Marseilles

Geography

A historical territory defined by natural obstacles

See the Plans and sights by satellite of Marseilles with the geographical location, is 43° of Northern longitude and 5° of latitude Is

The city, second of France according to the INSEE (intramuros) but third after Lyon with regard to the Agglomeration and the urban Surface, is especially the oldest town of France and one of oldest of Europe.

Marseilles is one of the rare cities which strictly speaking does not have suburbs, these last (the aforementioned Districts north) are in fact integral parts of the city gathered in 13th, 14th, 15th and 16th districts.

Hydrography

The Huveaune and its affluent the Bulge now almost entirely covered, is the only river crossing Marseilles with the brook of Aygalades. For ten years, the major part of the river has been deviated towards the Purification plant of water of Marseilles because its mouth polluted the beaches of the city.

Marseilles is fed out of drinking water with 75% by the Canal of Marseilles (water of the Durance), and with 25% by the Canal of Provence (water of the Verdon).

Seismicity

Area PACA comprises zones at the seismic risks in particular in the areas of Nice and Aix-en-Provence, however for Marseilles the risks are negligible.

Topography

Its historical territory forms a kind of amphitheater, enclosed by the sea in the west, by mountains (Solid mass of the creeks) in the south with Marseilleveyre, by the Blue Côte in north with the Estaque (immortalized by the painter Paul Cézanne) and by the chains of the Star and the Garlaban in the North-East.

About half of the communal surface is in inconstructible natural territory and the city is spread out over an extremely vast territory, common fifth of the Metropolitan France by its surface. Thus its density (3 318 inhabitants with the km ²) is it largely lower than cities entirely urbanized such as Lyon (10 000 h/km ²) or Paris (20 164 h/km ²) but comparable with that of Toulouse (3 300 h/km ²).

From its size, Marseilles is 2,5 times larger than Paris, or five times larger than Lyon. In the NORTH-SOUTH direction, the city extends on 14 kilometers, between Notre Dame Limite and the Old port regarded as the center town. Then, it is necessary to still count large ten kilometers to reach the creeks of Sormiou and Morgiou which belongs to the 9th district of Marseilles. While skirting the Mediterranean that less makes a total of step than 21 kilometers to rejoin Callelongue, since Estaque.

Urban transport made difficult by topography and town planning

Such a vastness made difficult the development of transport. Marseilles is one of the only towns of France of more than: 200000 inhabitants not to be equipped with an urban peripheral. This results in a crossing of the obligatory city for all those which skirt the coast, the more so as the road which circumvents the city by the hills has been condemned for more than thirty years because of the fire hazards.

Turned towards the sea, the city a long time “was unaware of” the back-country of Provence whose only transportation route was a long time the valley of the Huveaune, towards Aubagne. However, the port activity moved gradually towards the northern littoral of the city, before being located on the site of Fos-sur-Mer arranged in the Années 1960.

Paradoxically, Marseilles is crossed by three Autoroute S which pours a continuous flood of cars in full center town: the A50 (Highway Is) which joined Aubagne and Toulon, the A55 (Highway of the Littoral) which joint the zone of Vitrolles, industrial facilities of the pond of Berre and Fos-sur-Mer and the airport with Marignane and the A7 (Northern Highway) which serves Aix-en-Provence and Lyon. The Tunnel Prado-Careenage, old railway tunnel reconverted in 1993 in road tunnel with toll, connects the end of A50 to the Old port, very close to the exit of A55. The Rocade L2, whose delivery does not cease being pushed back, will complete in fact a kind of intrapheric of a totality of 35 km. It should, in the long term, make it possible to unchoke the center town while making possible a skirting by the east.

In addition to the geographical constraints, town planning on an urban fabric marked by the sedimentation of the history makes all transport difficult. The city developed around the old Greek port become “the Old man-Port”, in particular during second half of the 19th century, period during which, she experienced a significant development, stimulated by the growth of the trade towards new the colonial Empire French: the Algeria, it Raising and Far East. The street of the Republic is an example of this town planning of the second Empire with its pace Haussmann ienne.

The crossing of the natural obstacle that is the port had been solved by the installation of a transporter bridge in 1905, dynamited by German in 1944. The crossing of the port was restored by the installation in the Seventies of two underwater tunnels.

Circulation remains very difficult of center town. From a practical point of view, when one circulates regularly in Marseilles, one notes that, unfortunately, it is often more the breakage-neck which at the priority.

Public transport is managed by a municipal control the Régie Transport of Marseilles (RTM) for the buses and the subway but the new tram was conceded with a consortium - the Tram - gathering the RTM and the private conveyer Véolia. The network is articulated around:

a network of bus including/understanding 78 lines,
two underground lines, partly underground, an overall length of 19 km (the Métro of Marseilles is a tyred subway derived from the technology developped at the point by the RATP and brought into service as from 1977), but conceived at all for the handicapped people
a network of tram of 11 km comprising two lines (Noailles - Caillols) and a line (Euroméditerranée - Blancarde) which was brought into service commercially partially on July 1st, 2007 - work of the Noailles tunnel having taken a delay very important.

The subway makes it possible to rather quickly traverse the center and the suburbs which it serves but its schedule are limited - closing of the network to 21:00 in week - and remain dependant on a network of bus which it feeds as users in a city relatively not very dense. The network of bus, which makes it possible to serve the least recess of the commune, is marked by a notable slowness - considered like the slowest network of France - and of the frequencies of passage relatively low - only one and single line, the 21, post a frequency day laborer from 5 to 7 min -, this one misses corridors protected in particular in the center - the few corridors in place are badly respected, as well by the private individuals as by the professionals.

Bus 83, to take from the Old port, borrows the Cornice which skirts the sea on several kilometers.

The new tram should be the occasion to revalorize public transport, not notorious weakness of the city. This improvement remains limited to some districts which it serves, there primarily benefit part of the districts Is whereas certain sectors, in the districts known as central, remain very badly served in particular around Saint-Victor and of the Belle de Mai. In the center, it crosses districts served already well by the subway the municipality having put on him like catalyst of an urban revalorization of the center town.

Since the month of October 2007, the device " VELO" is in place in the hyper-center: of Mazargues to the Joliette and Old man-Port with the Bulge, 130 stations (from 8 to 30 bicycles) will be arranged in the long term to accommodate 1000 bicycles.

Railway, air and maritime accesses

The train makes it possible to arrive directly in the middle same of the city. Since 2001, line TGV the Mediterranean connects Paris to Marseilles in 3 hours. The Station Saint-Charles which also makes it possible to join Brittany, Lille, Brussels, Burgundy and Lorraine directly by TGV. On the other hand the project LGV Provence-Alp-Coast of Azure will not allow the prolongation towards Italy before 2020.

The Gare Saint-Charles is also the convergence point of the principal lines of the regional network (T.E.R.). It is directly connected to the two Marseilles lines of subway, like to the coach station and sees passing more than 200 daily trains.

The International airport Marseilles-Provence, third airport provincial of France after Nice and Lyon is located at about thirty kilometers of Marseilles. Buses (every twenty minutes) and taxis connect in less than 30 min, the airport in the center town. It is under development full since the opening of an air terminal low-cost in October 2006. 220 regular sea links (half towards the Mediterranean, Africa and the Middle East) connect the wearing of Marseilles to 320 ports of 120 different countries. It is one of principal the access point to the Corsica within the framework of Territorial continuity.

A Mediterranean Climate

Marseilles profits one exceptional duration of sunning, with more than 2.800 hours of sun per annum and an average of hardly 59 days of rain (less than 600 mm of water per annum), partly thanks to the mistral which blows 90 days per annum and gives to the sky a purity and a characteristic bright light.

However in spite of a generally lenient climate, episodes extrèmes are recorded. Thus, the thermometer reached - 16,8 °C on February 12th, 1956 and + 39,7 °C on July 26th, 1983. In the same way, although the annual average of precipitations between 1971 and 2000 were of 544 mm, September 19th, 2000 and on December 1st, 2003 one measured more than 200 mm of rain of 24 hours.

