1st arrondissement of Marseille, Bouches-du-Rhône, France
The 1st arrondissement of Marseille is located in the hyper-center of the city, east of the Old Port. The 1st district is home to important cultural venues such as the History Museum, the Gymnasium Theater, the municipal opera house and the Palais des Arts. The Noailles district, nicknamed the “belly of Marseille”, is known for its large market.
The 1st district covers parts of Marseille urbanized in the 17th century during the expansion of the city. Many buildings date from this period, notably the Church of the Mission of France, the Church of Saint-Théodore, the Maison du Figaro or the Hotel Pesciolini. The garden remains, discovered in the 20th century, houses the remains of the ancient harbor of Marseille.
The arrondissement is crossed from west to east by the Canebière, on which are notably the Palais de la Bourse, the Louvre et Paix hotel and the Reformed Church, which is extended by the boulevard de la Liberation and, north to south by the cours Belsunce, where the Alcazar and the cours Saint-Louis are located. The southwest of the district occupies what was formerly the Arsenal of the galleys, destroyed at the end of the 18th century. After having been a canal, the site is now the Cours Honoré-d’Estienne-d’Orves.
Districts
The sectors and districts of Marseille are intra-municipal administrative divisions that share the territory of Marseille. The city is thus divided into eight sectors and sixteen municipal districts.
These municipal districts should not be confused with the departmental districts, which are another type of administrative subdivision at the departmental level. In France, the municipalities of Lyon and Paris are also subdivided into municipal sectors.
1st arrondissement of Marseille is divided into six official districts: Belsunce, Le Chapitre, Noailles, Opéra, Saint-Charles and Thiers as well as part of the La Plaine district. It is part of the first sector of the city.
Belsunce
Belsunce is one of the districts of downtown Marseille, near La Canebière. It takes its name from Belsunce College of Jesuits in 14th century. In the past, the district was structured around religious congregations including those of Recolettes or Trinitarians. Its name also refers to Monsignor François-Xavier de Belsunce de Castelmoron, Bishop of Marseille who remained famous for his dedication during the Plague of Marseille.
The district is generally bounded by the Canebière to the south, the Cours Belsunce to the west, the Boulevard d’Athènes and the Boulevard Dugommier to the east and the Boulevard Charles Nédelec to the north. The main avenue is the Cours Belsunce, perpendicular to the Canebière, which continues through the rue d’Aix to the place Jules-Guesde.
The Belsunce district, framed by many other districts, is located in the city center of Marseille. To the north, it is adjacent to the Saint-Lazare and Grandes Carmes district. To the south, the Thiers, Noailles or Opera district. To the east, it joins that of Saint-Charles or Chapitre. To the west, it is bounded by the Town Hall district.
Belsunce is a popular district and is home to the Center Bourse, a large shopping center in downtown Marseille, and the Alcazar, a former performance hall converted into a library. There are many low-cost clothing stores there.
Chapter
The Chapter is a district of the 1st district of Marseille, between the Canebière and the Saint-Charles train station. It has the shape of a quadrilateral delimited by the top of the Canebière and the beginning of the Boulevard de la Liberation to the south, the rue Bernex and the beginning of the Boulevard National to the east, the Boulevard Voltaire to the north, and the Boulevard Dugommier. and Garibaldi to the west. It is surrounded by the districts of Saint-Charles to the north, Thiers to the south, and Belsunce to the west.
Noailles
Noailles is a quarter of the 1st district of Marseille located downtown, near the Canebière.
Nicknamed “the belly of Marseille”, Noailles is mainly known for its daily market on rue du Marché-des-Capucins and its many shops, sometimes very old. It is a neighborhood without a social center where housing is very poor, in which 80% of the inhabitants are eligible for very social housing.
Opera
Opera is an area of 1st district of Marseille located near the Old Port. This district contains the Municipal Opera which was built on the old “Grand-Théâtre”, the Palais de la Bourse and the beginning of the rue Saint-Ferréol, its pedestrian street and its shops.
Saint-Charles
St. Charles is a district of the 1st district of Marseille. It includes Marseille’s main train station.
