Cours Honoré-d'Estienne-d'Orves (Henri Estienne d'Orves Square), Marseille

The Henri Estienne d’Orves Square, one of Marseille’s most atmospheric gathering places, is named after Henry Estienne d’Orves, a French naval officer and hero of the Resistance who was executed by German occupation forces in 1941.

The area has deep maritime roots. In 1488, King Charles VIII established here a royal galley base for the French navy, complete with a garrison and nearly 8,000 prisoners who rowed the ships—echoes of this era appear even in Victor Hugo’s "The Miserable Ones", where Jean Valjean begins his life as a galley convict. When galleys became obsolete, the base passed to the city, and over the centuries the district evolved into a bustling harbour zone. Two of the original galley arsenals, numbers 23 and 25, still survive and have been transformed into a library, gallery, boutique, and restaurant complex known as “The Arsenals”.

By the mid-20th century, the site had fallen into neglect, but in 1989, under the guidance of urban planner Charlie Bové, the square was reborn. The renovation preserved the old stone façades of the warehouses, blending them with modern architecture and creating a lively pedestrian space lined with cafés, bars, boutiques, and art galleries. The square hosts art festivals, street performances, concerts, and even an ice rink in winter.