History of Marseilles

Marseilles symbols

Currency and heraldic

Large fachs resplend the cioutat of Marseilles (1257) (the Town of Marseilles resplendit by its important facts), which was translated into Latin Actibus immensis urbs fulget Massiliensis , since 1691.
Other currencies: Massilia civitas (1675), civesque Massiliam vere Victor tuere (1691), Fama volat (1704), Illustrat quos summa fides (1705), Eximia civitas (1816).

Toponymy

Of the Greek Massalia (to locate the tonic Accent on the I in accordance with the Greek language), was rested by sailors come from Phocée, Phokaia in Greek. This root is always associated with the town of Marseilles.

However, several assumptions are provided on the first name of Marseilles. The first relates to the current opinion which gives Farmhouse-Salia , the residence of the Salyens. However, if the first word is of Provence, second is Latin. Also, some leant for the Greek Mασσα (Massed). Indeed, Phocéens had as a practice to bring Asia Mineure the name of Massa to cities, castles, rivers, etc One finds for example more than thirty Massa in Italy; knowing that the words Mαζα or Mασα mean in Latin Libum , offering of crowned cakes. As for the final λεις , it is about formative of the adjectives, the Marseillais being sacrificateurs; the city, that of the sacrifices.

Massalia became then Massilia at the time Roman then in Occitan Provençal: Marselha according to the traditional standard or Marsiho according to the standard mistralienne. One calls the city Marsiglia in Italian, Marsella as a Catalan and Spanish, Marselha in Portuguese, Marseilles or Marseilles in English, Massilien formerly in German (but Marseilles in current German).

the Marseillaise

In 1792, Mullet of Lisle, young officer of the Genius, composed with Strasbourg the “ Battle song of the Army of the Rhine ”. This anthem, which was published, arrived to Marseilles which has accommodated the Révolution with enthusiasm. The city, sending to Paris 500 volunteers, offers a banquet to them, during which somebody sings the work come from Alsace. It raises enthusiasm and the assistants take it again in chorus. When they ravel in the streets of Paris their hot voices of Southerners, who launch to any flight the ignited stanzas, electrify crowd. The new anthem finds its name at once: it is “the Marseillaise”. A commemorative plaque of Mullet of Lisle is visible street Thubaneau with the center of Marseilles.

Marseilles before Marseilles

The primitive site of the city

The topography first of the site of Marseilles Greek is still largely perceptible nowadays, in spite of the important modifications of the 19th Promontoire century surrounded by the sea, it is dominated by three successive hillocks: the ridges the St. Lawrence (26 m of altitude in 1840), the ridges Mills (42 m, associated with the hillock of the Rocket, 38 m), and finally the ridges Carmelite friars (approximately 40 m). The collars between these heights collected the flows of water. Last element of natural topography, the zone of Strong Midsummer's Day presented, until the voluntary fill for the construction of the fort, a slope towards the sea in the north which is not obviously perceptible any more now. Several Talweg S flowed in the port: one between the hillock of the Carmelite friars and the hill Saint-Charles, a second much more important in the axis of Canebière current and finally a third in the south (axis of the street Breteuil, called valley Fogaresse with the Middle Ages).

Traces of a prehistoric settlement

The site is for a long time occupied by the men as the discovery in 1991 testifies some to the Grotte Cosquer, in one of the creeks of Marseilles and of which occupation between: 27000 and: 19000 before our era is attested. Recent excavations put at the day of the vestiges of a Neolithic establishment which goes back to: 6000 before our era, close to the Station Saint-Charles, around the street Bernard Dubois. Recently, the archeologists released what could be believed ground walls, holes of posts, as well as tools out of flint and objects in shells.

Marseilles, Greek city

Its foundation, which goes up with 600 before J. - C., is the fact of Greek come from Phocée (city now disappeared located in Asia Mineure), the Phocée NS fleeing the invasions Perse S in 546 av. J. - C.. The date is given by various ancient authors, with alternatives; the archaeological discoveries are not opposed to this date.

The legend of Gyptis and Protis

The exact conditions of the foundation of the city are lacking to the history of the city, one retains today only a not very precise legend. Two ancient authors us kept description of it: Trogue-Pumped (shortened by Justin) and Aristote in its Constitution of the Marseillais.

The territory would have been occupied by a tribe Celto-Ligurian, that of the Ségobriges, which would have been established towards the current village of Allauch. The day of the arrival of the Greeks, the chief of this tribe, Nanos, organized a meal during which his/her Gyptis daughter had to choose her husband by tightening a cut to him. The Greeks were invited to join the banquet and the young chief of those, Protis, was chosen, thus sealing the foundation of a new city which it set up on the edges of the horn of the Lacydon, the small river which emerged in the North-East of the Old port.

The Phocée NS then built a city turned towards the sea and the Commerce. The legend of the meeting and alliance between the sailor Protis (Phocéen) and of beautiful the Gyptis (Ligure) establishes its tradition of commercial city firmly.

Evolution of the Greek city

The archaeological excavations revealed the vestiges of the first traces of the Greek habitat directly in contact with a virgin ground on the most Western part of the site (the St. Lawrence ridges). In the actual position of our knowledge, the Greek city does not seem to have succeeded an occupation more summary native. Very quickly the city increases and extends to the Eastern slope from the hillock from the Mills. Lastly, it includes the third hillock (known as Carmelite friars) before the end of sixth century BC. A last extension at the time hellenistic enables him to reach a surface of approximately 50 ha, that the city will not exceed before the 17th century.

The Greek fortification of the end of sixth century BC was found in two points of the city: with the Garden of the Vestiges and on the hillock of the Carmelite friars, at the time of emergency excavations in the years 1980. A rebuilding takes place at the time Greek traditional, in second half of fourth century BC. Lastly, about the middle of second century BC, the whole of the fortification is rebuilt in large pink limestone apparatus. This rampart is still visible on the Garden of the Vestiges (leaning tower and wall known as " of Crinas ").

The interior of the city is cut out in small islands, with streets with right angle which constitute coherent units, adapted with the natural topography of the site. Thus along the shore the ways have changing axes, while the slopes of hillocks are squared systematically.

Few monuments are known; Strabon (IV, 1,4) announces the Ephésion (devoted to Artémis) and the sanctuary of Apollon “ Delphinios” . Some archaeological discoveries refer to religious buildings: a capital of the end of sixth century BC found in re-employment in a modern wall and steles with sitted goddesses (coming from a sanctuary with Cybèle?). With the foot of the place of Lenche, the Caves of Saint-Saver are the only building preserved since the Antiquity whose knowledge had been kept; some see an ancient fountain there (F. Salviat), but more recently one proposed the function of attic with corn or arsenal (H. Tréziny). Released by F. Benoit after the second world war, this monument unfortunately was not kept intact since and is today inaccessible. This building marked the topographic limit between a low part (in the south), near to the port and the collar between the St. Lawrence hillocks and to the Mills (in the north, currently materialized by the place of Lenche). It is supposed that the Greek agora was located at the site of the Roman forum, that is to say in the south of the Cellars of Saint-Saver.

The excavations revealed a hydropathic establishment in addition fourth century BC with the street Leca and many vestiges of habitat and streets (in particular street of Pistoles or close to the cathedral of the Major).

Outside the walls, the recent excavations highlighted a cadastration established as of the end of sixth century BC, as well as the exploitation of loam pits which one abundantly found in the geological substrate (site of Alcazar); thereafter with the same site a culture of the vine and probably of other plantations develops. The necropoles are known for us either by old discoveries or by the excavation, in 1990, of the Park Holy-Bores. Thus takes shape a varied suburban landscape, where the field of deaths alternated with that of the alive ones.

End of independence

Marseilles, as recalls it the discoveries, knows a strong growth and becomes a prosperous city, alive strong commercial relations with Greece, minor Asia then Rome. The city jealous of its independence is managed freely. The Marseilles constitution referred to those of the Ionian cities. The city was controlled by a directory of 15 " premiers" chosen among 600 senators (Strabon, IV, 1,5). Three of them had the preeminence and the essence of the executive power.

