Chemin de Saint-Etienne

The Saint-Etienne (or Saint-Symphorien) chapel is located on the hill of the same name. Erected at an altitude of 116 meters near the plateau called "Vulturno", it dominates the pond of Berre, the pond of Olivier and a sector to which it gave its name: the Saint-Etienne district. It is reached by the well-named "Chemin de Saint-Etienne" which leaves the "Chemin du Tour de l'Étang" after a beautiful oratory. It is a place full of history. Indeed, during many centuries all the inhabitants of Istré used to walk along the "Chemin de Saint-Etienne" once a year during the traditional "Récampado" organized on August 22nd. This procession, followed by a mass and a meal in the open air on the site of the chapel, commemorated the vow made in 1720 during the "great plague". While the epidemic was hitting Marseille and its surroundings hard, all the inhabitants of the village had promised to honor Saint-Etienne every year if their area was spared. From this chapel, located near the Saint-Michel chapel, an extraordinary view is offered to you... Anxious to bring back to life one of the oldest and most symbolic heritages of the city of Istres, the Saint Etienne Renaissance association is working on its restoration.