Careening Basin and Rampe Saint-Maurice

Why is it significant?

Approach the iron railing overlooking the sheltered waters of the Bassin de Carénage at the western extremity of the Old Port.

Key Facts

Open the walk

Approach the iron railing overlooking the sheltered waters of the Bassin de Carénage at the western extremity of the Old Port. Excavated in the early nineteenth century within the defensive moats of the royal galley arsenals, this specialized dry-dock basin serviced the wooden hulls of merchant sailing ships arriving from the Levant and across the oceans. Here, shipwrights burned away dried sea barnacles and weed before caulking the planks with oakum and boiling pitch according to techniques handed down from ancient Greek mariners. The elevated Rampe Saint-Maurice towering above offers an incomparable view across the narrow channel entrance framed by Fort Saint-Nicolas and Fort Saint-Jean. The rhythmic sound of wooden mallets striking elm and oak still rings across the water, as skilled artisans restore traditional Provençal pointu boats and classic wooden yachts. Emerald-tinted water shimmers beneath the southern sun as bare masts create a delicate geometric forest against the white limestone bluffs. You sense here the uninterrupted lineage of maritime craftsmanship that sustained the port's freedom for centuries. The sharp scents of pine resin, linseed oil, and salt spray linger on the coastal breeze. Boats propped upon dry dock cradles reveal the sleek underwater lines designed to conquer Mediterranean gales with remarkable resilience. Generations of skilled ship carpenters and caulkers labored through winter mistrals and scorching summer suns, ensuring that merchant vessels remained seaworthy for perilous journeys across the Mediterranean.

Observe the elegant sheer of the wooden hulls: every traditional pointu features a prominent carved capian at the bow, a proud symbol of the boatmaster's identity.

In 1836, this basin hosted sea trials for the first iron-hulled steamship constructed in Marseille, built by pioneering naval engineer Philip Taylor.

Beneath the Rampe Saint-Maurice runs the underwater tunnel of the Old Port, opened in 1967 to carry traffic deep beneath harbor sediments.

Climb the steep Rue Robert to emerge onto Place Saint-Victor before the formidable fortified abbey.