Customer of Pumped and Jules César, it refuses to take party between the two into -49, while accommodating the emissary of Pumped. Besieged by three legions for two months by César then by its Trebonius legate, it is finally taken ( Bellum Civile , delivers I, 34-36, etc). It is private then of its colonies and must be subjected to Rome. The Romans attached it to the province Narbonnaise.

Marseilles, Roman city

At the time of Auguste, the city knows a news great phase of construction. The agora-forum is rebuilt as testify to it to the fragments to pavements discovered by F. Benoit in the south of the Cellars of Saint-Saver. The forum was bordered in the west by another large building, the theater , whose some steps preserved until our days in the enclosure of the college of the Old man-Port.

thermal baths are installed along the port also at the same time. The vestiges, re-installed on the Villeneuve-Bargemon place, are visible almost with their site of origin behind the Town hall.

During the Early empire, the port area is considerable. It extends on northern bank from the port, follows the horn of the port (Garden of the Vestiges) whose quay is rebuilt at the time flavienne, and is prolonged at the bottom of the current Old man-Port. In this zone, the excavations of the General-of-Gaulle place released a large empierrée esplanade which can correspond to arranged saltworks. Many warehouses with dolia are known; part of the one of them was preserved in ground floor of a building (Museum of the Roman docks).

The archaeological excavations of these fifteen last years showed the vitality of the city. Then, during the Low Empire, the city seems to decline slightly with the profit probably of Arles.

Marseilles during late Antiquity

The city develops again as from the 5th century of our era. Inside the city, the construction of a first large cathedral mark power of a bishop, probably Proculus, which makes a point of competing with Arles. Two funerary basilicas were found in excavation. One, hypothetical, excavated for half in the influence of the buildings of Course Belsunce by J. and Y. Rigoir in 1959, and per G. Bertucchi in the construction of the Center Stock Exchange in 1974. The second is clearly attested by the excavation of Mr. Moliner, street Malaval (2003-2004), with the discovery of an intact memoria under the chorus.

On the horn of the port, filled, a habitat which one finds the trace, out the walls develops, to the current library of Alcazar (excavation Mr. Bouiron). On this site, one could highlight a direct continuity with Roman constructions; a group of buildings develops gradually between the 5th century and the 7th century, with in a last state, a vast building of the warehouse type. The buildings are abandoned at the beginning of the 8th century

The vitality of the trade is perceptible by the ceramic discoveries of productions coming from all Mediterranean, privileged witnesses of the goods which flow to Marseilles lasting the ostrogothic period and mérovingienne.

Taken in the movements of the conflicts between kings Francs, the city seems to lose of its importance starting from the resumption in hand of Provence by Charles Martel and the plundering of the city which accompanies it.

The medieval city

Spent the year millet, Marseilles again appears a flourishing port which takes part in the Crusades. The Marseillais are present in North Africa and have a district at Midsummer's Day d' Acre. If the catch of the latter puts a term at the adventure out of Holy Land, their presence is largely attested in the Mediterranean throughout the Middle Ages. The catch of the city by the Catalans in 1423 and the destruction which was followed from there caused a deep decline at the end of the Middle Ages.

Marseilles in IXe and Xe centuries

We have little information on Marseilles Carolingian. We know that towards 780, the Mauronte bishop endeavoured to reconstitute the inheritance of his church, then dispersed. Later, we see through the Polyptique of the Wadalde bishop (between 814 and 818) that the management of the goods of the church, entered in a rational way, is similar to that which hold at the same time, large abbeys of the North of France. Follows one difficult period for Marseilles, which is plundered by Buckwheats into 838 and the Greek pirates into 848. Marseilles is concerned these devastations slowly. As of 904, the abbey of Saint-Victor is seen equipped with southern bank of the port by the king of Provence Louis the Blind man. The absence of mentions in the Scandinavian chronicles does not make it possible however to imagine that Marseilles loses its place of door towards the Mediterranean. It should however be admitted that the time remains dubious, with the contentions of the last entire Carolingians turned towards Italy and not hesitating to treat with Buckwheats when their ambitions require it. Thus in 923 they devastate the monastery of Saint-Victor and the territory Marseilles. Starting from the middle of the 10th century, the situation is stabilized. The count of Provence chooses a brother of the Honorat bishop, wire of Arlulf, Guillaume, like Viscount of Marseilles. Its descendants will be during several generations either bishop or Viscounts of Marseilles.

The topography of the city is let with difficulty perceive. There exists a fortification reduced on the top of the hillock the St. Lawrence, it is the Château Babon ( castrum Babonis ) of the texts of the 12th century the name of Babon refers to a bishop, mentioned in connection with polyptique lost abbey of Saint-Saver, and who could have exerted during the 9th century the delimitation of this enclosure is difficult because this fortification already practically disappeared at the end of the 14th century No vestige is not known. Including part of the high city belonging to the bishop, it was to contain the zone of strong Midsummer's Day and to arrive to the street Fountain-of-Winds, in the vicinity of the current place of Lenche. Mr. Bouiron highlighted, in contact with this fortification, a second strengthened unit centered around the Major, the borough of the Major who contains part of the hillock of the Mills. The mention in the Charte of 904 of a castrum was interpreted in the past like a mention of the Babon Castle. It seems more probable to see, in partnership with other mentions of files, a third fortification, this one concerning count, around the old door of Italy and of Tholonée, place of perception of toll. Thus takes shape a multipolar city, with the image of so much of other cities of the Early middle ages.

The revival of XIe century

During first half of the 11th century, the political stability and the development of the abbey of Saint-Victor reinforce the development of the city. The joint possession between bishops and Viscounts benefits the unit from the city, whose division inherited the Early middle ages grows blurred gradually. The recasting of the convent of Saint-Saver (with the site of the church of Accoules), about 1030, with the center of the space located between the old comtale city and the old episcopal city, had to be accompanied by a rebirth of the habitat in this zone.

Marseilles with the low Middle Ages

Another misfortune, the great plague penetrated in Europe by the port phocéen in 1347.

The December 15th 1437, the count de Provence Rene of Anjou, which succeeded his/her father Louis II of Anjou, like king de Sicile and duke of Anjou, arrives at Marseilles, and supports by privileges the raising of the city, which he regards as a strategic maritime base to reconquer his Royaume of Sicily.

The Marseillais, n the other hand, undertake the rebuilding of the ramparts. The king Rene, who wishes to equip the entry with the port of a solid defense, decides to make build on the ruins of old the turn Maubert , a news more important tower. Jean Pardo, engineer, conceives of them the plans and Jehan Robert, mason of Tarascon, carries out work. This construction spreads out 1447 with 1453. The King makes build the foundations of the pedestal, then work is suspended fault of appropriations and it is finally thanks to the assistance of the inhabitants of Marseilles and in particular of the corporation of the fishermen that they can begin again.

In 1524, the French defend the city besieged by the army of the Holy roman Empire Romain.

The rise of the XVIIIe century

The beginning of the 18th century marks hard the city, the plague of 1720, which was certainly not the first, but whose devastations must with the impéritie of the Marseilles municipal officials, keep silent between one the third and half of the inhabitants and puts an end during long months to any economic activity.

The downtown area changes, Canebière, which is presented until there in the form of a great a 250 m length place, becomes a large artery which goes down to the Old port. It becomes the center of the businesses. Apart from the center town, the Marseilles agglomeration comprises a structured landscape of country houses. In same time, Marseilles, which has the oldest Chamber of commerce of France (founded in 1599), acquires the notoriety of a world port. With this great rise of the driving trade of the Marseilles economy, demography explodes and locates from now on Marseilles at the 3rd rank of the French cities.

Marseilles, port of the colonies

In 1773, Jean-Baptiste Grosson, notary royal and cultivated man, who was interested much in the history of his birthplace, and published 1770 with 1791 the historical Almanach of Marseilles , made appear a work entitled “ Recueil of antiquities and Marseilles monuments which can interest the history and arts ”, which referred a long time for the history of the monuments of the town of Marseilles.

