sebban-Benzazon, CEO of Vatel. But also a student residence and shared parking.
Together which should generate a hundred permanent jobs. Tourism professionals are already licking their chops…
Vatel, a guarantee of excellence
Family success story. Created in 1981 by Jocelyne and Alain Sebban [les parents de l’actuelle directrice générale], with the opening of the first school in Paris, Vatel quickly gained momentum. Lyon, Nîmes, Bordeaux and, in 2018, Nantes will follow.
Here (while waiting for Cannes) for France; because, from the 2000s, the group opened up to the international market. Europe, Asia, Africa, America…
Today, Vatel has 54 campuses, 9,000 students and 42,000 graduates, making it the world’s leading hotel and tourism management education group.
But also, according to professionals, the best hotel school in France, a distinction received at the 17th Worldwide Hospitality Awards.
Four decades of crazy evolution, without losing the original spirit. “The women and men of the Vatel group, whatever their nationality, culture, background and professional status, come together around five fundamental valuesrecalls Karine Sebban-Benzazon. Sharing, openness, commitment, respect and kindness.” The ingredients for success…
The project in numbers
18,136: in m2, the surface of the project, on seven levels.
50: the number of rooms in the application hotel.
131: the number of rooms in the tourist training residence.
319: the number of rooms of the student resident.
100: the number of permanent jobs to be generated by the project.
