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La Canebière is a historic high street in the old quarter ofMarseille,France.
About a kilometre long, it runs from theOld Port of Marseille to theRéformés quarter.[1][2] It has been called theChamps-Élysées of Marseille.[2]
The name 'Canebière' ('Canabiera' inProvençal dialect) comes from the wordCannabis inLatin, as the area around the Old Port were originallyhemp fields and Marseille was one of the world's largest trader of hemp baskets and ropes from the Middle Ages until the 1930s, when other fibers were used instead.[1][2][3][4][5][6]
The avenue was built in 1666, when KingLouis XIV of France decided to expand the city of Marseille.[1][2]
At the end of the eighteenth century, as theGrand Arsenal shipbuilding dock was demolished, the avenue was extended down to the Old Port and elegant buildings were built.[1] Only as late as 1928 was it extended from the Old Port to theÉglise Saint-Vincent-de-Paul (also known as the Église des Réformés).[1]
During theFrench Third Republic, it became a haven for high society, with many cafés, luxury hotels and boutiques, andmusic hall performances.[1][2] However, it was marred by the assassination of KingAlexander I of Yugoslavia on the avenue on 9 October 1934.[1] That day, French foreign ministerLouis Barthou was fatally wounded as a result of this incident.[1] Moreover, on 28 October 1938, theNouvelles Galeries store was destroyed by fire, killing 75. The tragedy led to the reorganisation of Marseille's firefighters battalion, and the mayor,Henri Tasso, was dismissed.
The avenue fell in disarray after theFrench colonial empire came to an end by the 1960s.[1] In recent years, it has been refurbished.[1]
The new Line T2 of theTramway de Marseille runs along La Canebière between Rue de Rome/Cours Belsunce and Réformés. Noailles (M2) and Vieux-Port (M1) metro stations are located along the street.
On 8 May 2017, the city of Marseille organized the "Bal Patriotique" (English: "Patriotic Ball") on the Canebière to commemorate the anniversary of theLiberation of France which occurred on 8 May 1945.[7][8] A similar ball was organized in 2016.[7][8]
43°17′51″N5°22′50″E / 43.29750°N 5.38056°E /43.29750; 5.38056
