Unveiling a story of ancient settlements and hidden royalty is what Grotte de la Voire offers. It is a tale as old as Marseille itself. Welcome to the legendary Fontaine de Voire. Its story is intertwined with the city’s very foundation.
The real name of this place is Fontaine de Voire. It takes its name from a former owner. He once had a house here. Its ruins still exist today. But let us journey back 2600 years. It is when the legend of Fontaine d’Ivoire was born. This legend is about Gyptis and Protis. It is the founding myth of Marseille around 600 BC. Greek colonists from Phocaea in Ionia told the story.
Two main sources recount this tale. The first is Aristotle’s description in “The Constitution of the Massaliotes”. The other is from Trogue Pompée’s “Philippic Histories”. Only a summary by the Roman Justin remains of the latter.
The two versions differ slightly. Both tell of the marriage between Gyptis and Protis. Gyptis was the daughter of a local leader. Protis was a sailor from Phocaea. During the wedding, the princess chose her husband. She offered the foreigner a cup of water during a meal.
The marriage symbolizes the alliance between two peoples. The Phocaeans sought peaceful relations with the locals. This contrasts with other colonies. There, they seized territory by force or trickery. The sailors wanted to trade and settle peacefully.
The myth gave descendants of colonists and natives a shared origin. When Euxenos married Petta, Aristotle used the word “cohabitate”. This term can apply to two people or two groups. When she marries Euxenos, he renames her Aristoxena. It means “the best of hostesses”.
Protis, originally a guest becomes a son-in-law. One could see this as the Phocaeans adopting local identity. Alternatively, it could be a drive to Hellenize the natives. Mixed marriages were common in early colonization.
The path to Fontaine de Voire offers many surprises. In the Vallon de la Jarre, you will find sand dunes. They sit unexpectedly amid the hills. The wind likely carried this sand. It came from Marseille’s many beaches. This was before urbanization occurred.
The sand is fragile. It shelters rare plant species. Please avoid stepping on it. You can also admire a beautiful forest. It features centuries-old Aleppo pines and kermes oaks. Also present are tree and multiflora heathers. You can discover lentisks and Montpellier cistus. Cades, baouques, sand lilies, and sarsaparilla plants also grow here.
This area also holds quarry remains and old lime kilns. A doctor named Voire owned this property. A house and sheepfold once stood here. Some traces of them remain. The fountain has had incorrect names. Fontaine de Voyre or d’Ivoire are examples. But the doctor gave the fountain its true name.
The story connects us to Marseille’s origins. It reminds us of cultural exchange and natural wonders. The Fontaine de la Voire whispers tales. These tales echo through time. They celebrate the enduring spirit of this place.