ABSTRACT
This chapter analyzes Syrian migrants’ experience in Marseille at the end of the nineteenth century. Their journey from the Levant to the Americas included transit in the French port city. During their stay of a few days or even several weeks, the migrants faced several risks due to the presence of many brokers and thieves, but also the risk of being stuck in this city due to poor health or lack of money. Considering this context, this chapter deepens the question of experience: was this stop in Marseille always lived and described like a painful and dangerous one? Which skills did migrants develop in order to face them? How did they learn from these experiences, and to what extend and how was new knowledge transmitted to their family and compatriots?