Thiers
Le Thiers District is a district of the 1st district of Marseille. Cultural and student district in central Marseille, it is located between Place Jean-Jaurès and La Canebière, near the Old Port. Its historic heart is the Lycée Thiers. The center of the district is the Lycée Thiers, the oldest high school in Marseille, which gave it its name. A network of cultural institutions has been created around the school: at the end of the Place du Lycée is the Théâtre du Gymnase, and, in the premises of the school itself, the Théâtre des Bernardines.
The headquarters of the Aix-Marseille University Faculty of Economics and Management is also located there. The entrance to the district on the Canebière side is bordered by the emblematic Marseille bookstore Maupetit.
Sights
Church of the Mission of France
The church of the Mission de France is a church built at the end of the 17th century and renovated in the 19th century. It is located at 44 Carpets Verde Street, in the 1st district of Marseille in France. This church has been registered as a historical monument since the December 8, 1965.
Saint-Théodore church in Marseille
The Church of St. Theodore is a parish church of the 17th century house Marseille in France. It is the last remaining element of the former Récollets convent. The church is dedicated to Saint Theodore, bishop of Marseille in the 6th century.
House of Figaro
La Maison du Figaro is a building designed by the architect Pierre Pavillon and built by Jean-Claude Rambot in 1675. Located at 42 the Canebière, in the 1st district of Marseille, in France, it is the property of the cultural association Espaceculture. This monument has been registered as a historic monument since December 6, 1949.
Hotel Pesciolini
The Hotel Pesciolini is a former mansion located in the 1st district of Marseille, in France, at n o 1 of the National Street at the corner of the Rue d’Aix. This hotel in the 17th century on the corner of National Street and Aix street has on its south facing facade to Belsunce over the conventional device of Marseille buildings with three windows. There is a lower level made up of shops and an entresol, two noble floors and an attic on the third floor. This hotel is famous for the ironwork balcony on the first floor supported by two monumental Atlanteans flanking a bull’s-eye in the mezzanine under which two leaning sphinxes are sculpted. Each Atlantean is supported by a column framing the front door. If the general arrangement of this decoration can evoke thewas in charge of the Toulon arsenal, the authorship of this work cannot be attributed to him.
Garden of the Vestiges
The Jardin des Vestiges is a garden housing the archaeological remains of the ancient Port of Marseille. The site, located behind the Center Bourse in the 1st district and which is the subject of a classification as historical monuments, was unearthed in 1967. The garden was created by Joël-Louis Martin, landscape architect and today it is part of the History Museum of Marseille. The Jardin des Vestiges was inaugurated on October 17, 2009.
Stock Exchange Palace
The Palais de la Bourse is one of the monuments of Marseilles on the Canebiere in the district of Belsunce, in the 1st district. It is the seat of the Marseille-Provence Chamber of Commerce and Industry and houses the Marine Museum. The stock exchange palace currently houses the offices of the Marseille-Provence chamber of commerce and industry. On the ground floor, on the right, is the marine museum. The latter was previously in Chanot Park from where it was transferred in 1946. Exhibitions are organized there which attract a large public.
Louvre and Peace Hotel
The Hôtel Louvre et Paix, also known as Hôtel de la Marine, is a former hotel built by Charles Pot, inaugurated on August 15, 1863and classified as historical monuments. It is located in the 1st district of Marseille in France. Four caryatids representing the four continents (Europe, Asia, Africa and America) appear on the facade of the hotel; subjects representing commerce and navigation frame the clock on the hotel’s pediment. All these sculptures are the work of Hippolyte Ferrat.
Church of Saint-Vincent-de-Paul in Marseille
The church of Saint-Vincent-de-Paul is a church located in the Chapter district, at the top of the Canebière; the Marseillais nickname it Church of the Reformed. It owes its common name to the site of an old chapel of the Augustinians Reformed. The first stone of this old chapel was laid by the Duke of Guise theJune 20, 1611 and it had been dedicated to Saint Nicholas of Tolentino. After the Concordat, it was destroyed on October 31, 1868 to make way for the current church.
