From his window, one sees the huge mobile cranes of the port and the sea. Foot of the building built in the 1950s, old buildings and social housing the old slaughterhouse became the Second Chance School. Further down the hill, the city Campaign Leveque, who was long the longest bar in Europe HLM.
It is in this industrial setting and worker's district Cabucelle that Virginia Lombard opened his guest room: she offers for 40 euros a night and a breakfast in his modest F3. It is one of the few to live in collective housing, among the members of the cooperative population Hotel North who wants to promote tourism in the northern suburbs of Marseille.
This old Parisian joined this network two years ago, attracted by the idea of social tourism in these deprived areas. Since then, she has specialized in urban walks - 6 euros per person for three hours of walking. Part-time gardener, it shows the flora of trails that wind through the fortified towns and cities in his neighborhood. But especially to discover the industrial heritage of the countries of immigration, "another as Marseille's Old Port and the Good Mother," she said.
Studying the cities
She tells the sugar industry, silos, soap, oil mills, the courées the trail and rare herbs, but especially popular cities and their inhabitants. "When you cross a group, I am recognized as one that is interested in cities," laughs this slender fiftieth anniversary. There is always curious who come to ask what they do or aggregate group to tell their stories. "These walks are also a human adventure: it allowed me to meet people in my neighborhood," still provides Virginia Lombard.
She accompanied them any kind of curious: Bordelais, Parisians or Belgians followers solidarity tourism, EDF employees sent by their works councils or "artists walkers" recommended by the French Federation of hiking. And many former. Those back to the neighborhood where they grew up and are just "émotionnés" when they review warehouses and alleys where they ran.
Homes bobos
After a big boom due to the events of Marseille cultural capital, the pace has slowed visits. Virginia is improvised archivist photos and stories that came entrust. This January morning, she went to the archives to find traces of the houses Castor, this self-build movement born after the second world war that sowed many workers houses on hills above the port.
In his eyes, the B & B is an annex. It hosts monthly a couple in his decorated bohemian apartment. "No more, to stay in the fun," agrees that precarious living on 500 euros a month. On the site, the twenty proposed by the association rooms feature other promises: that the comfort of renovated country houses or villas with swimming pool, the charms of the garden a beekeeper or a former lighthouse ... "C 'Yes, there was a lot of sores but they are nice, "smiles the planter.
While trying not to appear as the curious who cross the cities to tourists, she campaigned for more units are put to work at the heart of so many HLM on these heights. But until now subletting is prohibited in social housing. The association has contacted some donors to try to ease their rules. No answer yet. "It would make a small income residents of neighborhoods and allow to change their image," insists Virginia. She already has the name of the ride that would accompany this installation: "land of the cities."
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