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Marseille
Location of
Map
CountryFrance
Boroughs16 arrondissements
(in 8 secteurs)
Government
 • MayorJean-Claude Gaudin (UMP)
Population
820,900
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
For other uses, see Marseille (disambiguation).

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Marseille, (English alt. Marseilles — French: pronounced /maʀsɛj/ or [mɑxˈsɛjɐ] locally — Provençal Occitan: Marselha [maʀˈsejɔ, maʀˈsijɔ] in classical norm or Marsiho [maʀˈsijɔ] in Mistralian norm — Latin: Massilia) is the second-largest city of France and forms the third-largest metropolitan area, with 1,516,340 inhabitants at the 1999 census and 1,605,000 inhabitants in 2007 (Paris and Lyon are larger). Located on the Mediterranean Sea, it is France's largest commercial port. Marseille is also the capital of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur région, as well as the préfecture (capital) of the Bouches-du-Rhône département.

Geography

Marseille is the centre of a large metropolitan area, the second most populous commune and the second largest city in France. To the east (9th arrondissement) are the callanque's area (kind of little fjords) and the village of Cassis, and further east is the town of Toulon. To the north of Marseille are a range of small mountains and the 1011 m Mont Sainte Victoire. To the west of Marseille is the Camargue region and the Gulf of Lion. The city itself is spread across a wide geographical area divided into 16 arrondissements. The central six contain most of the city's historic buildings and its services. The city's main thoroughfare, the wide boulevard called La Canebière, stretches eastward from the Old Port (Vieux Port/Panier quarter). The tourist information centre operates at the Old Port end of the Canebière. Adjacent to La Canebière is the Old Port (where the marina and fish market are located.) At the entrance to the Old Port are two large forts - Fort St Nicholas on the south side and Fort St Jean on the other. The main commercial centre of the city intersects with the Canebière at Rue Paradis and the Centre Bourse (the main shopping mall). Pedestrianised squares radiate away from the Canebière and the old port such as Cours Julien and the Place du Général De Gaulle, both of which have fountains. To the south east of central Marseille is the Prefecture and the roundabout Castellane (a bus and metro interchange) in the 7th arrondissement. To the south west are the hills of the 9th arrondissement, dominated by the Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde. The train station - Gare St Charles - is north of the Centre Bourse in the 3rd arrondissement. It is at the end of La Canebière and is near the square of Victor Hugo. The airport Marignane lies to the North West of the city at the Etang de Berre.

History

View from the Old Port of Marseilles

Marseille was founded in 600 BC by Greeks from Phocaea as a trading port under the name Μασσαλία (Massalia; see also List of traditional Greek place names). Massalia was the first Greek port in Western Europe, growing to a population of over 1000. It was the first settlement given city status in France. Facing an opposing alliance of the Etruscans, Carthage and the Celts, the Greek colony allied itself with the expanding Roman Republic for protection. This protectionist association brought aid in the event of future attacks, and perhaps equally important it also brought the people of Massalia into the complex Roman market. The city thrived by acting as a link between the interior of Gaul, hungry for Roman goods and wine (of which Massalia was steadily exporting by 500 B.C.),[1] and Rome's insatiable need for new products and slaves. Under this arrangement the city maintained its independence until the rise of Julius Caesar, when it joined the losing side (Pompey and the optimates) in civil war, and lost its independence in 49 BC.

It was the site of a siege and naval battle in which the fleet was confiscated by the Roman authorities. During the Roman times the city was called Massalia. It was the home port of Pytheas. Most of the archaeological remnants of the original Greek settlement were replaced by later Roman additions.

Marseille thrived as a Roman trading port. Evidence of its growth and wealth is the fact that it was the first town of France to have an official public sewer system. During the Roman era, the city was controlled by a directory of 15 selected “first” among 600 senators. Three of them had the preeminence and the essence of the executive power. The city's laws amongst other things forbade the drinking of wine by women and allowed by vote of the 600, assistance to allow a person to commit suicide.

