2 Montée des Accoules

The Church of Les Accoules: between medieval remains, revolutionary ruins, and spiritual rebirth
Tucked away in a narrow street of the Panier, in old Marseille, an octagonal bell tower seems to watch silently over the city. Welcome to the Church of Les Accoules, also known as Notre-Dame-des-Accoules—one of the oldest and most striking religious monuments in Marseille, and also one of the most battered by history.

A medieval church with a turbulent fate
The church’s story begins as early as the 11th century, probably on the ruins of a Roman temple. It was rebuilt in the 13th century in southern Gothic style, with tall naves and a remarkable bell tower. The latter, built on the Sauveterre tower, once rang the alarm bell and summoned municipal assemblies.

But in 1794, everything changed: the church was demolished during the Revolution. Only the bell tower was spared, as its clock was essential to the life of the port.

A resurrection in the 19th century
It was not until 1820 that it spirituality was revived on this site. A crypt representing the Holy Sepulchre was installed at the foot of the old wall, topped by a Calvary. Then, a new church was built a few meters away, in a sober, centralized style, crowned with a dome. It was consecrated in 1828 under the name Notre-Dame-du-Bon-Secours, in a Marseille undergoing a strong religious revival.

The inner courtyard, with its carved artificial rocks, evokes both the grotto of Lourdes and that of Mary Magdalene, overlooked by a Calvary. This unique ensemble reflects a period when faith, symbolism, and memory were meant to be combined.

And war struck again…
But the Church of Les Accoules was not done with hardship. In 1943, an Allied bombing targeting Marseille’s port infrastructure also hit the neighborhood. The church was partially damaged—its walls cracked, its dome weakened.

It was restored in 1951 thanks to war-damage funds, and again between 2007 and 2013: the dome was rebuilt, the natural spring flowing beneath the church was channeled, and the bell tower was repaired.

This modest site, nestled between narrow streets, has become an unintended icon: its bell tower, instantly recognizable, appears in the souvenir photos of thousands of visitors wandering the Panier district.

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