The 19th century, with its procession of industrial innovations (of which the appearance of navigation with vapor), the end of barbaresque piracy, the conquests of France as of 1830 then the boring of Suez Canal, stimulated the maritime trade and the prosperity of the city which passed from approximately 300.000 inhabitants in 1870 to approximately 600.000 inhabitants in 1940.

Consequently, the port area overflows of its historical perimeter (the Old man-Port) and extends from 1844 with the shores North: the current basins of the Joliette are open in 1853, those of the Lazaret and Arenc in 1856.

Marseilles celebrated this richness through the colonial exposures of 1906 and 1922 which were a sharp success. The arrival of several hundreds of thousands of repatriates of Algérie traumatized in 1962 marked the spirit of the city.

Large building sites of the XIXe century

The territorial and demographic increase in east city at the origin of a major building site of the century: the adduction of water of the the Durance, decided since 1834 by the mayor Maximin Consolat; this measurement is essential more especially as this year a great dryness and an cholera epidemic prevail.

The construction of a channel of 87 km, by 5.000 workmen asks for eleven years of work, and the water of the Durance arrives on July 8th, 1847 at Marseilles. In 1862, in order to commemorate this event, the architect Henry Espérandieu (1829-1874) is charged to carry out a monument, the Palais Longchamp, which will be inaugurated in August 1869. This last had also built the basilica of Notre-Dame of the Guard as from 1853 (it was devoted in 1864).

The other large building site of the century is, like everywhere in France at that time, related to the arrival of the railroad. Marseilles is connected to Avignon in 1848, in Lyon in 1854. At the same time, the access to the downtown area is facilitated by the construction into 1845 of a station on the hillock Saint-Charles. In 1857, the " line impériale" Paris-Marseilles is finished.

In 1884 a new cholera epidemic prevails.

In 1891 beginning of work in Marseilles of a sewerage system leading to the main sewer.

Marseilles the unsubdued one

This turbulent character appears in a recurring way in the history of the city. The Topography and the marine character of the Marseillais made that the counts of Provence had evil to control Marseilles thanks to their commercial independence. It is necessary to await Charles Ier of Anjou so that Marseilles loses the autonomy which it had acquired by repurchasing the seigneuriaux rights to the Viscounts of Marseilles. The court comtale was installed in Aix-en-Provence. During the transmission to the kingdom of France of the county of Provence (1481), the provincial institutions remain in this city. This competition Aix/Marseilles found several echoes in the history of the two cities, in particular at the time it withdrawal of the episcopal capacity of Marseilles. This competition is still palpable nowadays.

1209 : Excommunication of Hugues Iron. The city “is prohibited” by the Légat of the Pape.
1216 : The inhabitants of the low city enter in revolt against the bishop.
1218 : New “prohibition” of the city. Excommunication of its inhabitants.
1229 : The low city, after a new revolt against the bishop is " interdite" and excommunicated. She recognizes the suzerainty of Raymond VII of Toulouse. She refuses that of Raimond Bérenger V.
1252 : First peace agreements between Charles of Anjou and Marseilles, which was subjected.

The economic and political independence of Marseilles compared to the France will perdura until the end of the 15th century.

Thirty years after its fastening with the Kingdom of France, a visit returned to the city, attracted by curiosity to see a Rhinocéros. This animal was a gift of the king of the Portugal Emmanuel I {{er}} with the Pape Leon X, the ship having made shipwreck, one failed the animal on the island of Yew. benefitted from this visit to realize of the geographical location of the city and set up two fortifications for " protéger" the city. It thus made build the Château of Yew and a fort on the stones of a hermitage, Notre-Dame of the Guard. This protection of the city was only one pretext to supervise it; indeed, no piece of artillery could, since the Château of Yew, to reach ships wanting to besiege the ville.
It is necessary to await the French revolution and the standardization of the French territory (language, currency, right) so that Marseilles loses this specificity which it always tried to preserve. It is undoubtedly not for only the revolutionary song of Rouget of Lisle rained with the Marseillais and was called the Marseillaise. During Convention, the protestor spirit of the city made him lose its name: it was renamed, during 4 weeks, “ the City-without-name ”! Lyon knew the same fate.

During the painful rising of the common of Paris, the city knew also its insurrection but this one was of short duration. In 1938, Marseilles knew the terrible fire of the store the New Galleries which devastated some buildings on the Canebière. sight since the last stage of the Hospital of Marseilles Vis-a-vis the indiscipline of the Marseillais and the incapacity of the firemen to make reign the order to proceed to the helps, Edouard Daladier which was present for a congress declared:

“is there thus nobody to make reign the order in this city! ”

Thus, Marseilles was put under supervision and was equipped with an extraordinary administrator.

Marseilles is also undisciplined; " One will have needed the fabulous adventure of the Coupe of America - and disgusted mimicry of the Swiss visitors - so that the Marseilles elected officials take the right measurement of the problem of dirtiness in their ville".

In 2004 the municipality had to put in circulation 16 motor bikes equipped to collect the canine dejections. A fine of 100 euros would be inflicted with any surprised person " in red-handed of deposit of refuse on the sol" , " making make its needs with its animal on the pavements without collecting the immondices" , " leaving its refuse apart from the horaires".

The Second world war

Following the American unloading in North Africa, Marseilles is found occupied by the German army on November 12th 1942, as the remainder of the southern Zone. The city will suffer largely from the occupation, and in particular the district of the Panier in the north of the Old man-Port, qualified criminal district by the Nazis. In the night from January 22nd to 23rd 1943, several thousands of people are stopped, and two days later, on January 24th, the general S Oberg, assisted of the prefect Rene Bousquet orders to the inhabitants of the district of the Old man-Port to evacuate their residence in the two hours, with 30 kg of luggage. 30.000 people are expelled. In the two weeks which follow, 1.500 buildings are dynamited, leaving a field of ruins until the release.

Marseilles also undergoes several air raid warnings. The American bombardment of May 27th 1944 is particularly devastator and causes nearly 2.000 victims.

August 15th 1944 takes place the unloading in Provence. On this occasion the occupant makes jump the harbor installations: more than 200 ships are cast and Transporter bridge celebrates it destroyed.

FFI of Marseilles (and among them Gaston Defferre) prepare the release of the city. On Monday, August 21, they launch the insurrection accompanied by a watchword of general strike. But badly armed and very few, their position is critical until the arrival of the Algerian riflemen of the general of Monsabert who penetrate in Marseilles the Wednesday the 23rd. The engagements with the German army will continue several days, until the capitulation of the general Schaeffer on August 28th. The 29, the general of Lattre attends the procession of the Army of Africa on Canebière.

Population

Cosmopolitan Marseilles

Marseilles was always the “crossroads of the world”. At the end of the 18th century, half of the population was not Marseilles origin: among the independent groups from abroad were the Italians (Génois or Piémontais for the majority) as well as Spaniards, Greeks or Levantines.

The city phocéenne accommodated several national groups during only the 20th century: Poor and Greek Italians starting from the end of the 19th century, Russian emigrants in 1917, Armenians in 1915 and 1923, Spaniards after 1936, Maghrebians since the inter-war period, Africans after 1945, Pied-noir after 1962.

Marseilles is the first Corsican city of France, the second city Arménie and does not count approximately: 200000 Moslem (25% of the population): 80000 Jews: 50000 Protestant and more: 10000 Buddhist .

With died of Gaston Defferre in 1986, eight young people of different ethnic origins were charged to carry its coffin. It was an important symbol in a city which had lived an important racist blaze in 1973.

As of 1990 pennies the impulse of the mayor Robert Vigouroux was created Marseilles-Hope. This associative structure gathered representatives of the various religious communities which engaged a theological but rather of social order and cultural dialog not of order on the management of the city. In spite of the unfavorable context (crisis of the suburbs, problem of the scarf, terrorist attacks, strong electoral score of the national Left) Marseilles-Hope. was going to become an authority of regulation, always requested at the time of local, national or international events being likely to cause Community tensions.

