Marseille has changed a lot in the last ten years and continues to change, the Panier district being a case in point.

My previous post on Marseille, Marseille, modern architecture near le Vieux Port, took you from the Gare Saint Charles to the sea, and the next logical step is to visit the Panier, whose sloping streets will charm you.

The walk begins at the Cathedral de la Major, a must-see when you’re at the end of the Vieux Port. It seems to be the answer to Notre Dame de la Garde, which watches over the city from another hill a little further south.

Le Panier is a very old district of Marseille, one of the first created by the Greeks in the city. This working-class district was rather insalubrious and plagued by prostitution at the beginning of the 20th century. It then suffered a tragic fate when the Germans decided to demolish it in 1943 to dislodge the members of the Resistance who had settled there. Fortunately, its hilltop location saved it from the worst during reconstruction, and its charm comes from its small, sloping streets and squares. No tall buildings here.

The staircases take you up the three hills of the district, so you’ll need to breathe a little, but it’s a real pleasure to be able to walk around a district that is largely pedestrianised:

Despite the almost total destruction of the district in 1943, it still boasts a number of historic buildings, making for a very varied walk.

Walking around the city with my nose in the air is something I love, every street corner is a discovery, especially when so many street art artists have expressed themselves on its walls.

With a wide range of styles and a constantly evolving art form, the walls are regularly covered in monumental or more modest versions.

Look for the detail behind the graffiti, by looking up …

And to round off this walk, a magnificent sign with a highly political message:

I took this walk in mid-November, in the middle of the day and in the middle of the week, and it was certainly a very different atmosphere from the height of summer, with few or no tourists (except me), and a great time to enjoy this area.