THE BARQUETTE MARSEILLAISE

If you've ever walked around the old port of Marseille, you've probably seen these typical boats of the city.

Symbol of Marseille maritime life and embodiment of the naval skills of our shipyards, the Marseille barquette is a seaworthy, robust and comfortable boat. With a rounded shape, they were imported by Neapolitan carpenters at the end of the 19th century and gradually supplanted the traditional boats of the time.

The boats were originally work boats, whether for fishing, coasting or longer transport. They are now used for pleasure and as testimony of Marseille's history.

It is transmitted from father to son, in a patrimonial way. The name of the boats illustrates this strong sense of the relationship between the family members and their boat. Fanny, Antoine, Manon, Guy or even Marie-Rose, the trays are often named with the first names of the last born, a mother, a loved one... or a beloved wife.

The Christian tradition of fishermen from southern Italy is also strongly represented in the naming of the boats: Saint-Antoine (patron saint of fishermen), Good Mother, Mary Magdalene, Joseph...

Sometimes, they have the names of fish, fishing techniques or local winds which, with great poetry, describe the essence of the sea traditions of Marseille. We thus find boats bearing the sweet names of Girelle, Pagre, Gabian, or Mistraou...

Through this maritime culture so dear to Marseille, each tray becomes a historical chapter of the city, from a magnificent book that is the Old Port...