This new church was built according to the plans of the architect François Reybaud who adopted the style Gothic of the 13th century and the first stone was laid on 22 April 1855 by Eugene de Mazenod. However, the construction was not without problems: in 1862, the architect having retired, a priest, Father Joseph Pougnet, redrafted the plans; then it took the help of the parishioners of Saint-Vincent-de-Paul in 1885, who raised three million francs, to finally allow the inauguration on September 20, 1886. The two spiers of the church rise to 70 meters. Its wooden doors are decorated with bronze panels made by Caras-Latour and the superb stained glass windows are by Edouard Didron.
Alcazar
The Alcazar is a former performance hall, now a regional municipal library, located on Cours Belsunce, near La Canebière, in Marseille.
Galley arsenal
The Arsenal des Galères is a former military arsenal located in Marseille, France. It was built by Colbert in the second half of the 17th century to accommodate and arm the galleys of King Louis XIV, but was fully operational less than a hundred years, the galleys quickly losing their role in marine wars for the benefit of vessels.
Until 1748, the Arsenal accommodated those condemned to forced labor, the galley slaves. It was located on the eastern and southern shores of the Old Port and, although today hardly anything remains, its location still marks the town’s urban planning.
Marseille History Museum
The Marseille History Museum is a museum dedicated to the history of the city of Marseille. Founded in 1983, it has been completely renovated and reopened the September 14, 2013on the occasion of Marseille-Provence 2013.
Located in the Center Bourse, near the Old Port, the Marseille History Museum houses the site of the Ancient Port, a permanent exhibition of 3,500 m 2, a temporary exhibition space, a documentation center and an auditorium, making it the most important urban history museum in France.
Gymnasium Theater
The Théâtre du Gymnase is a theater located on the Canebière in Marseille, in the Thiers district.
Marseille Municipal Opera
The Municipal Opera Marseille is a theater located in the district of the same name, near the Old Port.
Culture heritage
Historic heritage
The Noailles train station, located at the top of the rue du Marché-des-Capucins, was originally a covered market built in 1837. Converted in 1887 into labor exchange, it is called “old Labor Exchange” since the opening of the new Labor Exchange Marseille. The Compagnie de la Gare de l’Est is installing the first tram line underground, put into service on December 23, 1893. It now gives access to Noailles station of metro and tram Marseilles and the transport gallery, a small museum that traces the history of Marseilles transport. The old tram 68 will be closed in 2004 for the opening of line 1 of the tram in 2008. Marcel Pagnol, in his book The tram left from the Gare de l’Est, mentions it:”The tunnel, vaguely lit by candles in niches, was only made up of curves and bends: after a quarter of an hour of squeaking and jolting, we emerged from the bowels of the earth, just at the beginning of Boulevard Chave, 300 meters from our starting point… My father explained to us that this unique work had been started from both ends, but that the earthwork teams, after a long and winding underground stroll, had only met by chance. ”
The Labor Exchange Eve, headquarters of the Force Ouvrière. Former hall built in 1837, it became “the old Labor Exchange” in 1887. It is the seat of the departmental union of the Force Ouvrière.
La Maison du Figaro designed by the architect Pierre Pavillon and built by Jean-Claude Rambot in 1675. Mansion classified as historical monuments since 1949. The city bought it in 1993 to install communication services including the cultural review Marseilles.
The Grand Hôtel de Noailles, next to the Grand Hôtel de Marseille, opened in 1865 by the architect Pierre Marius Béranger. It welcomed Richard Wagner in 1866, the Duke of Edinburgh and Maupassant in 1880, Gandhi in 1931 and many others. It was bought in 1935 by a bank and the hotel closed in 1979.
The Grand Hôtel de Marseille, located at 62-66 La Canebière, opened in 1863 on part of the private mansion rented to Jacques de Noailles in 1679. The hotel closed in the 1960s and became the central police station of Marseille in 2004.
The cabaret and melody-bar or La fou chantant in 1937 in the basement of the Grand Hôtel de la Canebière. Place of composition for Charles Trenet with the songs “Y’a de la joie, Je chante or Fleur bleue”.
Hôtel Saint Louis built at the end of the 19th century, facade with Empire period pediment. Green Key Label for its commitment to sustainable tourism.
L’îlot des Feuillants, hotel on La Canebière dating from the 19th century. Since 2019, a 4-star hotel has replaced the former eighteenth-century Feuillant men’s convent.
