Marseille, France
Marseille, the most important and important in Europe Port city France is at the Golfe du Lion in an attractive Mediterranean bay. The residents of Marseille are called Marseillais. The city is the capital of the region of Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur. The second largest city in France has a population of around 830,000.
The landscapes of Marseille
The highest mountain in the city is 710 m high and is called Croix de Garlaban. In general, the landscape is a bit more mountainous and hilly than you might think at first glance. The mix of rock deposits is extremely interesting. Here are mountain ranges made of limestone rocks on a large salty inland water, in which there is a large mussel farm. This is separated from the sea so that high quality mussels can be grown here. The mussels are of course a specialty in Marseille that you shouldn’t miss as a visitor.
The Marignane Airport is particularly important for the south of France because it is very central and therefore has a large catchment area. Since Marseille is located on the Mediterranean Sea and is in a sheltered bay, mild temperatures and a Mediterranean climate prevail here all year round.
History of the city of Marseille
We know today that Greek sea traders from Phocea visited the south coast of what is now France as early as the 7th century. The Ligurian tribes resident at that time operated a lively trade with the sea merchants from Asia Minor. Especially tin had done it to the Greeks, as it was more valuable than bronze at the time. The local princes of the region around the Rhone were very enthusiastic about the wonderful pottery and the opulent gold jewelry of the Greeks. During excavations in the areas of what is now Marseille, numerous relics from the time that came from Greek craftsmanship were found. The very rocky coast of the region made it impossible for ships to dock, so they had to dock in Marseille. There the boats were protected due to their location in the bay.
The local Ligurian prince donated around 620 BC. BC the Greeks used the area around the port and so a permanently inhabited trading presence could arise here. The residents called the still small village Massalia or Massila, on which the current name Marseille is based. The village quickly grew into a city.
There is a legend about Marseille which says that the prince’s daughter fell in love with the Greek merchant Protis at a big party. The two married and the daughter took the land around what is now the Old Harbor with her as a dowry. This legend goes hand in hand with the story that the village of Massalia was founded on the basis of the dowry around the old port, so it is said today that Marseille was created out of love.
The settlement became a city, and the city became a large Greek colony. The residents skillfully used the favorable location at the end of the Rhone as a trade route and so the population was able to enjoy wealth and prosperity Life. At that time Marseille was one of the largest and richest cities in the western Mediterranean. The city also had a great cultural influence on the surrounding landscapes and villages. The remains of this influence can still be found in the hinterland of the city. The fact that the Helvetii appropriated the Greek letters in Caesar’s time is also very impressive. The influence of the Massailans is behind this reception of the scriptures. Linguists have found that traces of ancient Phocean grace can be found in some of the dialects of southern France.
Rh ne-Alpes (France)
The Rhône-Alpes is a region in France. It is located in the south-eastern part of the country and takes its name from its proximity to the Rhone River and the Alpine region. The total area of the area of region of Rhône-Alpes is 43,698 square kilometers, on which about 6 million people live. The capital of the province is Lyon.
Rhône-Alpes is made up of the departments of Ain, Ardeche, Drome, Isere,Loire, Rhone, Savoie and Haute-Savoie together. It is the third largest in France
after the overseas region of French Guiana and Midi-Pyrenees.
The area is also varied geographically. The north-east of the Rhône-Alpes borders on Switzerland and the east on the main ridge of the Alps and thus on Italy. The south lies directly on the Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur region.
The main bodies of water are the Rhone, Isere and Saone rivers. The Rhône-Alpes region shares Lake Geneva with neighboring Switzerland.
History of the Rhône-Alpes region
From a historical point of view, the region consists of very heterogeneous areas. Almost all of them, with the exception of the medieval Kingdom of Burgundy, belonged to France at very different epochs and times. It is also crucial that a distinction is made between the Lyonnaise, the Dauphine and Savoy, which was only annexed to France in 1861.
As 1960 the program regions were established in France, the Rhône-Alpes region emerged in its present-day borders. Just twelve years later, in 1972, the region, like all 26 French regions, was raised to the status of an establishment public. This went hand in hand with the fact that from this point in time the regions were subordinate to the management of a regional prefect. Another ten years later, in 1982, the regions received the status of local authorities and thus expanded powers. Just four years later, citizens could vote for their regional council representatives themselves by direct ballot. Even later, the powers of the Rhône-Alpes region vis-à-vis the central government in Paris were repeatedly expanded. This process will continue.
Living and working in the Rhône-Alpes region
With its 6 million residents, the Rhône-Alpes region is the second largest economic power in the country. Only the Ile-de-France region is larger. From an economic point of view, the region is doing very well. Important locations of international industry can be found here and thus provide many jobs. Furthermore, you will find numerous medium-sized and smaller companies with fewer than 10 employees. The service industry and tourism are also particularly important. The Alps are very popular as a holiday region among tourists and bring financial resources to the city coffers through the holidaymakers.
There is close cooperation between the Swiss and French regional governments and the municipal councils of the Rhône-Alpes region. Both sides feel connected by Lake Geneva and use it for tourism together. There is also a close and friendly relationship with Italy, as they are connected to one another via the Alpine chain.
Due to the unfavorable structural situation and harsh weather conditions, the high alpine region is sparsely populated. Here you will find pastures for cattle breeding rather than large settlements. The southern part also turned out to be unfavorable and is also only very sparsely populated.