The Garden of Migrations

From the entrance to Fort Saint-Jean (on the Old Port side) and the courtyard of orange trees, climb up to the myrtle garden – a garden of delicately scented flowers and leaves – whose name is reminiscent of the Alhambra in Granada. This small courtyard, lined with myrtle and pomegranate trees, is reminiscent of the ceremonial garden of the Commander, who ruled here at the time of the Crusades.

Here, weeds take pride of place: milk thistle, stag’s horn plantain, mallow, sow thistle… These characteristic plants of overgrown environments, now relegated to the wayside, are nevertheless useful in more ways than one: it’s time to pay tribute to them!

At the rear of the Georges Henri Rivière building, follow the aromatic pathway: this garden of scents, planted at hand-height, encourages you to touch and reveal familiar scents. Thyme, sage, savory, oregano, lavender… Right next door, the vegetable garden tells the epic story of Mediterranean vegetables: tomatoes, zucchini, peppers, eggplant… A short history of ratatouille!

From the Place d’Armes, behind the bleachers, we enter the hill’s vast gardens, a mosaic of landscapes and cultivated terraces celebrating the vegetation of the Midi: garrigue, flower meadows, rows of vines, orchards… Picnic tables invite you to take a break in the shade of the olive trees.

This garden runs the length of the covered walkway, with its exceptional view over Marseille. Healing plants, witchcraft plants, love potions, poisons, plants from mythology and antiquity, from the Bible and the Koran… A great historical, mystical and mythological fresco told through plants!

These “healing herbs” used to be harvested on the morning of June 24th, the day of the nativity of Saint John the Baptist, the same saint who gave his name to the fort. Yarrow, mugwort, houseleek, ground ivy, wild daisy, St. John’s wort, sage… Take a seat in the heart of the 7 St. John plants: they ward off evil spells!