Built on the shores of the Mediterranean around 600 BC, Marseille is the oldest city in France and one of the most important ports in Europe. Known in ancient times as Massalia, it was built by Greek merchants from Phocaea, in what is now Turkey. Taking advantage of its privileged geographical location, they turned the city into a major trading centre in the ancient world. Today, this heritage, albeit subtle, is everywhere...
‘Being born in Marseille is never a coincidence. Marseille is, and always has been, the port of exiles, Mediterranean exiles, exiles from our former colonial routes too. Anyone who arrives here one day is bound to feel at home. Wherever you come from, Marseille is your home.’
In his poem entitled ‘Marseille’, writer and poet Jean-Claude Izzo proclaims his attachment to his native city. The son of Spanish and Italian immigrants, he perfectly embodies the cosmopolitan spirit characteristic of the port city.
A city at the crossroads
As a stopover, transit or immigration city, Marseille is a place that people make their own, for a few days or a lifetime. At the crossroads of trade and immigration, it has been subject to various waves of migration over the centuries. Greeks, Italians, Armenians, Corsicans, North Africans, Spaniards: many peoples have come to settle here or stop over, fleeing persecution or attracted by the economic opportunities offered by the city.
Named the gateway to the Orient by Victor Hugo, Marseille vibrates with this multi-culturalism and unique atmosphere. André Chenier once said that ‘Marseille is the whole universe’. And its centre is undoubtedly its emblematic Old Port, through which goods, people and merchandise of all kinds passed in the early days of trade. Nearby, you can see the city's most important monuments, such as Fort Saint-Jean. Or the Cathédrale de la Major, a building of exceptional dimensions and unique allure, halfway between Roman and Oriental cultures. The Musée des Civilisations de l'Europe et de la Méditerranée, known as the Mucem, located just next door, will give the most curious visitors a chance to discover Mediterranean culture and heritage.
The city of 111 districts
Marseille is the second most populous city in France and also one of the largest. Many of its 111 official districts are former hamlets that were later incorporated into the commune. This was the case for the town of l'Estaque, located to the north-west of the city and immortalised by Paul Cézanne in his famous painting, La Mer à l'Estaque. This particularity gives each district its own identity and, paradoxically, an overall unity.
In the heart of the city, Le Panier and its medieval streets make up the historic district. The same goes for the Canebière district, renowned for its bars, cafés and gastronomic market.
For a run by the sea, head for La Corniche and its 19th-century villas, which will take the most motivated runners as far as Les Goudes and its little fishermen's cottages.
You can't talk about Marseille without mentioning its architectural heritage, from the multitude of religious buildings of various denominations dotted around the city to the monuments built during the Empire. The symbol of the city, the Basilica of Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde perched on its hill, combines both. The people of Marseilles call her the ‘Good Mother’, because she watches over the city's inhabitants, especially the sailors.
The Calanques of Marseille
Marseille is surrounded by mountains and has many gardens, including the Parc de la Buzine, made famous by Marcel Pagnol in his novel Le Château de ma mère (My Mother's Castle). But the city is best known for its Calanques, a series of coves and inlets stretching for some twenty kilometres to the south of the city. The Calanques are one of France's most popular natural sites, and since 2012 have been France's first peri-urban national park.
The home of Le Corbusier, who built his Cité Radieuse here, Marseille is just as enchanting for fans of architecture, history and gastronomy as it is for football fans, who can watch Olympique de Marseille matches at the Stade Vélodrome.
Run, walk or cycle with JOOKS, from the Old Port to the Calanques of Marseille!
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