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Origin and history

The Magalone villa was commissioned at the end of the seventeenth century by the Magalon brothers, rich Marseille traders enriched in the arms trade and cabotage. His plans are traditionally attributed to architect Pierre Puget. Unfinished, it was sold in 1721 during the plague epidemic that ravaged Marseilles. The estate changed hands several times, notably belonging to the Sabran and Paul families, before becoming a national good after the Revolution.

In the 19th century, the woman of letters Madame de Ferry acquired the property and undertook its restoration in the early 20th century. The park, then spread over 12 hectares, was renovated by landscaper Edouard André in a classic style, highlighting the bastide and its statuary. In 1948, the villa was listed in the Supplementary Inventory of Historic Monuments. Urbanized in the 20th century (drilling of Michelet Boulevard, construction of the Cité radieuse de Le Corbusier), the estate, reduced to 1.4 hectares, became municipal property in 1987.

Today, the villa houses a municipal music school, while its park, open to the public, retains remarkable elements such as fountains symbolizing the Rhône and the Saône, statues of the Four Seasons attributed to Veyrier, and stone vases from the Grignan castle. In 2020, the Ministry of Culture withdrew its remarkable Garden label due to the deterioration of the statuary. A restoration is planned for 2025, with the aim of regaining this label. In 2023, the slaughter of 22 trees for sanitary reasons caused local controversy.

At its peak, the estate illustrated the splendor of Marseilles bastides: in the eighteenth century there were 5,800 in the suburbs of the city. The Magalone, with its geometric garden, terraces, chapel and groves, was the ideal retreat for the elite traders. The two terraces, decorated with balustrades and a staircase leading to a platform, created a harmonious transition between architecture and nature. Tulip aisles, lily-shaped box beds, and basins (circular and hexagonal) reflected the influence of Italian gardens.

The park also housed a small wood, a rose garden and bolters, while stone statues and vases, inherited from Grignan, enriched the spaces. Despite the vicissitudes (a drastic reduction in its area, loss of the label), the Magalone remains an emblematic example of Provencal landscape heritage, mixing architectural, botanical and contemporary cultural history.

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