France, July 20 -- In the port city of Marseille in the south of France, a local artist is leading tours that shed light on the city's colonial past - a history little known today.

One morning onMarseille's main shopping street, Rue Saint-Ferreol, a group of around 20 people gathered around the artist Mariam Benbakkar for what she calls a "colonial downtown walk".

This neighbourhood, with its grand, imposing buildings, was constructed in 1848, when, after 20 years of war, Algeria was divided into three French departments.

"All the resources exploited in Algeria, but also in other colonies, arrived through the port of Marseille. This neighbourhood became a showcase for ship owners," explains Benbakkar.

She passes around a photo book .....