The Queen Mother came to Marseilles in person on June 15 to lay the first stone of the Capuchin convent, but due to a lack of financial means, the construction of the buildings would take a long time. The church was consecrated in 1616. Too small, another replaced it in 1694. The Capuchins were to form the largest religious community of men in Marseille. At the end of the 1791th century, their monastery, which included a cloth factory, a pharmacy, a botanical garden, a natural history collection and a cabinet of medals, extended to the current rue du Musée and de l'Académie. with entrance at the corner of rue Longue-des-Capucins. In XNUMX, the convent was declared national property, the monks were expelled, the buildings and land allocated and sold. Of their presence, only the names of the Capucins market and the rue Longue des Capucins remain.
The market today
Under the eyes of Statue of Peace (renovated in 2018) and facing the East Railway Station, we unearth on this market of about 20 exhibitors fruits and vegetables from Provence and elsewhere at unbeatable prices but to consume quickly. Rue Longue des Capucins is home to brick-and-mortar shops, made up of grocers, fishmongers, butchers, bakers and the neighborhood's mythical wood-fired pizzas... There are also spices and fresh herbs, galangal, fresh mafana brèdes, fortune cookies, green papaya, chilli paste, pistachio, Turkish halva and all kinds of cakes and other drinks at discount prices, unsold items from large retailers or small shops.
We also meet the famous street vendors trying to sell you cigarettes and signaling themselves with the phrase “Marlboro…cigarettes…Marlboro”. A specialized police brigade had been launched in January 2015 to neutralize them...but it is clear that they are still well anchored in the neighborhood. Some evenings dozens of street vendors come to try to sell all sorts of objects from unknown sources. The market benefited from a total renovation of its square and stands from January to June 2018. During this period it was moved to the top of the Place Leon Blum close Monument of Mobiles.
The market takes place from Monday to Saturday from 08:00 to 13:00.
