Galerie des Augustines

Galerie des Augustines: a little gem in the Panier district.

Since May, an unusual place has been discreetly opening at the entrance to the Panier district: the Galerie des Augustines.

Located in the square of the same name and sheltered behind a huge plane tree, the Galerie des Augustines tells a story: that of the former Ursuline convent, founded in 1636 near the Église des Accoules, and taken over in 1748 by the Augustines, from whom it retains its name*.
"The 17th-century first floor is adorned with interesting sculptures above the entrance door.
the entrance door. It features the head of Hercules, on the skin of Nemée's lion, and the mocking face of Omphale. On the window arch to the left of the entrance door, a woman's head with 17th-century headdress.
The rest of the building above dates from the 18th century.
The second floor features a wrought-iron balcony with graceful daisy panels. "**

At the end of the 20th century, the building became a wrought-iron workshop. In the 1950s, its façade
was photographed by a certain Henri Cartier-Bresson, then in the 60s,
it was occupied by a coal merchant.
The story is lost here, but we do know that it remained unoccupied for a long time.

In 2021, it was bought by Reunionese photographer François-Louis Athénas,
renowned for his images of the heritage of the Indian Ocean islands, the Mascarene
Mascareignes and particularly Reunion Island.

Subtly renovated by the new owner, the walls of this historic Marseille landmark are now destined for another vocation: revealing and sharing the beauty of artistic gestures, whatever they may be, wherever they may come from!

- Source: Tourisme-Marseille / Ursulines convent fact sheet
** Source : book "Evocation du vieux Marseille", André Bouyala d'Arnaud, les Editions de Minuit ,1959