Contents
Key points
- The layout changes everything: the same 100 m² room holds 104 people theatre-style but 32 in a U-shape.
- The regulations set a safety maximum (1 person/m² for a meeting room without performances), not a comfort level.
- Check the daylight, acoustics, Wi-Fi and breakout rooms.
Room layouts
| Layout | What it is for |
|---|---|
| Theatre (conference) | Rows of chairs facing the stage: plenary, presentation, large group |
| Classroom | Rows of tables: training, note-taking |
| U-shape | Tables in a U open towards the screen: interactive meeting, up to 30 to 40 people |
| Closed U, hollow square or boardroom | Everyone can see each other: leadership team, negotiation |
| Round tables (cabaret) | Breakout workshops, meals |
| Standing reception | Reception, break, networking |
A costed example: the Centre de Congrès d’Aix-en-Provence
Published capacities for the Darius Milhaud room, which can be divided into four:
| Layout | 200 m² | 100 m² | 50 m² | 25 m² |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Theatre | 192 | 104 | 52 | 23 |
| Classroom | 108 | 48 | 24 | — |
| Closed U | 64 | 40 | 24 | 12 |
| U-shape | 54 | 32 | 20 | 10 |
| Round tables of 10 | 180 | — | — | — |
| Standing reception | 280 | — | — | — |
The rule of thumb that follows: roughly 1 m² per person theatre-style, 2 m² classroom-style, 3 m² in a U-shape.
What the regulations say
- Maximum capacity: for meeting rooms open to the public (type L under French fire safety rules), the ministerial order of 25 June 1980 sets the capacity of “meeting rooms without performances” at one person per m² of total floor area; for a room with seating, the seats are counted, and 3 people per m² for a standing audience without seating (article L 3).
- Accessibility: every establishment open to the public keeps a public accessibility register, available for consultation at the main reception point or online (ministerial order of 19 April 2017). Reception staff must be able to give information on the accessibility of the services. Ask for it if a participant has specific needs.
The checklist
- Capacity in the layout you need, not just the maximum capacity
- Daylight and the option to black out the room
- Adjustable air conditioning and heating
- Projector or screen, sound system, microphones above 30 people
- Wi-Fi tested for the number of participants
- Breakout rooms for workshops
- Break area separate from the meeting room
- Accessibility and a register available for consultation
- Access: station, airport, parking
- Terms for cancellation and for changes to numbers
How much does a room cost
| Venue | City | Room | Published rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aix Coworking | Aix-en-Provence | room for up to 6 people | €10 excl. VAT per hour, €90 excl. VAT per day |
| Carrefour de l’Innovation | Aix-en-Provence | 31 m², up to 30 people; 180 m², up to 100 | from €25 excl. VAT and €113 excl. VAT per hour |
| La Coque | Marseille | 35 m², up to 40; 250 m², up to 250 | from €199 excl. VAT and €1,019 excl. VAT per half-day |
In a hotel or on an estate, the room is usually included in a per-person package (room, breaks, lunch). See the cost of a corporate retreat and day meeting.
Hiring a meeting room by destination
| Destination | What you will find there |
|---|---|
| Aix-en-Provence | Conference centre (503-seat auditorium), third places and coworking spaces by the hour, bastides and château hotels around the city. See meeting rooms in Aix. |
| Marseille | World Trade Center, La Coque, Friche la Belle de Mai, the airport business centre. See meeting rooms in Marseille. |
| Var | Hotels and estates with rooms for 50 to 180 people and accommodation on site. |
| Avignon | Centre des congrès du Palais des Papes (20 to 536 people in meetings), hotels in the historic centre. |
| Luberon and Alpilles | Mas, estates and boutique hotels, often available for exclusive hire, for 15 to 150 people. |
Finding a room in Provence
By city: meeting rooms in Aix-en-Provence, meeting rooms in Marseille. For a corporate retreat with accommodation: residential seminar, château, countryside retreat.
Describe what you need (numbers, layout, dates): we forward your request free of charge to up to three suitable venues.
Sources and method
Information checked on 11 November 2026.
- Arrêté du 25 juin 1980, article L 3 (calcul de l’effectif) — Légifrance : one person per m² for meeting rooms without performances
- Arrêté du 25 juin 1980, article L 1 — Légifrance : meeting rooms classified as type L
- Arrêté du 19 avril 2017 relatif au registre public d’accessibilité — Légifrance : content and consultation of the register
- Les espaces — Centre de Congrès d’Aix-en-Provence : capacities by layout
- Location de salle de réunion — Aix Coworking : rates
- Aix-en-Provence — La Coque (Carrefour de l’Innovation) : rates
- Événementiel à Marseille — La Coque : rates
Frequently asked questions
What floor area for a meeting room for 50 people?
It depends on the layout. At the Centre de Congrès d’Aix-en-Provence, a 100 m² room holds 104 people theatre-style, 48 classroom-style and 32 in a U-shape. For 50 people, allow roughly 50 m² theatre-style, 100 m² classroom-style and over 150 m² in a U-shape.
How many people can a meeting room hold?
For an establishment open to the public, the regulations (French ministerial order of 25 June 1980, article L 3) set the capacity of meeting rooms without performances at one person per m² of total floor area; if the room has seating, the number of seats is counted. This is a safety maximum, not a comfortable capacity.
How much does it cost to hire a meeting room?
Published examples in Provence: in Aix, a 31 m² meeting room from €25 excl. VAT per hour at the Carrefour de l’Innovation; in Marseille, at La Coque, a 35 m² room from €199 excl. VAT per half-day and a 250 m² room from €1,019 excl. VAT. Recorded on 11 November 2026.
