The current Croix de Provence (1875) is the fourth monument of the same kind built on this site of the Sainte-Victoire mountain. The first cross dates back to the 16th century and would have been erected by a Marseille sailor who, during a shipwreck, would have vowed to build a cross on the first mountain he would encounter if he returned safely. Made of wood with a base adorned with two iron anchors, the monument did not endure the climatic conditions. In 1785, it was replaced by a second cross, also in wood, created by Jean Laurans and dedicated to the dauphin of France, Louis. Blown away by the mistral, it gave way to a third wooden cross built in 1842 on the initiative of a law student from the University of Aix-en-Provence. Renowned throughout the region and regarded as a place of pilgrimage, it was damaged by the pilgrims who tore off small pieces they took away as relics.