La Croix du Sud: at the heart of Le Carré

The new town of Sénart is one of the key economic hubs of the département of Seine-et-Marne. Right at the heart of Sénart is the commercial centre Le Carré. And right at the heart of Le Carré is La Croix du Sud. This new real estate development opened on 23 October 2008, offering many advantages from the outset.When the North Paris Region division of the Champion supermarket chain (part of Carrefour group) was looking for its head office location it needed to find something out of the ordinary: a strategic geographic location, high-end architecture, flexible facilities, a welcoming environment, efficient public transport services, and so on. In late 2008 Champion opted for La Croix du Sud.The group’s 150 employees now occupy a space of 2,500 m2 on the second and third floors of the building, and have been joined by the staff of Grencke (a German IT equipment hire business) and of several SMEs on the ground and first floors. All the building’s new occupants have expressed their satisfaction with La Croix du Sud. And with good reason.The building’s first strong point is its very eye-catching architecture, based on a cross-shaped design which explains its name (literally “Cross of the South”). The facade combines glass and steel to stunning effect while the interiors offer an equally attractive mix of colour, light and transparency. Further benefits include the highly innovative design of the three upper storeys (false ceilings for ducting, reversible air conditioning, etc.) and their impressive versatility: the spaces can be divided into four units with separate reception areas and staircases. The building’s environment is just as attractive. It is located in the high-quality setting of Le Carré Sénart: a quadruple avenue of 2,400 silver lime trees, a waterway comprising two canals (respectively 620 and 900 metres long), cycle tracks, views over the Allée Royale promenade with its 500 sequoias and 130 different types of fruit tree. It also offers direct access to all services, including cinemas, bowling alley and shops. Finally, Le Carré’s four restaurants and many retail outlets will soon be supplemented by a takeaway food hall located on the ground floor of La Croix du Sud itself.Project developer Fulton Group, acting on behalf of the site’s owners (Bleecker and Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations) is confident about the future. Despite the current crisis, Sénart remains just as attractive as a location, and 80% of the surface area has already been taken up. Meanwhile the third phase of this development project (following the Trait d’Union and Croix du Sud buildings) is scheduled to start shortly, comprising 10,000 m2 of offices set alongside the Grand Canal Nord. Designed to comply with HQE (High Environmental Quality) standards throughout, these buildings will feature bamboo-covered facades – definitely something to look out for!To find out more visit www.fulton.fr

Photos credits : Epa Sénart Communication – Laurent Descloux

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Article provided by: Patricia Montin of Seine et Marne Développement.