Marseille: From Legend to Reality
Marseille is thousands of years of history, events, and construction. Over the course of these centuries, the city has been built and dismantled, transformed, and metamorphosed. But there are certain dates, certain moments that shape the identity of the Phocaean city. These are the instants that make this city like no other.
1671 - THE FIRST CAFÉ IN FRANCE IS BORN… IN MARSEILLE!
On the Old Port, at the Quai des Belges, a commemorative plaque soberly reminds us: "Here, around 600 BC, Greek sailors from Phocaea, a Greek city in Asia Minor, landed. They founded Marseille, from where civilization radiated in the West." Well, maybe not exactly here, because the Greeks couldn't have landed at the Quai des Belges, which was once a vast marshland…
2600 YEARS AGO, A KISS EXCHANGED, A CITY CREATED
Legend gives the Phocaean city a romantic and romanticized origin, born from the union of Princess Gyptis and a Greek navigator named Protis. A love at first sight between a native and a foreigner, which easily reminds us of Marseille's openness to the Mediterranean, a city that has constantly established itself as a land of welcome.
It was not until the 5th century that Marseille was mentioned in written texts. It is no longer a story of romance, but of commerce. The city shines and takes advantage of its strategic location to become the first port in the Mediterranean. This position allowed Marseille to inaugurate the very first Chamber of Commerce in France in 1599.
A CITY UNDER RECONSTRUCTION
A polluted city, a violent city, a city of traffic, a dirty city - Marseille does not shine in the news. TV news, radio, national press, and daily newspapers headline their stories about Marseille's crime. Then Marseille was named European Capital of Culture in 2013. The French were outraged: a scandal, the Phocaean city has nothing to offer… Really? Marseille's reconstruction is well underway, and its brand image is being restored. The event is a success. The MuCEM breaks all records, receiving awards upon awards. Marseille receives high praise. The result is surprising for some, but expected by the locals. Marseille the rebel is a raw diamond waiting for significant financial investments.
With the Euro-Mediterranean project on track, the city becomes the new playground for businessmen. Everyone wants a piece of this new Eldorado. Hotels are being built as fast as pastis is being served at the Bar de la Marine. All that's missing is to write "Massalia" in giant letters… oh yes, it's already done!