A district of the 15th arrondissement
Located in Marseille’s 15th arrondissement, the Aygalades district owes its name to the stream of the same name that flows through the Bouches-du-Rhône departement and into the Mediterranean Sea. As well as being crossed by the river of the same name, Aygalades is home to numerous village fountains, hence its connection with water. This district to the north of the city-neighbouring La Viste, Saint-Louis and Borel among others, combines the old village of the Aygalades with a large area of hills, partly deserted, rising to one of the first peaks of the Étoile massif.
During Greco-Roman Antiquity, the Aygalades site had a very good reputation. It would be considered a sacredwood, venerated by the Romans who were passing through Marseille. In the 1st century AD, Mary Magdalene, on her way to Sainte-Baume, would have stopped in this area because of its caves and abundant water. During the 13thcentury, King Saint-Louis helped believers fleeing MountCarmel in Palestine to settle on the site of Aygalades, which they initially named Aqua lata before evolving into Aigalada. In Occitan, the term ‘aigalada’ means ‘abundant water’. Following the exile of the religious, a convent was built in 1265 on the site of the current church. In the 15th century, René d’Anjou, commonly called King René, acquired several residences. His name was also given to the main artery of the village.
Cascade Des Aygaladesnmomtcm 34 Rotated