With the decline of the Roman empire the town reverted to the hands of the Gauls, eventually joining much of France under the rule of the Franks. Emperor Charlemagne and the Carolingian dynasty granted civic power to Marseille, which remained a major French trading port until the medieval period. The city regained much of its wealth and trading power when it was revived in the 10th century by the counts of Provence. In 1347 the city suffered terribly from the bubonic plague. As a major port, it is believed Marseille was one of the first places in France to encounter the epidemic, and some 50,000 people died in a city of 90,000. The city's fortunes declined still further when it was sacked and pillaged by the Aragonese in 1423.

Marseille soon revived its population and trading status in the Mediterranean and in 1437, the Count of Provence Rene of Anjou, who succeeded his father Louis II of Anjou, as King of Sicily and Duke of Anjou, arrived in Marseille and established it as France's most fortified settlement outside of Paris. He helped raise the status of the town to a city and allowed certain privileges to be granted to it. Marseille was then used by Duke of Anjou as a strategic maritime base to reconquer his kingdom of Sicily. King René, who wished to equip the entrance of the port with a solid defence, decided to build on the ruins of the old Maubert tower and to establish a series of ramparts guarding the harbour. Jean Pardo, engineer, conceived the plans and Jehan Robert, mason of Tarascon, carried out the work. The construction of the new city defences took place between 1447 and 1453. The trading in Marseille also flourished in this term as the Guild began to establish a position of power within the merchants of the city. Notably René also founded the Corporation of Fisherman.

Marseille became a part of France in 1481 but soon acquired a reputation for rebelling against the central government. The local population enthusiastically embraced the French Revolution, and sent 500 volunteers to Paris in 1792 to defend the revolutionary government; these volunteers sang what became known as La Marseillaise, now the national anthem of France. Over the course of the eighteenth century, the port's defences were improved and Marseille became more important as France's leading military port in the Mediterranean. The Great Plague of Marseille in 1720 killed 100,000 people in the city and the surrounding provinces. Jean-Baptiste Grosson, royal notary, wrote from 1770 to 1791 the historical Almanac of Marseille, published as Recueil des antiquités et des monuments marseillais qui peuvent intéresser l’histoire et les arts, (“Collection of antiquities and Marseilles monuments which can interest history and the arts”), which for a long time was the primary resource on the history of the monuments of the city.

During the nineteenth century the city was the site of industrial innovations and a growth in manufacturing. The rise of the French Empire and the conquests of France from 1830 onward (notably Algeria) stimulated the maritime trade and raised the prosperity of the city. This can be still seen today in both the old port and the train station, where massive monuments record the conquest of North Africa and Indochina by the French, culminating in a massive arch. Maritime opportunities also increased with the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869.

Modern

During the first half of the twentieth century, Marseille celebrated its trading status and 'port of the empire' status through the colonial exhibitions of 1906 and 1922. In 1934 Alexander I of Yugoslavia arrived at the port to meet with the French foreign minister Louis Barthou. He was assassinated there by Vlada Georgieff.

During World War II, Marseille was bombed by the German and the Italian forces in 1940. The city was occupied by Germans and over one-third of the city's old quarter was destroyed in a massive clearance project, aimed to reduce opportunities for resistance members to hide and operate in the densely populated old buildings.

After the war much of the city was rebuilt during the 1950s. The governments of East Germany, West Germany, and Italy paid massive reparations, plus compound interest, to compensate civilians killed, injured, or left homeless or destitute as a result of the war.

From the 1950s onward, the city served as an entrance port for over a million immigrants to France, many of whom came in 1962 from Algeria. Many immigrants have stayed and given the city a vibrant French-African quarter with a large market.

After the oil crisis of 1973 and an economic downturn, Marseille became a haven for criminal activity, and began to experience high levels of poverty. The city has worked to combat these problems, and through plans from the AT in Paris and funds from the European Union, the city has developed a modern and advanced economy based on high technology manufacturing, oil refining and service sector employment. In terms of recent social history, Marseille has served as the home of the new right and the National Front. Because of high levels of unemployment and a large immigrant population, Marseille is home to a large population of National Front supporters.