To commemorate the 2600 years of the city, all the components of the local cosmopolitanism were joined together: 6.000 artists of all the origins, affirming their pride to be Marseilles, proposed spectacles as various as Eastern dances, hip-hop, rap, provençaux songs, techno, African percussions, Corsican polyphonies or French variety. Its success was made possible thanks to a strong mobilization of artists, teachers, employees of town hall, all voluntary.

The young people in the districts, meet, live and act together, find themselves once the year with the Fiesta of the suds (four concerts per evening, 25.000 m ² of music, of festival, two concert halls). They are “proud to be Marseilles” and to like OM in spite of its vicissitudes.

Many festivals of districts take place, mainly the beginning and the end of the summer, and make it possible all to meet: Celebrates Basket, Plain, Belle de Mai…

However the unanimity does not reign for the acceptance of Marseilles " black, white, bor " : The National front regularly obtained in Marseilles a record number of voices to all the elections preceding those by 2007 when Nicolas Sarkozy was elected by the majority of the population voter.

Marseilles population

After an serious attack in the years 1970 and 1980 (due partly to the closing of the Suez Canal) which saw the population passing of more than: 900000 with less: 800000 inhabitants (in spite of a rather positive natural balance), the State and the Marseilles authorities decided in the Années 1990 and 2000 to start again the economy of the city: the program Euroméditerranée is a vast program aiming at attracting the companies and being accompanied by an important urban rehabilitation in the districts of the center town being next to the port authority.

Second town of France with more 820 000 inhabitants, Marseilles is also the 3rd urban Unité of the country (after Paris and Lyon) with 1 350 000 inhabitants (1999), including Aix-en-Provence in north, Martigues and Vitrolles in the west and Aubagne in the east.

For the pattern of the settlement by Districts:

Economy

Marseilles and its neighborhoods represent a fish pond of approximately a thousand of companies of which 90% are TPE.

In 1999 on the 257.721 Marseillais having an employment 226.021 worked in the commune, 23.083 in another commune of the Aix-Marseilles agglomeration, 3.511 in another commune of the department.

On the 293.019 uses of commune 66.998 were occupied by workers living out of the commune.

Marseilles is the seat of the Chamber of commerce and industry Marseilles-Provence and of the Regional court of trade and industry of Azure-Corsican Provence-Alp-Coast. It manages the Aéroport of Marseilles Provence to Marignane, which is the 3rd air platform of France.

A declining primary sector

fishing

One of the main ports of fishing of the French Mediterranean coast but far behind Sète and Port-Vendres: for all the maritime district of Marseilles, one counts nothing any more but 260 sailors for 125 ships practitioner a traditional fishing. The annual throughputs are of approximately: 1000 tons.

agriculture

There also remains some market gardenings or floral in certain districts.

An industrial sector which almost deserted the city

Between the 17th century and the 20th century, the flourishing industry of the Household soap, tiles and ceramics, food products, oils or pastes, naval construction, was a window for the city. All the railroads of the South of France also converged towards the port and docks of Marseilles. Two financial counted much in second half of the 19th century, by transforming and modernizing the town planning of the city and its industrial fabric: Paulin Talabot (1799-1886) and Jules Test cards (1809-1871). Jules Mirès moreover conceived, without carrying them out, the plans of urban renovation of the port of Joliette taken again today, and it traced the large avenues haussmanniennes of Marseilles. A street bears its name in the city phocéenne. In 1854 its iron and steel Company " lighting with gas, foundries and blast furnaces of Marseille" obtained the monopoly of the lighting of the city and that of Arles. The end of the colonies, the crisis of French industry and the geographical shift of the establishments (zones of the valley of Huveaune, of Vitrolles and the Pond of Berre-Fos on Sea) almost reduced to nothing the industrial employment in the city.

Marseilles, a tertiary city

The second French pole of scientific research

The Provence Delegation and Corsica, are the second regional pole of CNRS after the Ile-de-France: by its budget of 140 MЄ, its manpower: nearly 1.900 agents CNRS (including 853 researchers) and 2.000 people (including more than 1.600 researchers) of the universities of Aix-Marseilles and other organizations (INSERM, INRA…) take an active part in research, by its 110 operational structures of research and service including 90 research units.

The majority of the operational structures (94%) is established in Marseilles and Aix-en-Provence, and distributed on 23 sites. The Marseilles-Aix surface gathers, with it only, 95% of agents CNRS of the Delegation: 77% on the Marseilles zone and 18% on from Aix zone.

It is about latest research on a world level: 3 Marseilles researchers took part in discovered (who remains to be validated) “manufacture” of “universal blood”; Marseilles scientists discovered news Exoplanète S. All the principal fields of research are represented, with however a prevalence of and the social science life sciences and company:

Nuclear physics and corpuscular
Mathematical, theoretical physics and of the condensed matter, nanosciences mechanics,
Acoustic, optical, laser, materials
Technologies information and engineering
Chemistry, thermics, combustion
Astrophysical, ocean, atmosphere and sciences of the ground and the environment
Immunology, cancerology, genomic, neurosciences, structural biology and microbiology…
Archeology, history, right, economy, anthropology, sociology, linguistics, town planning…

High level hospitals

The Public assistance of the hospitals of Marseilles is specialized in all the disciplines, and has a technological level which enables him to deal with the medical requests most pointed. Its attractivity exceeds the regional borders for the cases which require a sophisticated high-tech and equipment. The AP-HM is a major actor of the Marseilles economy. With 15.000 agents he is the first employer of the area.

The fields of excellence are: hospital of children (medicine néonatale), pathologies rare (badly burned persons, hematology, neurosurgery); transplantation of bodies (traumatology, Clerc's Offices osseous…).

The principal public corporations attached to the Public assistance of the hospitals of Marseilles are: the Holy-Marguerite hospital and the hospital Salvator (9th district), the hospital of Timone and the hospital of the Design (5th district), the Northern hospital (15th district).

The Hôpital of instruction of armies (HIA) Laveran (13th district) takes part in the hospital public service

Principal private establishments are the Institute Paoli Calmettes (Regional center of fight against cancer) (9th district), the hospital Paul Desbief (2nd district), the Saint-Joseph hospital (8th district) and the hospital Ambroise Paré (6th district).

Teaching

There exist three universities on Marseilles gathering more than 60.000 students: the University of Provence - U1: Exact sciences, letters and social sciences, the University of the Mediterranean - U2: Exact sciences, health, sport and economy and the University Paul Cézanne - U3: Exact sciences, right, political science, economy applied and management.

Those share the whole of the scientific lesson (exact sciences), constituting one of the most important whole of research and scientific teaching in France. A merger plan of the 3 universities is in hand.

The principal campuses are located at Luminy, Saint Charles, Saint Jerome, Château Gombert, and for the medical lesson Timone and the Northern Hospital. These universities have also establishments mainly on Aix-en-Provence but also in all the academy. The universities U1 and U3 having besides their seat in Aix-en-Provence. The bicephalous character of these universities is mainly inherited their history: the lesson on Marseilles related in a general way to the exact sciences, whereas on Aix-en-Provence, in fact the social sciences prevailed.

The Lycée Thiers proposes the most famous Preparatory classes of the area, however Marseilles does not have re-elected universities, only having their seat in Marseilles being: the central School of Marseilles, School of engineers of which first the promotion left in 2006, born from fusion various Schools of engineers; Euromed Marseilles School of Management, in the past " National college of business of Marseille" who had never acquired particular reputation; ESIL (University of engineers de Luminy), presents on Marseilles since 1993, which trains Engineers specialized in 6 fields: data processing, biomedical, biotechnology, materials, networks and multi-media (old School of the Internet, open since 2005); Polytech' Marseilles (University Polytechnic school of Marseilles) born from the regrouping of 3 schools of engineers in 2001 (IUSTI, IUSPIM, ICF) training engineers specialized in 4 fields: Mechanics-energetics, Industrial engineering and Data-processing, Microelectronic and Telecommunication, Civil engineering.

