Marseille is the second largest city in France (after Paris). Located on the Mediterranean Sea, it is France's largest commercial port and the largest in the Mediterranean. It was founded in 600 B.C.E. by Greeks from Phocaea as a trading port under the name Massalia. Facing an opposing alliance of the Etruscans, Carthage and the Celts, the Greek colony allied itself with the expanding Roman Republic for protection. Under this arrangement the city maintained it’s independence until the rise of Julius Caesar.
Marseille is divided into sixteen arrondissements which spiral out from the focal point of the city, the Vieux Port. Due north lies the old town, Le Panier, site of the original Greek settlement. The wide boulevard leading from the head of the Vieux Port, La Canebière is the central east-west axis of the town. The Centre Bourse and the little streets of quartier Belsunce border it to the north, while the main shopping streets lie to the south.

	Country:	France
	Location:	Southeast
	Country Code:	+33
	Population:	808,700
	Language:	French
	Currency:	Euro (€)
	Time Zone:	GMT+1
	Train Station:	Gare Marseille Saint Charles
	Tourism:	Marseille Tourism

By Car Car access to Marseille is extremely good, with 4 motorways (A7, A50, A52, A55) converging on the city all with good signage to the city centre.

By Train Direct connections with high speed train (TGV) come from Paris (3h00), Roissy(3h35), Lyon(1h30) or Lille (4h30). High speed connections are also available from London and Bruxelles. The Marseille St-Charles station is located dowtown and is connected to the urban public transport network.

By Air Marseille has the 2nd largest airport in France (Marignane MRS) after Paris. With many regular flights every day from all over the UK.

By Ferry Marseille ferry port offers scheduled services to Corsica, Sardinia, Algeria and Tunisia. Marseille Ferry port terminal 2 - situated in Place de la Joliette and dedicated to traffic with Corsica and Sardinia, handles more than 700,000 passengers per year, while terminal 3 Situated at the end of Boulevard des Dames is dedicated to traffic with North Africa (Algeria and Tunisia), and handles up to 620,000 passengers per year.

• Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde
• Château d'If
• Cathédrale de la Major
• Arc de Triomphe
• Abbaye Saint-Victor

As you would expect with a city as large and old as Marseille there are many place to visit. The most famous of these being: Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde, this ornate Neo-Byzantine church sits atop the signal hill of La Garde, the highest natural point in Marseille, being a 162 m (532 ft) limestone outcrop on the south side of the Vieux Port. As well as being a major local landmark, it is the site of a popular annual pilgrimage every August. Local inhabitants commonly refer to it as la bonne mère (the good mother). The Château d'If is located on the small island of If, situated about a mile offshore in the Bay of Marseille. It is an ancient prison island, where The Count of Monte Cristo was jailed, in Alexandre Dumas' novel.