Parc Longchamp

PARC LONGCHAMP : ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PARKS IN MARSEILLE

One of the rare green spaces in the city center, but this majestic park located in the heart of Marseille leaves no one indifferent. Eight hectares of green spaces, museums, sumptuous architecture – the Palais Longchamp has no shortage of appeal or charm. It is indeed one of the most beautiful monuments in Marseille.

Depending on whether you approach it from Boulevard Longchamp or from the other side via Boulevard du Jardin Zoologique, the experience is different. If it's your first visit, the entrance from Boulevard Longchamp is the most remarkable. Indeed, the palace overlooks Boulevard Longchamp with its proud statues and majestic fountains.

Parc Longchamp : AN ARCHITECTURAL GEM

The building, created to celebrate the arrival of water via the Marseille canal, exalts this element through its architecture and composition. The issue of water has long been significant in Marseille. On July 8, 1947, the waters arrived on the Longchamp plateau from the Durance. As a result, all of Marseille underwent transformation. It was on this occasion that architect Henry Espérandieu (known for the Basilique Notre Dame de la Garde) designed an ambitious project comprising a monumental fountain surrounded by two equally imposing wings. The left wing houses the Natural History Museum, which contains many curiosities from the 18th century, while the right wing hosts the Fine Arts Museum, which preserves paintings and sculptures dating from the 16th to the 19th century. It is the oldest museum in Marseille, having been open since 1801.

Two staircases flank the fountain, providing access to the museums and the three gardens on the other side. The "plateau" garden was inaugurated in 1896. In its basement, two rooms served as reservoirs for water from the Durance before being redistributed in the city. The "observatory" garden was created in 1863/64. The observatory is currently no longer used for scientific research but serves as an astronomy museum with instruments dating back to the 19th century, including the dome of the telescope. An exhibition hall also houses Foucault's telescope. Today, the site is operated by an association that organizes events and conferences on these themes.

PALAIS LONGCHAMP AND ITS GARDENS

Finally, the "zoological garden", opened in 1854, reflects the Second Empire's passion for exoticism, which was the heyday of the zoo. Victim of public disinterest, it closed its doors in 1987 but continues to exhibit its remains. Abandoned cages and other enclosures remind us that there were animals not so long ago. It is also an opportunity to observe the precarious living conditions of the animals, which had only a few square meters. Strolling through it is very pleasant, with many elements such as a music kiosk (dating back to 1888) recalling the hustle and bustle of the time. Also worth seeing is the "giraffe pavilion," symbolizing Zarafa, a giraffe given as a gift by Méhémet Ali to Charles X, who was keen on zoology. The giraffe remained in transit in the Phocaean city during the winter before joining the capital in the spring. The pavilion, built in the purest Oriental style, is a curiosity worth seeing. If the zoological garden is a clever mix between a "picturesque" and "English" garden, the plateau garden, designed by Espérandieu, is rather typical of the French style.

Today, the people of Marseille come here seeking a bit of tranquility for a shaded break, while tourists wander its paths with wide eyes, marveling at the majesty that reflects all the beauty of Marseille's history.