Marseille-Third Largest City In France

Marseille is the oldest city of France and the first to have been given the status of such. Marseille was founded around 600 B.C by Greeks, and was the home port of Phyteas, a Greek geopgrapher and explore from antique Greek.

After the Greek area, Romans took over the city of Mareille and it became a siege and a naval battle during Caesar's civil war in 49 B.C. After the decline of Roman Empire, Christianity appeared in Marseille and is still very visible by its monuments up to today.

During the middle age, Emperor Charlemagne granted civic power to Marseille which became a major trading port in France until the Medieval period.

Because of Marseille being a major port it is believed that the city was one of the first places in France to encounter the epidemic of the plague. Some 15,000 people died in the city with a population of 25,000. It was during this period that Marseille saw a terrible decline of its economy. This period lasted from 1348 to 1423.

It was not until 1427 that Marseille started to fully recover with the arriving of Count Rene d'Anjou who helped the city to raise again.

During World War II, Marseille was bombed by the German and the Italian forces in 1940. The city was occupied by Germans from November 1942 to August 1944. A large part of the city's old quarter was dynamited in a massive clearance project in order to reduce opportunities for resistance members to hide and operate in the densely populated old buildings.

After the war the city recovered all through the 1950's. Germany, and Italy paid massive contribution and interest to the city of Marseille to compensate civilians killed, injured, or left homeless or destitute as a result of the war.

The French national anthem,"La Marseillaise", which words of violence have been in controversy by the French people of today, was born in Marseille in 1792 when 500 volunteers marched from Marseille to Paris (410 miles) to defend the revolutionary government.

As they marched they started to sing the song "Chant de guerre pour l'armee du Rhin" (Song of war for the Army of the Rhine) composed by Claude Joseph Roujet de Lisle. Because of this event the song was renamed "La Marseillaise" and become the French national anthem.

Today Marseille which counts a million inhabitants, has a new port that is now the main commercial port of the city. 100 million tons of freight goes through the new port of Marseille annually. The new port of Marseille is the largest port of France and the third largest of Europe. 60% of the freight passing through the port is petroleum.

Marseille is a major French industrial and trading center with excellent road, sea and air transportation. The Airport of Marseille is the 4th largest airport of the country. Marseille is also the home of some 3000 scientists which makes the city the second largest research center.

In 2005 the financial French magazine "L'Expansion" named Marseille the most dynamic of France's large cities.

La Canebière

La Canebière is the most popular boulevard in Marseille, that runs down all the way to the port. The name Canebière comes from the hemp plant (canabé) which was once used to make ropes, the town's thriving trade. La Canebière is a busy shopping area with hotels, cafes, and various stores of many kinds.

Le Château d'If

This castle is a former prison located on the island of If about a mile offshore the Bay of Marseille. A massif 3 story building with 3 towers, le Chateau d'If is famous for being the setting of Alexandre Dumas novel "The Counte Of Monte Cristo". The Island is the smallest island of the mediterranean see with only 323 square feet.

Notre Dame de La Garde

Notre Dame de la Garde is the most famous basilica church of Marseille. Built from 1853-1864 the church is situated at the highest point of the city, and can be seen from just about anywhere in town.

Notre Dame de la Garde is really the landmark of Marseille. located some 531 feet above the see level, It is the highest points of Marseille, and gives you the most breathtaking panorama of the city.

The church itself consists of two chapels, one built in Neo-Romanic style and the other one in Neo-Byzantine style. The statue on top of the building representing the virgin Mary with her child is layered with gold.

Marseille is home to the famous French novelist, playwright and filmmaker, Marcel Pagnol (1895-1974). He was the writer and director of many films shot in Marseille with famous actors from the city with their typical "accent marseillais".

Marcel Pagnol showed Marseille in most of his movies, and talked about Marseille in most of his novels and biographies. Marcel Pagnol was the first filmmaker elected to the AcadémieFrancaise.

The famous trilogy of Pagnol was a beautiful sequel of 3 movies, named "Marius", "Fanny" and "César". The sequel relates the story of a middle age single father (César) and his young adult son (Marius) who has to make a choice between his love of sailing and his childhood love (Fanny). The shooting of the movie takes place mostly in the waterfront bar of Cesar right by the port of Marseille. To this day Marseille is full of the memories of Pagnol's life and movies.

Probably the most famous dish of Marseille is "la bouillabaisse" a delicious fish soup with assorted fish and shellfish served with rouille, toasted bread and grated cheese.



La Fougasse is abread, made of pockets by folding the bread with different ingredients such as olive, anchovies, fruits, nuts or just about any delicacies one may want to include.

L'Aïoli, a sauce made from raw garlic, mustard, eggs yoke, and olive oil.

La Tapenade A pureed chopped olives, capers, anchovies and olive oil. Its name comes from the provençale word for capers, tapéno. It is a popular food in the south of France, where it is generally eaten as an hors d'oeuvre, spread on bread.

Le Pastis An alcoholic beverage made with aniseed and spice. Very famous site on the south France table.

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