The appointment was scheduled at the endline of the 12S bus. Brigitte, our guide, is already waiting for us signalling her presence handling a small Tourist Office coloured panel. Great, I’m at the right place ! We are waiting chattering for all participants to arrive, then the little company sets off on the path of young Marcel Pagnol’s memories and his filming locations.
During the walking tour, surprising neighbourhoods far from the sprawling city strike my vision. La Treille village is indeed countryside in the metropoli. Along the way, a stop at the Marseille Canal is a testimony of how important the arrival of water has been for this area. With the divertion of Durance river both irrigation and current water enabled Marseille to develop as a modern city in the mid 19th c.
Thank me ! I did well to wear flat and confortable shoes, as advised when booking the tour. As a fact, Brigitte takes us on a route all uphill !
The visit first starts with a long lineage. Entering the cemetery one can discover Marcel Pagnol’s beautifully flowered and decorated tomb. As leaving, I can also admire the whole scenery, a panoramic view embracing the Saint Cyr mountain and the neighbouring Barasse, once the final stop for traffic cars. From there young Marcel Pagnol and family used to set out on foot an climb up to La Treille. I’m walking on his footsteps.