The companies headlights

Among the companies of famous one finds: CMA-CGM (one of the world leaders of the maritime transport), the Group of Water of Marseilles (fourth French group in the sector of water), the Group ONET (national N°1 of cleaning), the Comex (underwater explorations), Eurocopter (first manufacturer of helicopters in the world) subsidiary of EADS, Provence, the Marseillaise (regional newspapers), the Olympic of Marseilles, SNCM. (company of navigation which in particular ensured until now the Territorial continuity with Corsica), the group Pernod-Ricard (second world group of spiriteux) and marks it candies Haribo.

Revival of the city

The revival of the city and the new image of which she enjoys, materialized by important work - in particular within the framework of the project Euroméditerranée, between the station Saint-Charles, the old Belle de Mai and the dock S. the city wants to be the crossroads of the the Mediterranean and the Europe - which are undertaken in its center, and a strong mediatization, attract new tourists unceasingly: the traffic of the Gare Saint-Charles passed from 7,1 million annual passengers in 2000 to 15 million in 2007 due to effect TGV putting Marseilles at 3:00 of Paris, 1:20 of Lyon and 4:00 of Lille.

Marseilles counts from now on 7 hotels 4 stars what is compared little with the 14 of Lyon but a large progress compared to some ten years ago, however little congress and of seminars are held in Marseilles.

In the 10 years space, Marseilles multiplied by 30 the number of croisierists making stopover there, with increasingly prestigious steamers, such as for example the Queen Mary II .

Marseilles even postulated for the organization of the Coupe of America 2007 (the most prestigious test of opposing world of the sailing ships every 4 the years), was retained in the 5 finalists and organized the Acte 1 of the Cut Louis Vuitton 2007.

Since the end of the year 1980, Marseilles enjoys an positive image, place of solidarity and interethnic pacification. The image of the city passes little by little from a badly famed City where the " thrives; medium " - the French Chicago - at a city largely open on the sea profiting from a single site, with the point of the mode and Article the startup of the TGV the Mediterranean supported this passion putting the Canebière at 3 hours of Paris.

Lastly, the prices of the real estate were never also high of all the history in Marseilles (2 652 € the m ² on average), which treats to from now on the “luxury” to be practically as expensive as Lyon (2 662 € the m ²) and almost also expensive, at least in 7th and 8th districts that Nice (3 636,20 € the m ²).

Marseilles and sea

The commune of Marseilles has a maritime frontage of 57 kilometers including 24 kilometers of creeks.

The Port authority of Marseilles-Fos

Marinas

Marseilles, which appears in the first 3 complexes of pleasure of Europe counts 4 important marinas: the Old man-Port: 3.500 places with quay 6 meters with draft, the Red Point: 1.800 places with quay drawing from water from 4 to 6 meters, the Friuli: 1.500 places with quay including 150 rings reserved for the yachtmen of passage, the Estaque: 1.500 places including 145 for the pleasure.

Beaches

The principal beaches are: the Beaches of Prado, the Catalans, the Red Point, the Prophet, the beach of Corbière.

Sites of deep-sea diving

Marseilles high-place of the diving counts 50 sites of deep-sea diving, most famous being: the archipelago of Riou, the Archipelago of the Friuli and the Island of Planier.

Fishing

The professional fishermen who formed a long time integral part of the landscape of the Estaque and of the Old port in Marseilles rarefied with the wire of the decades.

On the other hand the wolf S, Rascasse S, Sea-bream S, Mullet S, Mérou S make the joy of the fishermen amateurs.

The marigraph

Located in edge of the Kennedy cornice the Marégraphe is useful since 1897 of item zero for measurement of altitude in France. It records and studies also on the long run the movement of the tides and their evolution.

Sartine

The frigate Sartine , baptized name of the Minister for the royal Navy of the time, which transported French soldiers of the agreements of prisoner exchange in India. Damaged by mistake by a British ship, failed itself in the master key of entry on May 19th, 1780 paralyzing one moment circulation. With a light deformation of the name - the Sardine which stops the port - it became a traditional galéjade.

Administration and public life

Municipality

Districts and sectors

See also: List of the districts of Marseilles

The town of Marseilles is divided into 16 municipal districts, themselves divided into districts (111 on the whole). Since 1987, the districts are gathered by two in sectors, and each of the 8 sectors has its council and his mayor, like the districts of Paris or Lyon.

According to the Law PLM, the municipal elections proceed by sector. Each sector elects its advisers (303 on the whole), of which thirds sit at the central town hall.

Many advisers elected by sector :

Last mayors of Marseilles

1953 - 1986: Gaston Defferre PS (already mayor of 1944 with 1946, re-elected in 1959, 1965, 1971, 1977, 1983)
1986 - 1995: Robert Vigouroux RDE (re-elected in 1989)
1995 -: Jean-Claude Gaudin UMP (re-elected in 2001)

(see the List of the mayors of Marseilles)

Mayors of sector

1st sector (1st and 7th districts): Jean Roatta (appointed) UMP
2nd sector (2nd and 3rd districts): Smoothing iron Narducci (general adviser) PS
3rd sector (4th and 5th districts): Bruno Gilles UMP
4th sector (6th and 8th districts): Dominique Tian (appointed) UMP
5th sector (9th and 10th districts): Guy Teissier (appointed) UMP
6th sector (11th and 12th districts): Roland Blum (appointed) UMP
7th sector (13th and 14th districts): Georges (Garo) Hovsepian (Regional adviser) PS
8th sector (15th and 16th districts): Frederic Dutoit PCF

Districts of Marseilles

Marseilles with the characteristic to be made up of districts, which often resemble true villages.

See also: List of the districts of Marseilles

Cantons of Marseilles

At the general advice of the Rhone delta, Marseilles accounts for 25 of the 57 seats, since the last cantonal cutting of February 2003, which comes into effect at the time of the cantonal elections of 2004.

See the 25 cantons of Marseilles in:

Famous sites

Marseilles is classified town of art and history.

Monuments and buildings

; Religious buildings Most famous is certainly the basilica Our-Lady-of-the-Guard, built by the architect nîmois Jacques Henri Esperandieu in 1870. The copper statue gilded (covered with gold sheets) of the “good mother”, placed at the top of its bell-tower exceeds a height of 9 Mr. It is the work of the sculptor Eugene-Louis Lequesne.

It is said that Marseilles counts three cathedrals if one includes the old cathedral of the Major (1890, important Romance church amputated by the nave during the construction of the new cathedral, and the baptistry, vestige of an old religious unit, today under the current accessible cathedral since his crypt.

Oldest abbey of Saint-Victor whose crypt is the is the place of the oldest worship of France (300) and who constitutes the oldest monastic establishment of occident.

Are also remarkable, the basilica of the Sacred Heart, built in first half of the 20th century (completed in 1947), located on the avenue of Prado, set up in minor basilica by the Pape Jean-Paul II the September 17th 1997, the church Our-Lady-of-Mount, the church known as of the Réformés in top of the Canebière (1888).

; Famous districts and streets The Old man-Port of which buildings of northern bank rebuilt by the architect Fernand Pouillon, the Canebière, the known Estaque in particular by the film Marius and Jeannette of Robert Guédiguian, the picturesque Basket district located in the historical heart of Marseilles and in full restoration.

; Monuments The Museum of the Old Charity , the Palate Longchamp , The abbey of Saint-Victor , The Palate of Pharo , the Set with diamonds House , The Hôtel of Pulls up , the Hospital , The Hotel Noailles attended by Blaise Cendrars, currently reconverted in police headquarters , The station Saint-Charles , The radiant Quoted of Marseilles of Le Corbusier , the Place Castellane , the Strong Midsummer's Day , the Strong Saint Nicolas's Day , the Villa Valmer , The Stage Cycle-racing track, where are held the matches Football local club, the Olympique of Marseilles , The Park Chanot, where the fair is held of Marseilles in September , The hospital Saint-Joseph , The Small valley of Auffes.