House of Pierre Puget built in 1681, cutaway case from the 17th century at 25 rue de Rome. Restoration in 2017. A fountain built in 1685 was in front of the house but was replaced by a column surmounted by the bust of Pierre Puget in 1801.
Birthplace of painter Adolphe Monticelli at 6 rue Longue des Capucins. Born in 1824, he was the inspiration for Van Gogh.
“La Quique”, the only sign remaining of the 18 cast-iron pavilions built in 1847 by Pascal Coste on the Cours Saint Louis and housing flower sellers.
La Maison Empereur, the oldest hardware store in France, founded in 1827. City medal in 2019.
Father Blaize’s herbalist shop founded in 1815 by the healer Toussaint Blaize. Now a pharmacy-herbalist, its reputation is forged around the virtues of herbal medicine.
Photographer Nadar lived at 21 rue de Noailles at the end of his life, where he set up his studio.
Noailles is home to a large number of food shops (fruit and vegetables, butchers, fishmongers, exotic foods and spices, etc.) and oriental or African products (crafts, fabrics, etc.), notably rue du Marché-des-Capucins, rue Longue-des-Capucins, rue d’Aubagne and rue halle de la Croix. Some shops in the district are very old, notably the Père Blaise herbalist’s shop, rue Méolan since 1815, and the Empereur hardware store created in 1827 rue d’Aubagne.
Places and monuments
The course Joseph-Thierry, a real multimodal center of transport: Metro (Line M1station Reformed – Canebiere), tram (line T2, stop Réformes Canebière), bus (head for lines 33, 34 and 49, lines 52 and 81 in transit).
Stalingrad Square, with a fountain in its center surrounding a statue of the Danaïdes.
The monument to the Mobile Guards, known as “the Mobiles”, dedicated to the “Children of the Bouches du Rhône who died for the Fatherland”, architect Gaudensi Allar, sculptor Jean Turcan.
The bandstand, on the neighboring esplanade.
The wide sidewalk-promendade on the odd side of the top of the Canebière, formerly “Allées de Meilhan”, named after the intendant Gabriel Sénac de Meilhan.
Les Allées Léon-Gambetta, formerly “des Capucines”, a wide avenue in the axis of the Saint-Vincent-de-Paul church.
The Léon-Blum building, between the two “alleys”, seat of the sector town hall, on the site of the very first Faculty of Sciences in Marseille.
Le Crédit municipal, a rare relatively recent construction between La Canebière and the station.
The “Golden Virgin”, a statue of the Virgin Mary on a high pedestal, facing the car access to Saint-Charles station.
“La Rotonde” (officially Place Alex-Labadié), rounded square with a small public space in its center, an island of calm in a lively district.
The Picon building, Boulevard National, named after Gaétan Picon, the creator of the famous “ Amer Picon “.
The statue of Peace by sculptor Joseph Chinard on the Capuchins market square, placed in 1802. It was removed in 1809 and reinstalled in 1984. It commemorates the peace of Amiens between the United Kingdom, France, Spain and the Batavian Republic.
The statue of Saint Eloi, the protector of the Goldsmith Gaudin rue Françis-Davso. Reconstruction of the Goldsmith’s shop after an Anglo-American air raid in 1944.
Monument to Homer, Étienne Dantoine fountain from 1803. Ancient column from the crypt of Saint Victor abbey.
Pierre Puget’s column surmounted by the bust of Pierre Puget by Étienne Dantoine in 1801.
Religious buildings
The Church of the Dormition of the Mother of God (Orthodox place of worship), rue de la Grande-Armée.
The church of La Trinité-La Palud, built in 1829 on the former convent of Trinitarians in n o 35 of the street of La Palud.
Museums
Marseille History Museum dedicated to the history of the city. Founded in 1983 and renovated in 2013, it houses the site of the Ancient Port, a temporary exhibition space, a documentation center and an auditorium.
Museum of the Navy and the Economy in the Palais de la Bourse since 1989.
Memorial of the Marseillaise, former room of the Jeu de Paume where the “Song of the Army of the Rhine” was baptized the Marseillaise. One of a kind cultural place inaugurated in 2011.
