(märsā') , Fr. Marseille, city (1990 pop. 807,726), capital of Bouches-du-Rhône dept., SE France, on the Gulf of Lions, an arm of the Mediterranean Sea. It is the second largest city of France and one of its most important seaports; an underground canal (see Rove Tunnel) links it with the Rhône River. Marseilles is a major industrial city where flour, vegetable oil, soap, cement, sugar, sulfur, chemicals, and processed foods are produced. The city opened a subway system in 1977, and is connected to most major European cities by rail, road, air, or boat. There is also a history of organized crime and drug traffic in Marseilles, particularly with the Corsican Mafia. Immigrant groups, predominantly North and West Africans who have arrived since the 1970s, generally concentrate in their own districts and often specialize in a given trade.

The oldest town of France, it was settled by Phocaean Greeks from Asia Minor c.600 B.C. Known as Massilia, it became an ally of Rome, which annexed it (49 B.C.) after it supported Pompey against Caesar. Although the city retained its internal autonomy, it was of secondary importance during the Middle Ages. The upper city was ruled by its bishops from A.D. 539 until 1288, when it was reunited with the lower city, which had been governed independently by a city council since 1214. During the Crusades (11th–14th cent.) Marseilles was a commercial center and a transit port for the Holy Land. The city declined commercially in the first half of the 14th cent. Marseilles was taken by Charles I of Anjou (13th cent.) and then absorbed by Provence and bequeathed (with Provence) to the French crown in 1481. In the 1700s commerce revived, mainly with the Levant and the Barbary States; although the plague wiped out almost half its population in 1720, Marseilles continued to enjoy prosperity until the civil strife of the French Revolution. In the 19th cent. the French conquest of Algeria and the opening of the Suez Canal led to a tremendous expansion of the port of Marseilles and to the city's industrialization.

The sight of Marseilles from the sea, a gleaming white city rising on a semicircle of bare hills, is famous. The Canebière, the principal thoroughfare, is one of the great avenues of the world. The science and medical schools of the Univ. of Aix-en-Provence are in Marseilles, as are industrial and engineering schools, the National School of Marine Commerce, and an observatory. A landmark of Marseilles harbor is the Château d'If castle. Excavations in 1966–67 uncovered what are believed to be vestiges of the ramparts of ancient Massilia.

Coordinates: 43°17′51″N, 5°22′38″E

Ville de Marseille
City flag	Coat of arms
Motto: Actibus immensis urbs fulget Massiliensis. "By her great deeds, the city of Massilia shines"
Location
Time Zone	CET (GMT +1)
Coordinates	43°17′51″N, 5°22′38″E
Administration
Country	France
Region	Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Department	Bouches-du-Rhône (13)
Subdivisions	16 arrondissements (in 8 secteurs)
Intercommunality	Urban Community of Marseille Provence Métropole
Mayor	Jean-Claude Gaudin (UMP) (since 1995)
City Statistics
Land area¹	240.62 km²
Population² (Jan. 2005 estimate)	820,900
- Ranking	2nd in France
- Density	3.412/km² (2005)
Urban Spread
Urban Area	1,290 km² (1999)
- Population	1,349,772 (1999)
Metro Area	2,830.2 km² (1999)
- Population	1,604,550 (2007)
Miscellaneous
Postal code	13001-13016
Dialling code	0491
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
2 Population sans doubles comptes: single count of residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel).

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. Its inhabitants are called Marseillais.

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, starting in the small fishing village of Callelongue on the outskirts of Marseille and stretching as far as Cassis, are the Calanques, a rugged coastal area interspersed with small fjords. Further east still are the Sainte-Baume, a  m ( ft) mountain ridge rising from a forest of deciduous trees, the town of Toulon and the French Riviera. To the north of Marseille, beyond the low Garlaban and Etoile mountain ranges, is the  m ( ft) Mont Sainte Victoire. To the west of Marseille is the former artists' colony of l'Estaque; further west are the Côte Bleue, the Gulf of Lion and the Camargue region in the Rhône delta. The airport lies to the north west of the city at Marignane on the Etang de Berre.

