Here on Boulevard du Commandant Finat Duclos, we stand at a place touched by both everyday life and a chilling history. This boulevard, like many in Marseille, carries stories within its asphalt and buildings. It is a place of transit and perhaps a place where locals go about their daily routines. But there is also a dark secret linked to it.
Let’s talk about a bar once located at number 8 Boulevard du Commandant Finat Duclos. This bar was the site of a shocking massacre in 1978. On October 3, 1978, three or four individuals stormed into what was then known as the Bar du Telephone. In just four minutes, they committed one of the most heinous crimes in Marseille’s history. Ten people were murdered in cold blood.
The details are gruesome. The gunmen used shotguns and pistols. The victims were shot in the head and chest. Police found shell casings scattered amid the blood. It was a scene so horrific that even seasoned officers were shaken.
The crime remains unsolved. Several leads were pursued. False currency and a conflict between pimps were considered. However, the investigation reached a dead end. The young judge who inherited the case after the death of the initial investigator found himself facing an immense pile of unsolved files.
Today, the Bar du Telephone is gone. In its place stands a restaurant called Adriatic. In 1987 a Croatian couple took over. They renovated the space. But they also preserved a piece of its dark past.
If you look closely at the floor near the bar you can still see the marks of bullets. The current owner kept them as a reminder. He filled a bullet hole in the restroom door where someone tried to hide.
Interestingly, Adriatic became a popular spot for police officers. For about ten years, it was like a canteen for the officers of the Commissariat Nord. Even today some remain loyal customers. The current police commissioner of Marseille admits to thinking about the massacre whenever he visits.
The story of Boulevard du Commandant Finat Duclos is a reminder. It shows that even ordinary places can be the backdrop for extraordinary events. While life goes on here, the echoes of the past linger. The memory of that night in 1978 remains etched in the city’s collective memory and the very floor of a restaurant.