Ever wondered how a place can echo both literary greatness and echoes of the past? Today, we’re standing in Place Victor Hugo. It is a location that carries stories far beyond its name.
Place Victor Hugo is named after one of France’s most celebrated writers. He was a poet, novelist, and dramatist. Victor Hugo’s words shaped French identity. This square honors his enduring legacy.
But there’s more to this place than just a name. The ground beneath us has its own history. The foundations of a nearby school, the Lycée Victor Hugo, rest on what was once the Saint-Charles Cemetery. Imagine that. Where we stand was once a final resting place. The cemetery was permanently closed in 1896. That year, remains were moved to the Saint-Pierre Cemetery.
Consider this image. Picture Place Victor Hugo between 1896 and 1902. It was during the excavation of the Saint-Charles Cemetery. In the background, you would have seen the Boulevard Charles Nédélec. This transformation marked a new chapter for the area.
The Victor Hugo school group was inaugurated in 1906. It comprised several schools. There was a Higher Primary School for boys. There was also a municipal school for girls and another for boys. In 1912, the Edgar-Quinet Higher Primary School for Girls opened. All these buildings were designed by architect Léonce Muller.
During World War I, the E.P.S. Victor Hugo served as a war hospital. Sixty-nine students from the school died during the conflict. In 1938, an additional floor was added to the building.
World War II brought more upheaval. German troops occupied Quinet. Italian troops occupied Victor Hugo starting in 1942. The Allied bombing of Marseille on May 27, 1944, heavily impacted the area. Nearly 2,000 people died. There were 3,000 injured and 3,000 homeless. Over 1,300 buildings were destroyed. The E.P.S. Victor Hugo was hit. The roof and upper floors of the entrance were destroyed. Fortunately, the school had been evacuated. There were no casualties.
After the war, Victor Hugo was rebuilt. The work was completed in 1946. The school became the Victor Hugo Modern and Technical College. It included wood and iron workshops. The boys’ and girls’ municipal schools were annexed. The EPS Quinet became the Quinet Modern College for Girls.
In the school year 1959/1960, both schools became municipal high schools. They drew students from the modest local neighborhoods. These were children of workers, railway employees, and small business owners. Quinet College was known for its Gabriel Fauré choir. The choir toured Europe. The high school experienced a long strike during May 1968. It passed without excesses.
In 1983, Victor Hugo and Edgar Quinet merged. They had been nationalized in 1977/1978. The Victor Hugo College, the Victor Hugo High School, and the Edgar Quinet High School became the Victor Hugo High School. It could accommodate 1,200 students. The Edgar Quinet College, on Rue du 141e RIA, remained as an annex. Jacques Bory Street, which separated the two institutions, was closed off. A gate connected the two buildings. This created the entrance to the high school.
In 1985, the high school celebrated the centenary of Victor Hugo’s death. There was an exhibition, a sound slideshow, and a postcard. In January 1986, Victor Hugo became a regional polyvalent high school.
Following student mobilizations in 1990, the “High School-Success” plan was adopted in 1991. This provided investments to renovate the institutions. Victor Hugo was among the high schools to be restored. The work lasted until 1995. It included the construction of the “administrative tower”. This connected the two buildings.
Place Victor Hugo stands as a testament to time. It bridges literary fame with layers of history beneath our feet. It is a place of learning, of memory, and of transformation.