The city itself is spread across a wide geographical area divided into 16 arrondissements.^[1] The central six contain most of the city's historic buildings and its services. The city's main thoroughfare, the wide boulevard called the 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 the 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. Further out in the Bay of Marseille are the islands of Chateau d'If and Frioul. The main commercial centre of the city intersects with the Canebière at rue St Ferreol and the Centre Bourse (the main shopping mall). The centre of Marseille has several pedestrianized zones, most notably rue St Ferreol, Cours Julien near the Music Conservatory, the Cours Honoré-d'Estienne-d'Orves off the Old Port and the area around the Hotel de Ville. To the south east of central Marseille in the 6th arrondissement are the Prefecture and the monumental fountain of Place Castellane, an important bus and metro interchange. To the south west are the hills of the 7th arrondissement, dominated by the basilica of Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde. The railway station - Gare St Charles - is north of the Centre Bourse in the 1st arrondissement: it is at the end of the Boulevard d'Athènes, branching off halfway up the Canebière.

History

Prehistory and classical antiquity

Humans have inhabited Marseille and its environs for almost 30,000 years: paleolithic cave paintings in the underwater Cosquer cave near the calanque of Morgiou date back to between 27,000 and 19,000 BC; and very recent excavations near the railway station have unearthed paleolithic habitations from around 6,000 BC.

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). The precise circumstances and date of founding remain obscure, but nevertheless a legend survives. Protis, while exploring for a new trading outpost or emporion for Phocaea, discovered the mediterranean cove of the Lacydon, fed by a freshwater stream and protected by two rocky promontories. Protis was invited inland to a banquet held by the chief of the local Ligurian tribe for suitors seeking the hand of his daughter Gyptis in marriage. At the end of the banquet, Gyptis presented the ceremonial cup of wine to Protis, indicating her unequivocal choice. Following their marriage, they moved to the hill just to the north of the Lacydon; and from this settlement grew Massalia. ^[2]

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.),^[3] 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.

It was during this time that Christianity first appeared in Marseille, as evidenced by catacombs above the harbour and records of roman martyrs. According to provencal tradition, Mary Magdalen evangelised Marseille with her brother Lazarus.

Middle ages and renaissance

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 defense, decided to build on the ruins of the old Maubert tower and to establish a series of ramparts guarding the harbor. Jean Pardo, engineer, conceived the plans and Jehan Robert, mason of Tarascon, carried out the work. The construction of the new city defenses 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. Some 30 years after its incorporation, Francois I visited Marseille, drawn by his curiosity to see a rhinoceros that King Emmanuel I of Portugal was sending to Pope Leo X, but which had been shipwrecked on the Ile d'If. As a result of this visit, the fortress of Chateau d'If was constructed; this did little to prevent Marseille being placed under siege by the army of the Holy Roman Empire a few years later. Towards the end of the sixteenth century Marseille suffered yet another outbreak of the plague; the hospital of the Hotel-Dieu was founded soon afterwards. A century later more troubles were in store: King Louis XIV himself had to descend upon Marseille, at the head of his army, in order to quash a local uprising against the governor. As a consequence, the two forts of St Jean and St Nicholas were erected above the harbour and a large fleet and arsenal were established in the harbour itself.

18th-19th century

Over the course of the eighteenth century, the port's defenses were improved and Marseille became more important as France's leading military port in the Mediterranean. In 1720 the Great Plague of Marseille, a form of the Black Death, struck down 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.

The local population enthusiastically embraced the French Revolution and sent 500 volunteers to Paris in 1792 to defend the revolutionary government; their rallying call to revolution, sung on their march from Marseille to Paris, became known as La Marseillaise, now the national anthem of France.

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. Maritime opportunities also increased with the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. This period in Marseille's history is reflected in many of its monuments, such as the Napoleonic obelisk at Mazargues and the royal triumphal arch in the place d'Aix.

Twentieth century

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; the monumental staircase at the railway station, glorifying french colonial conquests, dates from then. 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:

• 1953-1986: Gaston Defferre (PS) (already mayor of 1944 to 1946, re-elected in 1959, 1965, 1971, 1977, 1983)
• 1986-1995: Robert Vigouroux (RDSE) (re-elected in 1989)
• 1995 -: Jean-Claude Gaudin (UMP) (re-elected in 6/2001)

Economy

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 the fourth French airport platform. 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 bordering Aix-en-Provence and northern Marseille now boasts a successful business and science park. All three branches of the University of Aix-Marseille - the Université de Provence, the Université de la Méditerranée and the Université Paul Cezanne - are represented to varying degrees in both Marseille and Aix. 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.

