To spot Jules Verne Square, look ahead for an open, tree-lined terraced area with low fencing tucked between modern apartment blocks, just steps away from the classic building of the city hall and with a glimpse of the Old Port in the background.
Welcome to Jules Verne Square! Imagine you’re standing on a spot where Marseille’s time machine has left its mark-no, really! This ordinary-looking square has secrets deep beneath your feet. After the old quarters were destroyed back in 1943, the ground was flattened, but for decades, nothing was built. Then came the archaeologists with their shovels and brushes, and suddenly, the past started whispering.
Under the northwest corner of the square, they discovered the remains of an ancient quay from the end of the 6th century BC. Can you picture the shouts of sailors, the crash of waves against the stones, and the creaking wood of Phoenician trading ships? For nearly a hundred years, this was a busy spot, until silt crept in and nature decided to turn it into a quiet sandy beach. But then, another chapter-by the 4th century BC, people were hauling ships ashore, repairing hulls right where you stand, using great wooden beams to slide boats on dry land.
And just when history seemed to quiet down, Roman merchants arrived with rows of massive clay jars-dolia-full of wine, stacking them high in warehouses. If you could smell through time, you’d catch sniffs of salt, oak, and sweet grape on the breeze!
By the 6th century, the sea retreated, the ground grew marshy, and homes began springing up around what had once been Marseille’s maritime engine. Today, the square bears the name of the famous writer Jules Verne, an adventurer of the imagination. So whether you’re dreaming of ancient sailors or moon-bound voyages, you’re standing at the crossroads of old worlds and new. Now, careful as you move on-you never know when you might step straight into another exciting chapter.
