How about a journey back in time on Chemin de Saint-Henri? This path is more than just a street. It is a passage through Marseille’s rich history.
Chemin de Saint-Henri sits in the 16th arrondissement. It’s in the northwest of the city, right by the sea on the Sèon basin’s coastal plain. This makes it part of Marseille’s northern districts. Once twinned with Saint-André as Sèon, Saint-Henri became its own parish in 1745.
Imagine Saint-Henri long ago. It was a small farming village. Later, it turned into a hub for tile production. Today, it is a residential area in Marseille’s Quartiers Nord. The name Saint-Henri comes from an old chapel. This chapel became the parish in 1745.
Saint-Henri is part of the Sèon Basin. This includes Saint-André and L’Estaque. The area lies between hills to the northeast and the Mediterranean Sea to the southwest. The basin has lots of clay. People dug up this clay for making bricks and tiles. These “clay pits” created a rough landscape. Steep depressions remind us of old clay quarries of Saint-Henri.
In the 16th century, Saint-Henri was part of the Sèon estate. The Saumati (Sommati) family owned it. They rented the land to farmers. After the French Revolution, Saint-Henri’s lands joined Marseille.
Wine was Saint Henri’s main product then. Vineyards thrived in the dry land. Sunny hillsides helped. But in 1863, phylloxera devastated the vines. Saint-Henri never rebuilt its vineyards. The village shifted from farming to industry.
Saint Henri sits on clay soil. People likely extracted it since ancient times. They used it to make amphorae for transporting local wine. Tile making grew in the 19th century. This went with the first industrial revolution. In 1805, there were 21 small tile factories with 45 workers. By 1860, there were 150 tile factories. They employed 800 workers.
The look of Saint Henri changed. Clay pits multiplied. They left the land uneven. Tall chimneys from Hoffman kilns rose above roofs. Workers built their own housing. This led to shantytowns near the factories. These were made of tiles given or sold by bosses. There were also typical workers’ homes like courées or barracks.
The area’s industrial growth needed more workers. So, many Italian, Spanish, and Armenian immigrants moved to Saint-Henri in the early 20th century. Later, Algerians came to work in the factories. Saint-Henri’s population grew from 714 to 10,950 between 1820 and 1930. Most people worked in tile factories. This included both men and women.
Saint Henri has a cinema called L’Alhambra. It is an “art and essai” cinema. It is a listed heritage site. Its facade is typical of 1930s cinemas.
Today, Chemin de Saint-Henri offers a glimpse into this diverse past. As you walk along, imagine the farmers. Picture the bustling tile factories. Think of the immigrants who shaped this area. Chemin de Saint-Henri is a reminder of Marseille’s blend of agriculture, industry, and culture.