Les Halles Rivages, a new food store, will be setting up in place of the legendary Black Pirate in Frontignan-plage

Ornella et Nicolas Gervais devant le terrain des futures Halles Rivages. Midi Libre – Clotilde Rodriguez

À la place de la mythique boîte de nuit frontignanaise, le Black pirate, un tout nouveau projet, les Halles Rivages, va voir le jour à Frontignan-plage.

The most observant Frontignan residents may have noticed that major works have begun where the well-known nightclub, the Black Pirate, used to be. It was not simply razed to change the decor, but was also removed to make way for a new concept in Frontignan-plage: the Halles Rivages.

Frontignan residents at the helm

This great project is being led by a couple, Ornella and Nicolas Gervais, both from Frontignan. “We wanted to give this seaside resort a little more appeal, to bring it something dynamic“, Nicolas begins. This architect by trade (renowned firm based in Lattes) and his wife could not resist, when the opportunity arose, to do “something with this mythical place“. It was then that the idea of ​​setting up covered markets gradually matured in their minds. “We want to bring a central point to Frontignan-plage, so that everyone can benefit from it.” Les Halles Rivages, a name that brings to mind water, the sea, but also an anagram of the couple's last name, Gervais. A subtle way to integrate themselves into the name of their project.

A more than effective word of mouth

They started by talking about their ambitions around them, then bought the land, thought about the work. And now Les Halles Rivages is official. “We hadn't even posted on social media yet, that with word of mouth, 70% of the available stores are already reserved“, explains Nicolas Gervais. In addition, Black Pirate regulars are delighted to see a new friendly place appear instead. Nicolas and Ornella met a couple who “fell in love with the Black Pirate and who, every year, comes to celebrate his wedding anniversary in the surrounding restaurants. Now they will almost be able to return to the place where they met.”

Rooftop, terraces and funfair

The project covers approximately 350 m2 on the ground floor, enough to accommodate between 6 and 8 food shops during the summer season. The building will be surrounded by large terraces to enjoy the sunshine and the surrounding sea air. All attached to a small funfair to keep the little ones busy. Above, all year round, a rooftop restaurant will be built. “The market halls downstairs are scheduled to open in May 2025 and we will do the entire summer season, the two designers specify. For the rooftop, it will take a little more time, it will certainly be more on the winter of 2025.”. We will therefore have to wait for the return of good weather to be able to test this new concept, which is still looking for its last traders, to start the summer in style.

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