Discovery la Cité Phocéenne

Discovered by the Greek sailors from Phocaea, the Phocaean city has forged its personality over the millennia. Constructed as a sunken pond, it welcomed the merchant vessels and had its first Golden Age based on the exchange of goods to the West and to the South. The city experienced its second golden age in the 19th century as a stronghold of trade in the Mediterranean.

Opening onto the road to Aix-en-Provence, La Porte d'Aix is a triumphal arch standing on Place Jules-Guesde. This project was decided to build in 1784, in honour of Louis XVI, the victorious ally in the American War of Independence. Yet, it was abandoned in the French Revolution, until the Restoration to commemorate the victories of the army during the Spanish expedition of 1823.

Built between 1671 and 1745, the Vieille Charité was as a shelter for the underprivileged, and other local inhabitants who entered the city due to wars and severe famines in the second half of the 17th century. Characterized by the contrast between its austere outer façades and its inner façades punctuated by arcades, it is currently home to a variety of cultural institutions. 

Marseille has encouraged initiatives to the point of making it the European Capital of Culture in 2013, due to the city’s cultural presence on subjects as diverse as hip-hop, architecture and the environment. Shame as it is, I haven’t visited this city. From Paris to Nice, I got around an hour for the transit train service in Marseille St. Charles station, so a flashmob was necessary. 

Having to catch my flight to Birmingham, I have spent another half day in Marseille. Remember how relaxing it is to enjoy my dinner next to a local restaurant in Plages du Prado. Speaking of Bouillabaisse, it was originally a family dish made by fishermen, who set aside some pieces to prepare for their families when sorting the fish for sale. Remember, “we lower it when it boils”.