On the other hand the image of certain known buildings, as the Prison of Baumettes whose restoration envisaged since 1999 is long in being concretized, mark the step. It is the same for the future large mosque of Marseilles whose construction voted since of the years still did not start due to recourse legal.

natural Places

the Creeks of Marseilles (splits)
the islands of the Friuli whose Château of Yew
celebrates it the Massif of Marseilleveyre
the beaches and in particular the Plages of Prado

Culture, spectacles and traditions

Maurice Béjart and the national Ballet of Marseilles for the dance. Others were illustrated there brilliantly, in particular Niçois Lazzini and Corsica Pietragalla. Fernandel, Raimu, Robert Guédiguian for the cinema but also his/her partner ARIANE Ascaride, Marcel Pagnol for the cinema and the literature, Vincent SCOTTO, Paul Mauriat, IAM (group of rap), the Fonky Family, the Psychological 4 of the rhyme, Faf Larage and Keny Arkana for the music. The music ragga is very present, in particular thanks to the Massilia Sound System. Also Élie Kakou, Patrick Bosso and Titoff, comic buildings with the national careers.

Marseilles and music

The Opera

The cultural place Marseilles headlight was, as of its creation at the end of the 18th century and until in the years 1970, the Opera. Located near the Old port and of Canebière, in full heart of the city, its architectural style was in equal rooms of Opera built at that time to Lyon or Bordeaux of traditional invoice. A serious fire in 1920 nowadays destroyed to it quasi totality of the building leaving upright only the colonnade of the still visible frontage. The rebuilding was the object of a contest in the purest style art déco and Bourdelle worked in particular with the planks which still frame the curtain of scene. This specificity involved besides the classification of the building in the list of the historic buildings.

The programming was at the same time traditional taking into account the importance of the population of origin Italian in the city and of the need for proposing more than elsewhere operas of beautiful canto, but so daring with many first Frenchwomen (such " Lulu" of Alban Berg in 1967). However the statute of municipal control, the transformation of the cultural offer in the city and the evolution of the tastes of the public caused an identity and financial serious attack for this Marseilles floret. The late awakening of the local political officials as well as the energetic direction of new the person in charge of the Opera, Mrs. Auphan, named into 2002 make it possible today to propose broader and pointed programming, making return part of the even touching public of the renovated sections of population.

The future remains however to be consolidated with the total repair of a growing old building, the installation of leadership teams, technicians and artists working in the same direction in order to take down the so much coveted title of national Opera since a true regionalization is made wait. Marseilles candidate under European city of the culture will not be able at all events not to make the dead end as for the reflection on becoming it of its Opera.

Marseilles groups and artists

Massilia Sound System, Moussu T E lei Jovents, IAM, Akhenaton, Troublemakers, Oai Star, Lo Còr of Planed, Joe Corbeau, Leda Atomica, Quartiers North, Fonky Family, Jehro, Keny Arkana, Oshen, 5Avenues, 3rd Eye, Psy 4 of the rhyme, Faf Larage, Raspigaous, Clara Morgane (ex-actress of charm, singer, stimulating and businesswoman) Kenza Farah, Mélissa, Benny Bopp (French-speaking humorist), Robert Miras (interprets " Jesus was born in Provence")…

Theaters and associations of the city

space Julien , the Dome , the Mill and the Docks of Suds are more the big rooms of concert.

'' The Random Cabaret '' of the Waste land of Belle de Mai has as for it a capacity approaching the 900 people but is an associative structure with a certain freedom of programming.

the Station with Crystal or the embobineuse one in the district of the Belle de Mai are associative rooms of comparable size although the programming is very different.

Many a coffee concerts like " Intermediaire" , Balthazar , " Boombox" , " The Machine with coudre" , " the station with Galène" … also animate the Marseilles evenings.

Many associations also work with the musical diffusion. " In the garage" who works in collaboration with the random Cabaret, the embobineuse one and the sewing machine, very regularly proposes evenings concerts of quality.

The Lollipop record dealer regularly proposes small showcases free with promising artists.

Art and artists: Marseilles painters

During its long story, Marseilles was the cradle many artists born or having lived and having worked in its center, whose fame exceeded banks of the Lacydon. Among those, one can quote:

Born at the 17th century: Meiffren Tells (1630 - 1705) - Pierre Puget (1620 - 1694) -

Born at the 18th century: Jean-Jerome Baugean (1764 - 1830) - Francoise Duparc (1726 - 1778) - Charles François Lacroix of Marseilles (v. 1700 - v. 1782) - Antoine Roux (1765 - 1835)

Born at the 19th century: Marcel Arnaud (1877 - 1956) - Edmond Astruc (1878 - 1977) - Louis Audibert (1880 - 1983) - Charles Camoin (1879 - 1965) - Alfred Casile (1848 - 1909) - Edouard Crémieux (1856 - 1944) - Honore Daumier (1808 - 1879) - Saver Marius Di Russo (1897 - 1983) - Eugene Dufour (1873 - 1941) - Joseph Garibaldi (1863 - 1941) - François Gautier (1842 - 1917) - Alfred Lombard (1884 - 1973) - Emile Loubon (1809 - 1863) - Etienne Philippe Martin (1856 - 1945) - Jules Monge (1855 - 1934) - Adolphe Monticelli (1824 - 1886) - Alphonse Moutte (1840 - 1913) - Louis Nattéro (1875 - 1915) - Jean Baptist Olive (1848 - 1936) - Henri Pinta (1856 - 1944) - Marius Rey (1836 - 1927) - Rene Seyssaud (1867 - 1904) - Fortunate Viguier (1841 - 1916) - Auguste Vimar (1851 - 1916) - Felix Ziem (1821 - 1911)

Born at the 20th century: Pierre Ambrogiani (1906 - 1985) - Jacques Carelman (1929 -…) - Antoine Ferrari (1910 - 1995) - Philippe Gaillet (1924 -…) - Piotr Klemenciewicz (1956 -…) - Jean Claude Quilici (1941 -…) - Antoine Serra (1908 - 1995) - Guy Tempier (1960 -…) - Louis Toncini (1907 -…) - Guy Toubon ( 1931 -…)

Literature

Rich person of its cultures, Marseilles saw being born from many writers. At the end of Antiquity, scholars like Victorinus, of the monks of Saint-Victor. With the Middle Ages of the troubadours, such Folquet which was illustrated then so meanly in the Crusade. German Jean-Baptiste at the time baroque…

For modern times one can for example quote Victor Gelu, Valère Bernard, André Suarès, Pierre Bertas, Jorgi Reboul, Edmond Rostand, Antonin Artaud, Saint-Pol.-Russet-red, André Roussin, Louis Brauquier, Gabriel Audisio. During the Occupation Nazi, Emile Danoën published its first novel there then put in scene the city in the second, Rue of the abandoned children .

The " kind; whodunnit marseillais" was initiated by a journalist, Claude Barsotti, who writes in occitan (of Provence). " A paper sensa importància" is appeared into 1994 with the editions of the IEO, Puylaurens (81). The women took the changing, Amanda Biot and Ysa Dedeau for example. Jean-Claude Izzo illustrated the city in 4 black novels. With its continuation of many authors of whodunnits social, political and of talent are appeared with Marseilles, like LED Dads (about fifteen whodunnits of which the Kiss of the Conger to the Jigal Editions), Maurice Gouiran (more than 10 novels to its credit which mix with force Marseilles, the history and the whodunnit), Bruno Leydet ( Literary Grand Prix of Provence for its novel Sortez your Deaths), Philippe Carrese, Alain Pucciarelli or Jean Contrucci which all, and each one with their manner, knew to draw from this city substantial marrow.

