Les Borels district

A neighbourhood in the 15th arrondissement

Neighbouring the Saint-Antoine and Aygalades districts, Les Borels is located in the 15th arrondissement of Marseille. The origin of the name comes from the Occitan word borèl, meaning a cushion stuffed with bourre (coarse wool). The etymology of the term evolved to mean first of all the ring-shaped cushion put on the head to carry burdens, then became the padded collar for draught animals, before finally designating the harness. However, the district owes its name to the Borel family, who acquired the estate of the main farm overlooking the railway line.

The history of the Borels district

In 1878, the historian of Marseille’s districts Alfred Saurel described Les Bourelly, the name given to the current district, as a small hamlet nestling on the slope of a hill, close to Les Baumions and bordering the commune of Septèmes. Unlike the town’s other districts, Les Borels did not originate from a village nucleus.

Between the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, the district was transformed into an urban landscape, as evidenced by the remains of lime kilns, the gradual disappearance of farms and country houses and the emergence of the railway line and the Marseille canal. Today, there are still a few traces of the old rural landscape, with the presence of a handful of country houses and sheds.

During the Battle of Marseille in August 1944, Algerian riflemen of the 7th RTA took possession of the north-eastern axis of Les Borels to surprise the German defences. During the operations, the district was severely hit by the batteries of the Foresta camp, which protected the flank of the Germans blocking the northern entrance to Marseille.

After the Second World War, the profile of the district changed completely, particularly with the construction of the Saint-Antoine motorway tunnel in 1947, which led to increased immigration and a proliferation of housing estates and apartment blocks. This tunnel represents one of the gateways to contemporary Marseille, symbolically expressed by the decoration of concrete bas-reliefs. To the north, Saint-Victor Abbey and Marseille town hall are represented by a boat, while to the south, Provence, the Palais des Papes in Avignon and the Arles bullring are symbolised by a woman. Created by sculptor Jean-Marie Baumel, this model evokes the city’s entry into the modern era.

Les Borels’ places of interest

The Phap Hoa pagoda

The Phap Hoa Pagoda is one of four Buddhist pagodas in Marseille. Created in 1978 by a Vietnamese Buddhist monk at the foot of La Savine, the pagoda is made up of various Buddha statues, including one reclining and another adorned with gold that culminates on a promontory. You can see this treasure trove of Asian worship from the motorway. Every first Sunday of the month, the Vietnamese community in Marseille organises a vegetarian lunch after prayers, where everyone is welcome, Buddhist or non-Buddhist. A change of scenery guaranteed!

The Armenian Church of Saints Tateos and Parthomios

Between 1922 and 1924, almost 58,000 Armenian refugees arrived in the port of Marseille. The Armenian Church of Saints Tatéos et Parthomios, located in the Borels district, was one of the first places of worship to be built for this community. It was founded on 7 July 1927 as a chapel and school, before the foundation stone was laid in 1928, declaring it an Orthodox parish church. On 9 June 1929, Bishop Krikoris Balakian consecrated this religious building. On the forecourt, there is a war memorial dedicated to the victims of the 1915 genocide and to the Armenians from the parish who died fighting for France in the Second World War.