Marseilles Travel Guide
Marseilles is firstly associated with Monte Cristo.
All events discribed by Alexander Duma in his famous novel happened in Marseilles or in the fearful If Castle (Chateau d’If).
In spite of that terrible drama, You feels free and happy in this white, cozy, and light city, where everything is like from fairy tale: see, sky, wind, hills, broad sea front. Marseilles is actually a very nice and enchanting city of southern France. Marseilles is the second-largest city of France, but a chief seaport of France and of the Mediterranean. Its population is about 900000 (to be exact, 820900 in accordance with the population census of 2005), area - 240,62 square kilometers. Among that, Marseilles forms the third-largest metropolitan area, after those of Paris and Lyon with a population estimated as about 1,6010,000 people. Ii is situated in 219 m. S. by E. of Lyons and 534 m. S.S.E. of Paris, by the Paris-Lyon-Mediterranee railway, and is also connected by railway with Cannes, Nice, Monte Carlo. Marseilles is maybe not such pompous as Monte Carlo, but it is more natural and hearty. Marseilles is a very old city: it was founded in 600 B.C. by Greeks from Asia Minor. At that time, its name was Massilia. Sea can be seen almost from every point, because Marseilles is situated on the Golfe du Lion on the eastern shore of a bay with Cape Croisette to the south and open sea to the west. The bay is surrounded by an amphitheatre of hills, and Marseilles actually lies on this amphitheatre, which makes this city especially picturesque. In summer the temperature is always a little lower than in the centre of the town because of mistral. Â Places of interest: - the famous old see port and the harbour - the church of Notre-Dame de la Garde - the fort - the famous Rue Cannebiere - the Rue Noailles - the Rue Paradis - the Prado avenues - the Borely Park - the Rhone valley - the Boulevard de la Madeleine There are more than 60 hotels in Marseilles and a lot of comfortable cafes. Â Â |
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