Marseille: France’s Crumbling City

On the 5th November last year, two apartment buildings collapsed in Marseille’s historic centre. Eight people died in a tragedy which has sent shockwaves through France’s second city, and the country.

The accident shed light on something that residents have been saying for years: Marseille’s city centre is falling apart. After decades of neglect by slum landlords, the poor, multi-ethnic area in the heart of the city is in a desperate state of disrepair. In a frantic attempt to avoid further disasters, the local government has evacuated thousands of residents from the area - and hundreds are still staying in hotels.

This tragedy has morphed into a political scandal which is shaken Marseille to the core – and anger at the local authorities is still palpable.

Presenter: Lucy Ash Producer: Josephine Casserly

(Image: Graffiti in the neighbourhood of Noailles, Marseille. Credit: BBC)