Politically, from 1950 to the mid 1980s, Marseille was dominated by its mayor Gaston Defferre, who was re-elected six times. The three most recent mayors are listed below:

Economy

The Marseille port seen from Estaque

Historically the economy of Marseille was dominated by its role as a port of the French Empire, linking the North African colonies of Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia with the French mainland. The majority of the old port and docks, which experienced decline in the 1970s after the oil crisis have been recently redeveloped with funds from the European Union. The old port now contains restaurants, offices, bars and hotels. Fishing however still remains important in Marseille and the food economy of Marseille is dominated by the local catch with the daily fish market still on the Belgian Quay in the Old Port.

Even today the economy of Marseille is dominated by the port, which functions as commercial container port as well as a transport port for the Mediterranean sea. However, all of Marseille's port activities now take place along the coast at the New Port (the Old port is too small for modern large ships to enter). The most important port on the Mediterranean, it handles millions of tons of freight annually. Major imports include petroleum, wine, fruits, olive oil, hides and skins, and tropical agricultural products. Major exports are dominated by wines, liqueurs, processed foods, cement, and metal products. Petroleum refining and shipbuilding are the principal industries, but chemicals, soap, glass, sugar, building materials, plastics, textiles, olive oil, and processed foods are also important products. Marseille is connected with the Rhône via a canal and thus has access to the extensive waterway network of France. Petroleum is shipped northward to the Paris basin by pipeline. The city also serves as France's leading centre of oil refinement.

Marseille is a major French centre for trade and industry, with an excellent transportation infrastructure (roads, sea port and airport). The airport, Marseille-Provence, is one of the leading French airport outside Paris. It is the main arrival base for millions of tourists each year as well as serving a growing business community. The area around the airport and near the borders of Aix-en-Provence and northern Marseille now boasts a successful business and science park. Marseille is also home to the University of Provence. The economy is closely associated with the Marseille Provence Metropolis, France's second largest research centre with 3000 research scientists. Marseille Metropole Provence is home to thousands of companies, 90% of which are small businesses. Among the most famous ones are: CMA CGM, container-shipping giant; Comex, world leader in sub-sea engineering and hydraulic systems; Eurocopter Group, an EADS company; Azur Promotel, an active real estate development company; La Provence, the local daily newspaper; L'Olympique de Marseille, the famous soccer club; RTM, Marseille's public transport company; and Société Nationale Maritime Corse Méditerranée (SNCM), a major operator in passenger, vehicle and freight transportation in the Western Mediterranean.

In recent years the city has also experienced a large growth in service sector employment and a switch from light manufacturing to a cultural economy. Marseille acts as a regional nexus for entertainment in the south of France and has a high concentration of museums, cinemas, theatres, clubs, bars, restaurants, fashion shops, hotels and art galleries, all geared towards a tourist economy.

Unemployment in the economy has fallen to 12 percent in 2006 from 20 percent in 1995. In May, the French financial magazine L'Expansion named Marseille the most dynamic of France's large cities, citing figures showing that 7,200 companies had been created in the city since 2000. However Marseille remains a city with high unemployment against the European average and suffers a lack of jobs for its large immigrant population. Whilst much of the Marseille economy has been revitalised since its decay in the 1970s it still remains significantly stagnant in regards to growth compared with Paris and the old industrial regions of north-eastern France.

Administration

Marseille is divided into 16 municipal arrondissements, which are themselves divided into quartiers (111 in total). The arrondissements are regrouped, in pairs, into 8 sectors, with each sectors having a council and a town hall (like the arrondissements in Paris and in Lyon).

The municipal elections are carried out by sector. Each sector elects its councillors (303 in total), one third of which are municipal councillors.

