Marseille

Marseille - Citizens’ protests groups in Marseille have claimed that the city is facing its biggest crisis in decades as city-centre residents fear historical buildings, which have turned to slums, could crumble and fall. Grief and fury spread through the heart of the city after eight people were killed in November when two buildings collapsed near the picturesque old port.

Citizens’ protests groups are asking how a city that has spent millions in the past decade on high-profile waterfront museum projects and attracting cruise-ship visitors could abandon residents and architecture to fatal neglect.

In 2015, a government report warned that 40,000 dilapidated and dangerous homes were a health or security risk to 100,000 people, many in the city centre, but campaigners say little was done. Hundreds of families in Marseille have been evacuated from flats feared to be unsafe in recent months. Around 1,000 people – many on low incomes – are still sleeping in hotels, waiting to be rehoused.

Last local news

Evening Update Friday 31 October 2025

The French Minister of Culture has said that an inquiry into the recent burglary at the Louvre had revealed a “chronic underestimation” of the risks o... Evening Update Friday 31 October 2025 Read More

31/10/2025

French and Riviera News Friday 31st October 2025

Eight British tourists, including five children, were taken to hospital in the Dordogne after suffering carbon monoxide poisoning, reportedly caused b... French and Riviera News Friday 31st October 2025 Read More

31/10/2025

Evening Update Thursday 30 October 2025

Five suspects have been arrested after an armed robbery this afternoon in Lyon Evening Update Thursday 30 October 2025 Read More

30/10/2025

French and Riviera News Thursday 30th Ocotober 2025

In Paris, left-wing and far-right MPs have joined forces to pass a new measure against tax optimisation by multinational corporations, during the firs... French and Riviera News Thursday 30th Ocotober 2025 Read More

30/10/2025

Evening Update Wednesday 29 October 2025

A ceremony took place in Nice this morning to mark the fifth anniversary of the attack at the Notre-Dame Basilica ... Evening Update Wednesday 29 October 2025 Read More

29/10/2025