MuSaMa, the Marseille Soap Museum with a scientific and cultural vocation which has been open since 2018.
The Alcazar. Former performance hall in 1857 and today municipal library since 2004 on the cours Belsunce.
The Halle Puget attributed to the architect Pierre Puget dating from 1666. It replaces the old fish market in Place Vivaux. For several years, it has been the scene of participatory projects by the artistic association Les tête de l’Art.
The Mourlot Galerie du Jeu de Paume, open since 1999. It hosts works by contemporary painters.
The gallery The company open since 1990. Creative workshops and major exhibitions promote contemporary art.
The exclusive mini-museum at the Hôtel Saint-Louis retraces the great eras of the city of Marseille. Hotel guests have access to over 100 photographs and documents from 1850 to 1930.
The Galerie des transports, a museum retracing the history of urban transport in Marseille at the heart of the Gare de Noailles.
Cultural spaces
Théâtre de l’Oeuvre created in 1937, one of the last Italian-style theaters in Marseille. Current performance hall, artists’ residence, associative activities and social accommodation supported by the 2016 “Roof-Theater of the Work” project.
Cinéma Les Variétés, cinema with an Art house program which organizes festivals and previews with a bar area.
Cinémathèque de Marseille since 1975. Its mission is to recover, save and restore films but also to broadcast them during regular screenings.
The Société de Géographie de Marseille, a cultural society since 1876.
The Berber Institute, a cultural place for the promotion and enhancement of Berber culture.
Le Tiers QG, exhibition hall of the contemporary art association Manifesta13 for the promotion of civil initiatives.
Coco Velten, cultural and solidarity space.
Bernard du Bois University Library, site of the Faculty of Economics.
Daki Ling or Le Jardin des Muses, a clownish-style performance hall opened in 2001. Place of the former Augustinian monastery built in 1258, transformed into warehouses in the 16th century.
The Mazenod theater, one of the oldest performance halls open since 1934. Passage place of the greatest actors and singers of the 20th century.
MCE (Music, Storytelling, Etc.) Productions The wind turbine, performance hall which hosts musicians and reading workshops. Created in 1997, it set up in 2008 in Noailles.
Arteka Artistic springboard, cultural association which encourages artistic initiatives.
The restaurant-Cabaret “La Payotte”.
La Corderie, art school which teaches the practice of Shibari.
La Fabulerie, a digital factory and cultural third place installed in the former Hotel Astoria since 2017. The association offers training courses on the creation of digital experiences and runs workshops.
Festivals and events
The fair in garlic and taraïettes, also called fair of Saint John, is from the middle of 15th century. Oldest fair in Marseille, it takes place annually from mid-June to mid-July.
Les Belsunciades, annual festival in the Belsunce district. It brings together evenings, stories, exhibitions, concerts, theater, world music.
The Capuchin market, known as “the Belly of Marseille”, founded in 1956 on the former Capuchin convent. Around thirty fruit and vegetable stalls six days a week.
Collectif Vélos en Ville, voluntary association in the service of cyclists in Marseille since 1996. Solidarity workshop for bicycle repair six days a week.
Marseille
Marseille is the prefecture of the department of Bouches-du-Rhône and region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur in France. It is located on the Mediterranean coast near the mouth of the Rhône. Marseille is the second largest city in France, covering an area of 241 km2 (93 sq mi) and had a population of 870,018 in 2016.
Marseille has a complex history. It was founded by the Phoceans (from the Greek city of Phocea) in 600 B.C. and is one of the oldest cities in Europe. Marseille is the second largest city in France in terms of population. Its population is a real melting pot of different cultures.
From colourful markets (like Noailles market) that will make you feel like you are in Africa, to the Calanques (a natural area of big cliffs falling into the sea – Calanque means fjord), from the Panier area (the oldest place of the town and historically the place where newcomers installed) to the Vieux-Port (old harbor) and the Corniche (a road along the sea) Marseille has definitely a lot to offer.
Marseille is now France’s largest city on the Mediterranean coast and the largest port for commerce, freight and cruise ships. The city was European Capital of Culture in 2013 and European Capital of Sport in 2017; it hosted matches at the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2016. It is home to Aix-Marseille University.