File:Mars Arr.jpg
The arrondisements and secteurs of Marseille

Number of councilors elected by sector:

Sector 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Total
Sector councilors 22 16 22 30 30 26 32 24 202
Municipal councilors 11 8 12 13 15 13 16 12 100
Total number of elected officials 33 24 33 42 45 39 48 36 303
East Marseille at sunset
A view of the boulevard d'Athènes from the Saint-Charles railway station

The Sector Mayors :

  • 1st sector (1st and 7th arrondissements): Jean Roatta (Representative) UMP
  • 2nd sector (2nd and 3rd arrondissements): Lisette Narducci (General Councilor) PS
  • 3rd sector (4th and 5th arrondissements): Bruno Gilles (representative) UMP
  • 4th sector (6th and 8th arrondissements): Dominique Tian (representative) UMP
  • 5th sector (9th and 10th arrondissements): Guy Teissier (representative) UMP
  • 6th sector (11th and 12th arrondissements): Roland Blum (representative) UMP
  • 7th sector (13th and 14th arrondissements): Garo Hovsepian PS
  • 8th sector (15th and 16th arrondissements): Frédéric Dutoit (representative) PCF

The cantons of Marseille :

Marseille holds 25 of the 58 seats at the general council of the Bouches-du-Rhône. Since the last election, these 25 cantons are held by the following councilors:

Demographics

The population growth of Marseille followed the national average until the mid 20th century. From the years 1200 to 1800 the population remained below 100,000. From 1800 to 1930 the population grew to over 500,000. The majority of population growth was from native birth though a significant amount of Italian, Portuguese and Spanish immigrants arrived. By the mid-1950s, Marseille, as France's largest sea port, experienced a massive demographic growth as a result of the thousands of immigrants arriving. Later, many immigrants came from former French colonies from North Africa, notably Algeria. The population of central Marseille grew to just under one million by the 1980s. In the last three decades the population of Marseille has declined, as numerous residents have moved elsewhere for work, or to suburban communities. Since the 1999 census, however, this trend has been reversed, and the city proper has seen its population increase from 798,430 in March 1999 to 820,900 in January 2005 according to INSEE.

Today, many Marseillais are descendants of the waves of immigrants that arrived at the port in the early 19th century. As a result, the ethnic French are a minority. The largest ethnic groups in the city are Italian who make up 37.5%[1] of the population. Other significant communities include North African Arabs and Berbers (25% of the total population), and Armenians (12.5% of the total population [2]). It is estimated that roughly a quarter of the population are ethnic French. Other significant immigrant groups include people of Turkish, Greek, German and Vietnamese origins. Marseille’s 80,000-strong Jewish community is also said to be the third largest in Europe (France has the largest Jewish community in Europe and the fourth largest in the world, after the United States, Israel and Russia))

Climate

Marseille has a Mediterranean climate, with mild, humid winters and hot, dry summers. January and February are the coldest months, averaging temperatures of 11 °C (52 °F). July and August are the hottest months, averaging temperatures of 29 °C (84 °F). Marseille is known for its Mistral (wind) that occurs mostly in winter and spring.

Month January February March April May June July August September October November December Year
Avg high °C (°F) 11.2 (52.2) 12.6 (54.7) 15.3 (59.5) 17.7 (63.9) 22.2 (72.0) 26.1 (79.0) 29.5 (85.1) 29.2 (84.6) 25.3 (77.5) 20.3 (68.5) 14.7 (58.5) 12.0 (53.6) 19.7 (67.5)
Avg low °C (°F) 3.0 (37.4) 3.9 (39.0) 6.0 (42.8) 8.5 (47.3) 12.6 (54.7) 16.0 (60.8) 18.7 (65.7) 18.7 (65.7) 15.5 (59.9) 11.6 (52.9) 6.8 (44.2) 4.1 (39.4) 10.5 (51.0)
Source: Worldweather.org

Culture

The place du Général de Gaulle in Marseille.

Marseille is a city that is proud of its differences from the rest of France. At the outset of the French Revolution a group of Marseillais embarked from the south of France to support the conflict and dismantling of the Bastille. The French national anthem "La Marseillaise" is so named because it was first known as sung on the streets as a rallying call of the French Revolution by troops from Marseille. Today Marseille is a site of regional culture and entertainment served by its important opera house, its history and maritime museums, its five galleries and vast amount of cinemas, clubs, bars and restaurants.

