Off the beaten tracks in Marseille

Nature in the heart of Marseille

A green neighbourhood: the Noailles district

We met at 10am this morning at the Rome-Davso tram stop, in the Noailles district, an area I’d never really been to before. When I arrived, the guide was already there and gave me a warm welcome. Once everyone had arrived, she took great care to situate us on a map and explained the history of the district and the place of nature in the Phocaean city.

As we wandered through the narrow streets and pretty facades, we realised that nature is at the heart of Marseille’s history. But that wasn’t always the case! Rue de l’Arc, for example, has been embellished with a multitude of plants thanks to a citizens’ initiative aimed at combating its bad reputation. What could be better than nature to promote peace and quiet?

Plants mixed with street art

As someone who loves street art and photography, I’m not disappointed! The plants blend in with the pretty colours of the murals on many streets. On facades, shutters and even parking bollards, everything becomes more colourful and cheerful.

Perfect harmony with the city

It doesn’t take much…

… to do a lot! As I walk around, I realise that it doesn’t take much to make a big difference! Tyres and old vegetable crates are brought back to life, giving life to many plants that seem to thrive there. I couldn’t tell you the exact name of each one (I can’t remember and the guide will do it much better than I can, which is why I’m inviting you to take the tour!), but I was amazed by their diversity and the size of some of them! Just goes to show that sometimes simple gestures and little green hands can bring a whole neighbourhood back to life.

Nature around every corner

And that’s saying a lot! Just look up and you’ll see things that are invisible at first glance. At the corner of a street, a plant makes its nest in the hollow of a wall, and emerges as if by magic, exposing its tiny leaves to the Marseille sun. This unusual visit to Marseille gave me another perspective on the city as we see it. Biodiversity is everywhere, an integral part of the urban landscape and life in Marseille. This visit was a real surprise, and I realised that Marseille conceals many secrets that we never imagined!