What secrets does a jar hold? In Marseille, the Bastide de la Jarre holds more than just earth and water. This park, nestled within the 9th arrondissement of Marseille, whispers stories of a rich past. The Bastide de la Jarre is a relatively new park, built on the grounds of a historic manor. It’s a two-hectare oasis amidst the urban sprawl.
The Bastide de la Jarre isn’t just a green space. It’s a bridge connecting the past to the present. The park links different parts of Hauts-de-Mazargues and the southern districts of Marseille. A pedestrian and cyclist promenade stretches from Prado to the hills of Sormiou through the Allée des Calanques. This green artery breathes life into the Urban Renewal Project.
The Bastide de la Jarre was designed with nearby structures in mind, like the Théâtre du Centaure. It celebrates the site’s agricultural heritage. A newly planted orchard stands alongside restored remnants of the past. Old walls, once separating cultivated plots, and a traditional cabanon have been carefully preserved. A vast central meadow invites visitors of all ages to play and relax. It offers recreational activities and sports facilities.
The Bastide de la Jarre embraces sustainability. Mediterranean plants, resilient and water-wise, thrive here. These plants also complement the flora of the Calanques National Park. Water, a precious resource, is drawn directly from the nearby Marseille canal. The park also features a unique greenhouse, a testament to architectural ingenuity with its neo-gothic facade. The city of Marseille and the Aix-Marseille-Provence Metropolis launched a project to revitalize this greenhouse. This project focuses on community living, culture, social and solidarity economy, urban nature, and sustainable development.
At the heart of Bastide de la Jarre stands a noria. This water wheel, discovered in 2015, echoes the ingenuity of 19th-century market gardeners. With the arrival of the Marseille Canal in the 1850s, norias became vital for drawing water from wells. The arrival of the canal transformed the agricultural landscape. Market gardening flourished, and farms, even dairy farms, sprang up in Mazargues to supply the city with milk. This particular noria is believed to be an animal-powered one. A donkey or mule would walk in a circle, powering a system of gears and buckets that lifted water from the well into a tank. It’s a testament to the engineering prowess of the time.
The Bastide de la Jarre is more than a park. It’s a living story, waiting to be explored. It offers three access points, one on Impasse Karabadjakian and two on Avenue de la Jarre.