In regards to literature and the arts, Marseille has been the birth place and home of many French writers. In modern times, one can quote Victor Gélu, Valère Bernard, Pierre Bertas, Edmond Rostand and André Roussin as leading examples. The artist Cézanne spent much time in Marseille and painted several works of art there. The most widely circulated tarot deck comes from Marseille; it is called the Tarot de Marseille, and was used to play the local variant of tarocchi before it became used in cartomancy.

Opera

Marseille's main cultural attraction was, since its creation at the end of the 18th century and until the late 1970s, the Opéra. Located near the Old Port and the Canebière, at the very heart of the city, its architectural style is comparable to the classical trend found on other opera houses built at that time in Lyon and Bordeaux. In 1920 a fire almost completely destroyed the building, leaving only the façade's colonnade which can still be admired today. The reconstruction led to a major competition with a main focus on the Art Deco style. For example, Bourdelle worked on the frescos which frame the drop cloth. The Opera's artistic value led the municipality to classify the building as a historical monument. The future of Marseille's Opéra stands on attracting younger groups, rejuvenating the monument's aging image, and achieving the recognition of the sought-after title of 'National Opera'. Marseille is candidate for becoming 'the European City of Culture' and its opera house will play an important part.

Hip hop music

Marseille is also well known in France for its Hip hop music. Groups like IAM initiated the rap music phenomena in France. Other known groups include Fonky Family, 3ème Oeil, Tamberwood Entertainment, and Psy4 de la rime.

Films set in Marseille

Marseille has been the setting for films, both Hollywood production and French films.

Places of interest

Central Marseille

Marseille is classified as a significant centre of art and history. The city boasts many excellent museums and galleries. Of historical interest are many ancient buildings and churches.

The 1st, 2nd, 6th and 7th arrondissements are where most of Marseille's shops and attractions are located. which include:

  • The Vieux Port is the main marina of the city. It is guarded by two massive forts (Fort St Nicolas and Fort Saint Jean) and is the main place for eating in the city. Dozens of cafes line the Marina. The Quay des Belges (The Belgian Quay) is the site of the daily fish market. Most of the area was rebuilt by the architect Fernand Pouillon after much of it was destroyed by the Nazis in 1943.
  • The Phare de Sainte Marie - a lighthouse on the inlet to the Old Port.
  • La Vieille Charité in the Panier is a grand building once used as a workhouse and charity hospice. It has an archeological museum and a gallery of African and Asian art.
  • The Centre Bourse is the main shopping centre of Marseille and contains both the History Museum (below) as well as a series of open archeological ruins now used as a park.
  • The Musée d'Histoire is the Marseille history museum, which contains records of the Greek and Roman history of Marseille as well as the most fully recovered hull of a 6th century boat in the world.
  • The Musée Maritime is a small museum located in the old Chamber of Commerce, devoted to the sea economy of Marseille over the centuries. Also of note, the old Chamber of Commerce is a significant historical building - the first Chamber of Commerce in France and includes a collection of model ships.
  • The Musée de la Mode is a modern fashion museum which displays over 2000 designs from the last 30 years.
  • The Musée Cantini is an modern art museum near the Palais De Justice - it houses artworks associated with Marseille as well as several works by Picasso.</nowiki>
  • Pierre Puget park
  • The Hôtel-Dieu in the Panier, is currently being transformed into a very luxurious hotel, (InterContinental chain) .
  • The Abbey of Saint-Victor and its crypt which is one of the oldest places of Christian worship in France.
  • The cathedral Notre-Dame de la Major, rebuilt in the second half of the 19th century by Jacques Henri Esperandieu on the site of a 12th-century church.

Outside of Central Marseille

The Calanque of Sugiton in the 9th arrondissement of Marseille

Transport

Motorways around Marseille.

