The city of Marseille is a melting pot of cultures from all over the world, home to a vast commercial port and a traditional hub of maritime trades. It is the capital of the South. With over one million inhabitants, it is France's second largest city and third largest metropolitan area. Its dynamic and festive atmosphere has made Marseille the showcase of the region.

Marseille is a noisy and lively urban center, with an intrinsically Mediterranean atmosphere. Stretching 57km along the coast, it is bordered by hills, which mark the natural limits of the city's territory (twice that of the city of Paris). Marseille's harbor is the biggest in France and one of the most important of the Mediterranean Sea.

Marseille handles millions of tons of freight annually. Petroleum refining and shipbuilding are the principal industries, but soap, glass, sugar, building materials, plastics, textiles and olive oil are also important products. Much of this modern industry contrasts with the neighboring vineyards and olive trees in the region. Marseille is not nearly as popular a tourist destination as other Provençal towns and the nearby Côte d'Azur, and is less popular with the foreign investors, although a number of English and Americans are homeowners in the nearby region, often working for any of the over 500 foreign-owned companies in the area.

The Euromeditterranean project - an urban renovation and economic development scheme - has contributed to recent rising prices in Marseille property. Le Panier is the area most favored by overseas buyers, although the Endoume quartier is perhaps most popular with American and British buyers who seek out the sea views and proximity of the beach. There is no tramway or metro in this quartier, making it much more tranquil than its neighboring areas.

History and Sites

Marseille was settled in 600 B.C. by Greek mariners who named their new trading port, Massalia. In 49 B.C. it fell to Rome. From the 5th to 8th century, Marseille faced wars, barbarian invasions, pillages and epidemics, which led to its impoverishment and depopulation. It became part of France in 1481. During the 18th and 19th centuries, the city grew considerably, but it suffered much damage during World War II, and since then much of the city has been rebuilt.

Unfortunately, few buildings from Marseille's long history still remain. The 19th century basilica and cathedral Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde and the University of Aix-Marseille are the best-known landmarks. Among the most notable of attractions is the old harbor - Le Vieux Port de Marseille - a fascinating place to spend time, with a wide range of things to see, including the daily fish market.

There is Marseille's archeology museum, Le Musée d'Archéologie Méditerranéene, which is home to the biggest collection of Egyptian antiquities in Provence, second in France only to the Louvre. The Musée Cantini hosts temporary exhibits of contemporary art, as well as a permanent collection modern art collection, including masterpieces from Balthus, Masson, Ernst and Derain.

Also worth seeing is the Unité d'Habitation de Marseille, a modernist residential building unit built by the Swiss architect Le Corbusier. Definitely worth a trip, is the Château d'If, an ancient prison island where The Count of Monte Cristo was jailed in Alexandre Dumas' famous novel.

Vieux Port de Marseille
Quartier de l'Opéra
04 91 33 25 44

Musée d'Archéologie Méditerranéene
2, rue de la Charité, 2nd arrondissement
04 91 14 58 80
Open 11am-6pm
Closed Mondays and holidays

Musée Cantini
19, rue Grignan
04 91 54 77 75
Open 11am-6pm
Closed Monday and holidays

Unité d'Habitation de Marseille
280, Boulevard Michelet
04 91 77 14 07

Château d'If Archipel du Frioul
04 91 59 02 30

A Dynamic Urban Center

Marseille is divided into 16 arrondissements, which are divided into 111 quartiers. It is served by its own metro train system, consisting of 2 lines, as well as by an extensive bus network. The city has it's own international airport, l'Aéroport de Marseille Provence, located in Marignane, and is also served by the TGV high-speed train.

The city's football club, Olympique de Marseille, is one of the largest and most successful in France. It is the best-supported club in the country. The Stade Vélodrome, often considered the Mecca of football, seats 60,000 and has an impressive 40,000 members.

Marseille sponsors numerous workshops for up-and-coming sculptors, painters and musicians. Many experimental music and audiovisual laboratories have now sprung up around the city. Cinema is also undergoing a rebirth, with an increasing number of film shoots taking place here each year.

The coast of Marseille, home to the world-famous Calanques (little coastal fjords), is a truly exceptional site featuring 50 beaches and bathing areas. The city's Prado beaches are often said to be one of Europe's most beautiful coastal zones, and a coveted venue for kite flyers, windsurfers and roller skaters. The spectacular Massif des Calanques, comprised of white cliffs and breathtaking little fjords, is heaven for hikers, rock climbers and scuba divers. It is also where the world's oldest underwater cave was discovered - the Grotte Henri Cosquer, featuring handprints dating back approximately 27,000 years.

For more information, contact the Marseille Tourist Office:

4, la Canebière
04 91 13 89 00

*Marseille has a population of approximately 1,350,000.