Oh, Marseille.
- alisalomon
- Apr 7, 2024
- 3 min read
Marseille. What is this city like? It truly possesses a magical essence. I've been working there for many years, embarking on the daily journey to work. Early mornings are a necessity, as by 7 o'clock, the traffic is already heavy. But every time I drive into the city on the A55 and reach the spot where you have a breathtaking view of the sea and the harbor, where the large ferries dock for Corsica and Africa, I'm filled with joy. It's a blessing to witness this panorama daily and to have the opportunity to work in such a wonderful city.
A seaside city always holds something special. Marseille stretches along the coast and is bordered inland by rocky mountains. The climate is Mediterranean, and there are many fantastic places to swim. During my internship, I worked regularly at an institute in the 'Roucas Blanc' district. The area is genuinely beautiful. Perched on hills, you'll find many small, quaint villas that transport you to Italy almost instantly. Marseille is home to several such charming neighborhoods. Moreover, much has changed in the city in recent years, with more and more areas becoming vibrant hubs for modern culture, housing trendy stores and excellent restaurants. However, this transformation remains somewhat localized in nature.
Marseille also has another side. The side that many would like to portray as trendy and cool, similar to what happened in Berlin-Neukölln. However, Neukölln truly became cool afterwards. It's different with Marseille, though. When I turned on my navigation system during traffic jams, I drove through areas I had never seen in Berlin: streets lined with mountains of garbage, where one can almost feel the hardship. Moreover, I work in a neighborhood where hardly any Berliner would move to; it is considered quite poor, and nice cafes or similar amenities are scarce.
But what seems not good enough for us privileged ones is already considered chic by others: The school where I work as a teacher is a Catholic, state-funded private school. In the French school system, such schools are usually reserved for the elite. However, here the Catholic mission is socially understood, which I greatly appreciate. Almost exclusively children from the famous and infamous 'quartiers' attend this school. The director mentioned during my hiring process that they come here for security reasons, as they don't feel safe in the schools assigned to them. I had heard a lot about the 'Quartiers Nord' myself. Violence is often mentioned in the news. And even though Marseille is considered the most dangerous city in Europe, I often found that exaggerated, as I had never experienced or perceived anything threatening in all these years.
However, reality caught up with me when I spoke with my students about their living situations. I was shocked to see how much truth there is in the rumors about the quartiers and that it's the daily reality of the children I care for. They live in famous areas like 'Les Laurier' or 'Frais-Vallon', which outsiders cannot enter. These neighborhoods are secured by barricades made of car tires and other improvised barriers. When entering these areas as an outsider, you are immediately asked about the purpose of your visit. Guards patrol the social housing towers (HLMs) and exchange signals at the slightest hint of police presence. Many children here have experienced traumatic events and have shared their fears with me.
You don't see much of this if you're a tourist in the better neighborhoods or a teacher in less fancy areas. But this reality shows how contrasting the city is and also explains why Marseille cannot develop as hip as other cities: the contrasts are simply too great.
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