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

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:

• Marseille-La Belle-de-Mai (pop. 25,878); General Councilor: Lisette Narducci PS (Mayor of the 2ème sector de Marseille)
• Marseille-Belsunce (pop. 27,992); General Councilor: Fortuné Sportiello PS
• Marseille-La Blancarde (pop. 30,168); General Councilor Maurice Di Nocera UDF
• Marseille-Le Camas (pop. 27,506); General Councilor: Antoine Rouzaud PS (Municipal councilor of Marseille)
• Marseille-La Capelette (pop. 34,292); General Councilor: Janine Ecochard PS
• Marseille-Les Cinq-Avenues (pop. 29,846); General Councilor: Marie-Arlette Carlotti PS (Representative européenne)
• Marseille-Les Grands-Carmes (pop. 29,060); General Councilor: Jean-Noël Guerini PS (Sénateur, Président du Conseil Général, Municipal councilor of Marseille)
• Marseille-Mazargues (pop. 35,890); General Councilor: Didier Réault UMP
• Marseille-Montolivet (pop. 33,644); General Councilor: Maurice Rey UMP
• Marseille-Notre-Dame-du-Mont (pop. 31,107); General Councilor: Jocelyn Zeitoun PS
• Marseille-Notre-Dame-Limite (pop. 33,472); General Councilor: Joël Dutto PCF
• Marseille-Les Olives (pop. 27,052); General Councilor: Marius Masse PS
• Marseille-La Pointe-Rouge (pop. 31,116); General Councilor: Richard Miron UMP
• Marseille-La Pomme (pop. 38,701); General Councilor: René Olmeta PS (Municipal councilor of Marseille)
• Marseille-La Rose (pop. 33,206); General Councilor: Félix Weygand PS
• Marseille-Saint-Barthélemy (pop. 37,629); General Councilor: Denis Rossi PS (Municipal councilor of Marseille)
• Marseille-Sainte-Marguerite (pop. 36,868); General Councilor: Didier Garnier UMP
• Marseille-Saint-Giniez (pop. 34,621); General Councilor: Martine Vassal UMP (Adjointe au Maire de Marseille)
• Marseille-Saint-Just (pop. 32,749); General Councilor: Michel Pezet PS (Municipal councilor of Marseille)
• Marseille-Saint-Lambert (pop. 26,218); General Councilor: Robert Assante UMP (Adjoint au Maire de Marseille)
• Marseille-Saint-Marcel (pop. 29,981); General Councilor: Jean Bonat PS (Municipal councilor of Marseille)
• Marseille-Saint-Mauront (pop. 40,392); General Councilor: Jeanine Porte PCF
• Marseille-Les Trois Lucs (pop. 25,324); General Councilor: Christophe Masse PS (Representative)
• Marseille-Vauban (pop. 29,668); General Councilor: André Malrait UMP
• Marseille-Verduron (pop. 35,752). General Councilor: Henri Jibrayel PS

Demographics

Marseille Population^[4]

250 BC	1801	1851	1881	1911	1931	1946	1954	1962	1968	1975	1982	1990	1999	2004

Because of its pre-eminence as a Mediterranean port, Marseille has always been one of the main points of entry into France. This has attracted many immigrants and made Marseille into a unique cosmopolitan melting pot. Already at the end of the 18th century about half the population originated from elsewhere. The main group of immigrants came from Italy (mainly from Genoa and Piedmont) as well as from Spain, Greece and the Levant.

Economic conditions and political unrest in Europe and the rest of the world brought several further waves of immigrants in the 20th century: Greeks and Italians started arriving already at the end of the 19th century; Russians in 1917; Armenians in 1915 and 1923; the Spanish after 1936; north Africans in the inter-war period; sub-saharan Africans after 1945; and the pieds-noirs, from the former French colonies in Algeria, in 1962, and then from the Comoros.