The city is served by an international airport, Aéroport de Marseille Provence, located in Marignane. The airport has two terminals. Terminal one, the main terminal of the airport contains halls 1,2,3 and 4 and serves as a base for international arrivals and departures. The new terminal, referred to as Marseille Mp2 is used for flights arriving and departing from Europe. A shuttle coach system operates between the airport and the train station Saint-Charles.

An extensive network of motorways connects Marseille to Lyon (A7), nearby Aix-en-Provence, Toulon and the French Riviera beyond.

The train station Saint-Charles is Marseille's leading train station, the other being the Maritime station. The centenary railway station of Saint-Charles operates regional services to nearby towns such as Toulouse and Nice as well as being the end of the TGV in the south of France. Trains take only three hours to make the huge distance to Paris and 1h15 to get to Lyon.

Marseille itself is connected by the metro train system consisting of 2 lines represented by orange and blue. Line 1 (blue) between Catellane and La Rose opened in 1977 and Line 2 (orange) between Sainte-Marguerite/Dromel and Bougainville opened between 1984 and 1987. An extension to Line 1 from Castellane to La Timone was completed in 1992 and a further extension from La Timone up to La Fourragère was recently completed. The Metro system operates on a turnstile system, with tickets purchased at the nearby adjacent automated booths. Both lines of the Metro intersect at the Gare de Marseille Saint-Charles. Marseille's busiest Metro station is the Old Port - the Vieux Port, which is decorated with cobblestones and has fish tanks in the walls.

An extensive bus network serves the city and suburbs of Marseille. The majority of bus services originate from the Catellane - a large street near the Prefecture.

Sport

The city boasts a wide variety of sports facilities and caters to almost every interest. The dominant force in the sporting world of the city is the city's football club - Olympique de Marseille, UEFA Champions League winner in 1993 and finalist of the UEFA Cup in 1999 & 2004. The club is reasonably successful but was tainted in the 1990s match fixing scandal by then-owner Bernard Tapie. The clubs home - the stade Velodrome, also functions for other local sports including cycling and athletics, as well as national rugby team Tests. Stade Velodrome will also host a number of games during the 2007 Rugby World Cup. The local rugby team is Marseille Provence XV.

Sailing is a major sport in Marseille. The winds can blow from different directions and allow interesting regattas in the warm waters of the Mediterranean. Most of the time it can be windy while the sea remains smooth enough to allow sailing. It has been considered as a possible site for 2007 Americas Cup. Marseille is also a place for other water sports such as windsurfing, sailing and powerboating. Marseille has three golf courses to its north and north east. The city also boasts dozens of gyms and several council owned swimming pools. Running is also popular in many of Marseilles parks such as Le Pharo and Le Jardin Pierre Puget.

Marseille was the finish of Stage 10 and the departure of Stage 11 in the 2007 Tour de France.

Births and deaths in Marseille

Marseille was the birthplace of:

The following personalities died in Marseille:

Sister cities

Marseille has sister city relationships with the following cities:

  • Tram for Marseille in Vienna (Austria) precommissioning checksam at (Wiener Linien)
    Tram for Marseille in Vienna (Austria) precommissioning checksam at (Wiener Linien)
  • A view onto the Old Port
    A view onto the Old Port
  • The Fort Saint Nicolas, overlooking the harbour on the left bank
    The Fort Saint Nicolas, overlooking the harbour on the left bank
  • Madonna and Child statue on the Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde.
    Madonna and Child statue on the Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde.
  • Musée des Beaux Arts, Marseille.
    Musée des Beaux Arts, Marseille.
  • The Église des Réformés church
    The Église des Réformés church
  • Joan of Arc statue in Marseille.
    Joan of Arc statue in Marseille.
  • Notre Dame de la Garde at night
    Notre Dame de la Garde at night
  • The statue of Mary with child on top of the Notre Dame de la Garde
    The statue of Mary with child on top of the Notre Dame de la Garde
  • The Palais Longchamp at night
    The Palais Longchamp at night

See also

Footnotes

  1. ^ Hugh Johnson, Vintage: The Story of Wine pg 40. Simon and Schuster 1989
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