Cinema and audio-visual

One of first films of the history in a city close to Marseilles, Ciotat (the cinema was born with Lyon) also was turned an important aspect of the Marseilles culture. Since the brothers Light, they are actors or scenario writers such as Fernandel, Raimu, Robert Guédiguian, ARIANE Ascaride or of course Marcel Pagnol which marked the Marseilles cinema. Today, it is in Marseilles that the series " is turned; more beautiful the life " , in the studios of the Belle de Mai, 37 rue Guibal. Marseilles shelters moreover two important independent cinemas, the César (Castellane place) and the Variétés (Canebière).

A vibrating popular culture

The Olympic one of Marseilles

The Olympique of Marseilles (OM) is not only one Marseilles sporting club but a true institution. The club, (its currency is “right with the goal”) account also many supporters in whole France, the continent of Europe and even in the world (retransmission of important finale or matches in New York)

This club founded in 1899 gained many national titles (8 championships of France and 10 cuts of France) as well as the Ligue of the champions in 1993, which makes the only French football team of it have gained this prestigious European competition.

The Good mother

Notre-Dame of the Guard is one of the minor basilicas of Catholicism. It is " located on the heights of Marseilles at 162 m of altitude, the south of the Old man-Port and is called " the Good mother " , because of the presence of an immense statue gilded of the Mother to the Child of several meters in height. This statue was carried out by the Parisian goldsmith Christofle and was posed in 1870. She is regilded periodically.

The tradition of the Marseillais is to come to beseech it in the special occasionss. Since the 17th century, the families of sailors come to request it to ensure their return and they offer in ex-voto models of boats which are suspended on the nave which contains tens of them.

Game of bowls

The first official contest of Pétanque took place in 1910 with Ciotat.

The French federation of game of bowls, 3rd federation of many bachelors, was created in 1945 and sits at Marseilles.

The Mondial the Marseillaise of game of bowls is the greatest tournament of game of bowls of the world with more: 12000 players of any level. It accommodates: 50000 spectators the first day, and more: 100000 for the whole of the competition.

The municipality arranged many grounds of balls in almost all the districts.

Cook and gastronomy

Pastis (alcoholic drink containing spices and of anise), Aïoli (sauce containing garlic and olive oil) which one serves with vegetables, Tapenade (Preparation containing small pieces of olives crushed), Bouillabaisse (flat containing fish of rock, sauces and vegetables), Panisse (wafer of chick-pea flour), shuttle (small cookie very hard and aromatized with the flower of orange tree in the shape of small boat), Bourride (flat of fish containing Lotte or étuvée angler), feet and packages, prepared with tripe of sheep, feet - of - sheep and bacon.

Principal media

The principal regional newspaper diffused in Marseilles east Provence , of the group Lagardere, which covers also the departments of the VAr, Vaucluse and Hautes-Alpes, since the fusion occurred between the two principal newspapers of the post-war period, Of Provence the and the Southerner , property of the group Hachette. It is necessary to add the Marseillaise , daily newspaper founded by the Communist party in 1943 diffused in all the South-east of France. For two years, a Marseilles free daily newspaper, held More with parity by the group Bolloré and Hachette has been diffused on the city.

Lastly, the press counts several weekly magazines, of which Marseilles the hebdo , free cultural a Ventilo or What Magazine Urbain, the free main thing dealing with the topicality cultural and night of the Marseilles area.

France Bleue Provence is the regional radio which emits since the studios of Marseilles which is also the seat of France the 3 Mediterranean.

Moreover, the city counts some associative radios such as Radio Frog, Radio dialog, Diva FM or Radio Galère.

Mr Jean-Pierre Foucault, celebrates presenter of French television, born in Marseilles in November 1947, chairs the chain Marseilles (LCM).

The sport in Marseilles

Marseilles, which counts 50 sites of diving, is a high-place of the plunged underwater to the Mediterranean.

Sports equipment

Apart from the Stage Cycle-racing track which contains 60.000 places and accommodated seven meetings from World the 98 of football of which the semi-final Brazil-Country-Low and six matches of the World cup of Rugby to XV 2007 of which the quarterfinal Australia - England, Marseilles counts 70 other stages, 45 gymnasia, 139 bowling pitches, 30 clubs of tennis, 3 golf courses, 22 swimming pools, 3 bases nautical, 8 dojos, 3 slopes of Skate board, 3 shooting ranges, 2 hippodromes, 5 riding schools, 2 walls of climbing and even a pediment of Basque ball.

The palate of the ice and of slips

Marseilles began the construction of a " palate of the ice and the glisse" who will be operational the first quarter 2009. This equipment of 45 million euros, will be largest of this type on the national plan. It will comprise a surface of buildings of 20.700 m ² of which 3.200 m ² of tracks of ice (the Olympic skating rink will be able to receive 5.600 spectators), 3.300 m ² of tracks of slips (Skatepark for rollers, Skate-board and BMX), 1.200 parking spaces. The other programs of this pole of activities and leisures will gather commercial surfaces, restaurants, residences and one multiplexes cinematographic of 15 rooms.

Other collective sports

So in football OM is the club emblematic, Marseilles shone forever by its Rugby nor its basketball and does not lay out any more as in the past of a competitive team of handball or volley ball. On the other hand the Cercle of the swimmers of Marseilles (club of many champions of France of swimming) is one of the dominant teams on the national plan in toilets sports shirt, however it forever successful of great performances on the European level.

Other notable sports events

Each year disputes in Marseilles, the Open 13 tennis tournament registered with ATP turn, the Trophy Massalia in gymnastics with the presence of some of best the gymnastes of the world, the Semi-marathon of Marseilles-Blackcurrant, World series 13 of Beach-volleyball organized on the Plages of Prado, the international Triathlon of Marseilles, the world cup of fencing female foil challenge Jeanty (Sport hall and finale to the Dome). Marseilles accommodated the Tour de France cyclist 12 times since 1947 and accommodates each year the Tour de France with the veil.

Twinnings

(July 10th)
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(July 2nd)
(November 23rd)
(May 5th)
(June 23rd)
(October 26th)
(May 18th)
(April 25th)

Cooperation agreements

(June 27th)

Photograph gallery

External bonds

Marseilles

Town hall of Marseilles, official site
Urban community
Site of and the congress Tourist bureau of Marseilles
INSEE key figures: Annual inquiries of census of 2004 to 2006.

Simple: Marseilles

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Marseilles

Geography

A historical territory defined by natural obstacles

Hydrography

Seismicity

Topography

Urban transport made difficult by topography and town planning

Railway, air and maritime accesses

A Mediterranean Climate

History of Marseilles

Marseilles symbols

Currency and heraldic

Toponymy

the Marseillaise

Marseilles before Marseilles

The primitive site of the city

Traces of a prehistoric settlement

Marseilles, Greek city

The legend of Gyptis and Protis

Evolution of the Greek city

End of independence

Marseilles, Roman city

Marseilles during late Antiquity

The medieval city

Marseilles in IXe and Xe centuries

The revival of XIe century

Marseilles with the low Middle Ages

The rise of the XVIIIe century

Marseilles, port of the colonies

Large building sites of the XIXe century

Marseilles the unsubdued one

The Second world war

Population

Cosmopolitan Marseilles

Marseilles population

Economy

A declining primary sector

An industrial sector which almost deserted the city

Marseilles, a tertiary city

The second French pole of scientific research

High level hospitals

Teaching

The companies headlights

Revival of the city

Marseilles and sea

The Port authority of Marseilles-Fos

Marinas

Beaches

Sites of deep-sea diving

Fishing

The marigraph

Sartine

Administration and public life

Municipality

Districts and sectors

Last mayors of Marseilles

Mayors of sector

Districts of Marseilles

Cantons of Marseilles

Famous sites

Monuments and buildings

Natural sites

natural Places

Culture, spectacles and traditions

Marseilles and music

The Opera

Marseilles groups and artists

Theaters and associations of the city

Art and artists: Marseilles painters

Literature

Cinema and audio-visual

A vibrating popular culture

The Olympic one of Marseilles

The Good mother

Game of bowls

Cook and gastronomy

Principal media

The sport in Marseilles

Sports equipment

The palate of the ice and of slips