Currently over one third of the population of Marseille can trace their roots back to Italy, the most represented country in the city, even beyond France. Marseille also has the largest Corsican and second largest Armenian population in France. The main religions practised in Marseille are Catholicism (600,000), Islam (between 150,000 and 200,000), Armenian Apostolic Church (80,000), Judaism (80,000, making Marseille the third largest urban Jewish community in Europe), Protestantism (20,000), Eastern Orthodoxy (10,000) and Buddhism (3,000).^[5]

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 the Mistral, a harsh cold wind originating in the alps that occurs mostly in winter and spring. Less frequent is the Sirocco, a hot sand-bearing wind, coming from the Sahara desert.

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

Marseille is a city that is proud of its differences from the rest of France. Today it is a regional centre for culture and entertainment with its important opera house, its historical and maritime museums, its five art galleries and numerous cinemas, clubs, bars and restaurants. The most commonly used 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. Another local tradition is the making of santons, small hand-crafted figurines for the traditional Provencal Christmas creche. Since 1803, starting on the last Sunday of November, there has been a Santon Fair in Marseille; it is currently held in the Cours d'Estienne d'Orves, a large square off the Vieux-Port.

Marseille has a large number of theatres, including la Criée, le Gymnase and the theatre Tourski. There is also an extensive arts centre in la Friche, a former match factory behind Gare St-Charles. The Alcazar, until the 1960's a well known music-hall and variety theatre, has recently been completely remodelled behind its original facade and now houses the central municipal library.

Marseille has also been important in literature and the arts. It has been the birth place and home of many French writers and poets, including from modern times Victor Gélu, Valère Bernard, Pierre Bertas, Edmond Rostand and André Roussin. The small port of l'Estaque on the far end of the Bay of Marseille became a favourite haunt for artists, including Auguste Renoir, Paul Cézanne (who frequently visited from his home in Aix), George Braque and Raoul Dufy.

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 was comparable to the classical trend found in other opera houses built at the same time in Lyon and Bordeaux. In 1920 a fire almost completely destroyed the building, leaving only the stone colonnade and peristyle from the original facade. The classical facade was restored and the opera house reconstructed in a predominantly Art Deco style, as the result of a major competition: for example, Antoine Bourdelle worked on the frescos on the proscenium arch. Currently the Marseille Opera stages 6 or 7 operas each year, covering the whole range of opera from baroque to newly commissioned works. The season, by subscription, lasts from September to June.

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, and Psy4 de la rime.

Films set in Marseille

Marseille has been the setting for many films, produced mostly in France or Hollywood.

• Marius (1931)
• The French Connection (1971)
• French Connection II (1975)
• La Lune dans le caniveau (1983)
• 37°2 le matin (1986)
• Trois places pour le 26 (1988)
• Roselyne et les lions (1989)
• La Gloire de mon Père (1990)
• Un, deux, trois, soleil (1993)
• Bye-Bye (1995)
• Marius et Jeannette (1997)
• Taxi (1998)
• Comme un aimant (2000)
• Baise-moi (2000)
• Taxi 2 (2000)
• The Bourne Identity (2002)
• Count of Monte Cristo (2002)
• Gomez & Tavarès (2003)
• Love Actually (2003)
• Taxi 3 (2003)
• Taxi 4 (2006)
• The Devil Wears Prada (2006)

Gastronomy

• Pastis, an alcoholic beverage made with aniseed and spices
• Aïoli, a sauce made from raw garlic, lemon juice, eggs and olive oil, served with boiled fish, hard boiled eggs and cooked vegetables
• Tapenade, a paste made from capers, chopped olives and olive oil (sometimes anchovies may be added)
• Bouillabaisse, a fish soup containing assorted shellfish, fish and vegetables, served with grated cheese, croutons and rouille
• Anchoïade, a paste made from anchovies, garlic, black olives and olive oil, served with raw vegetables
• Panisse, a pastry made from chickpea flour
• Navette, a small hard biscuit in the shape of a boat, flavoured with orange blossom
• Bourride, a fish dish made with monkfish, mayonnaise and a vegetable brunoise
• Pieds-paquets, a dish prepared from pig's trotters, sheep or pork tripe and lard

Places of interest

Central Marseille

Marseille is listed as a major