Marseille

A bustling, fascinating city unlike any other in France

Bustling Marseille, with more than a million inhabitants, is the second-largest city in France and its premier port.  A crossroads of world traffic--Dumas called it "the meeting place of the entire world"--the city is ancient, founded by Greeks from the city of Phocaea, near present-day Izmir, Turkey, in the 6th century BC. Marseille is a place of unique sounds, smells, and sights. It has seen wars and much destruction, but trade has always been its raison d'être.

Marseille is a large city but it retains an intimate atmosphere that is both elegant and charming. The Vieux Port, the old harbor, is especially colorful with restaurants, shops, and small ships. The city is experiencing somewhat of a renaissance, and because it is now so easily reached by train from Paris--travel time is three hours--there is much hope for its economic future. Since the 1970s, a great deal of Marseille's economy has revolved around thousands upon thousands of North and sub-Saharan Africans who have poured into the city, creating a population that reflects the city’s rich history.

© 2009, Wiley Publishing, Inc.