A district, or rather an enclave, very close to Saint-Jérôme, not far from la Rose. One of these spots where nobody goes. A sordid street ends there, with on each side stone blocks and darkened wall from so many burnt cars.
At the Renaude, there are the top and the bottom of the district. In a nutshell, at the top, there are the "Arabs" and at the bottom the "Gypsies". The ones in buildings, obviously gloomy, the others in little houses-garages that spill all over;
Between 1993 and 1994, I have made several trips there, trying to catch a statement of the place. Things were not easy, and to be accepted as a photographer, i needed to respect rules that were imposed to me from those who accepted me there.
I have to say that i ended up loving the Renaude. The law state is not always respected but solidarity between its inhabitants has keep its true meaning. Between poor people, once helps the other more easily. I don't know how are things today in Marseilles, but at the time, when we asked a map of the city at the tourism centre, the northern districts would not appear, and the bus would not go there after 9pm, except on a game night...

A few months ago, I went back to the Renaude. The setting has changed, becoming worse. It is hard to believe that we are in the middle of a big European city. People have changed too. Little girls are now mummies, young girls no longer have their graceful and cheeky figure. A few boys are missing, whether in jail or dead of overdose. Others, luckily, have a more peaceful life, but most of them that told me their longing to leave are still here, hooked to this slum. It must be because it has a soul!