Bouches-du-Rhône
Encyclopedia
Rhône River
The Rhone is one of the major rivers of Europe, rising in Switzerland and running from there through southeastern France. At Arles, near its mouth on the Mediterranean Sea, the river divides into two branches, known as the Great Rhone and the Little Rhone...
. It is the most populous department of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur or PACA is one of the 27 regions of France.It is made up of:* the former French province of Provence* the former papal territory of Avignon, known as Comtat Venaissin...
region
Régions of France
France is divided into 27 administrative regions , 22 of which are in Metropolitan France, and five of which are overseas. Corsica is a territorial collectivity , but is considered a region in mainstream usage, and is even shown as such on the INSEE website...
. Its INSEE
INSEE
INSEE is the French National Institute for Statistics and Economic Studies. It collects and publishes information on the French economy and society, carrying out the periodic national census. Located in Paris, it is the French branch of Eurostat, European Statistical System...
and postal code is 13.
History of the department
Bouches-du-Rhône is one of the original 83 departments created during the French RevolutionFrench Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
on 4 March 1790. It was created from the western part of the former province
Provinces of France
The Kingdom of France was organised into provinces until March 4, 1790, when the establishment of the département system superseded provinces. The provinces of France were roughly equivalent to the historic counties of England...
of Provence
Provence
Provence ; Provençal: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm) is a region of south eastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
and the principalities of Orange
Orange, Vaucluse
Orange is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.It has a primarily agricultural economy...
, Martigues
Martigues
Martigues is a commune northwest of Marseille. It is part of the Bouches-du-Rhône department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region on the eastern end of the Canal de Caronte....
, and Lambesc
Lambesc
Lambesc is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in the Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur region in southern France.Lambesc is located in the heart of Provence at the foot of the Côtes mountain range, near the Alpilles. The village has a strong historical and cultural heritage, being home to the...
. It lost part of its territory in 1793, including Orange and Apt
Apt, Vaucluse
Apt is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.It lies on the left bank of the Calavon, east of Avignon...
, when the Vaucluse
Vaucluse
The Vaucluse is a department in the southeast of France, named after the famous spring, the Fontaine-de-Vaucluse.- History :Vaucluse was created on 12 August 1793 out of parts of the departments of Bouches-du-Rhône, Drôme, and Basses-Alpes...
department was created.
Following its creation, the department was immediately strongly and actively supportive of the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
, containing 90 "Jacobin Clubs" by 1794. It was also noteworthy that more than 50% of the priests in the department accepted the Civil Constitution of the Clergy
Civil Constitution of the Clergy
The Civil Constitution of the Clergy was a law passed on 12 July 1790 during the French Revolution, that subordinated the Roman Catholic Church in France to the French government....
which in effect subordinated the church to the government. During the ascendancy of the Communist Party
French Communist Party
The French Communist Party is a political party in France which advocates the principles of communism.Although its electoral support has declined in recent decades, the PCF retains a large membership, behind only that of the Union for a Popular Movement , and considerable influence in French...
in the twentieth century election results indicated that support for left-wing politics remained relatively strong in the department, and especially in the northern suburbs of Marseille.
History of the area
The history of the area is closely linked to that of ProvenceProvence
Provence ; Provençal: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm) is a region of south eastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
. Marseille
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
has been an important harbor since before Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
's conquest of Gaul
Gaul
Gaul was a region of Western Europe during the Iron Age and Roman era, encompassing present day France, Luxembourg and Belgium, most of Switzerland, the western part of Northern Italy, as well as the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the left bank of the Rhine. The Gauls were the speakers of...
. The Roman presence has left numerous monuments across the department.
Geography
The department is part of the current regionRégions of France
France is divided into 27 administrative regions , 22 of which are in Metropolitan France, and five of which are overseas. Corsica is a territorial collectivity , but is considered a region in mainstream usage, and is even shown as such on the INSEE website...
of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur or PACA is one of the 27 regions of France.It is made up of:* the former French province of Provence* the former papal territory of Avignon, known as Comtat Venaissin...
. It is surrounded by the departments of Gard
Gard
Gard is a département located in southern France in the Languedoc-Roussillon region.The department is named after the River Gard, although the formerly Occitan name of the River Gard, Gardon, has been replacing the traditional French name in recent decades, even among French speakers.- History...
on the west, Vaucluse
Vaucluse
The Vaucluse is a department in the southeast of France, named after the famous spring, the Fontaine-de-Vaucluse.- History :Vaucluse was created on 12 August 1793 out of parts of the departments of Bouches-du-Rhône, Drôme, and Basses-Alpes...
on the north, and Var on the east, and by the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
on the south. The Rhône River delta
River delta
A delta is a landform that is formed at the mouth of a river where that river flows into an ocean, sea, estuary, lake, reservoir, flat arid area, or another river. Deltas are formed from the deposition of the sediment carried by the river as the flow leaves the mouth of the river...
forms a vast swampy wetlands area called the Camargue
Camargue
The Camargue is the region located south of Arles, France, between the Mediterranean Sea and the two arms of the Rhône River delta. The eastern arm is called the Grand Rhône; the western one is the Petit Rhône....
in the southwestern part of the department.
The largest city in the department, Marseille
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
, contains a major industrial harbor, and serves as France's largest commercial port. Bouches-du-Rhône is largely urban, with 28 towns having a population of more than 10,000 as of 2008:
- MarseilleMarseilleMarseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
, population 851,420, departmental and regional capital (préfecture) - Aix-en-ProvenceAix-en-ProvenceAix , or Aix-en-Provence to distinguish it from other cities built over hot springs, is a city-commune in southern France, some north of Marseille. It is in the region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, in the département of Bouches-du-Rhône, of which it is a subprefecture. The population of Aix is...
, population 142,743, sous-préfecture, a university town and seat of the regional Court of Appeals - ArlesArlesArles is a city and commune in the south of France, in the Bouches-du-Rhône department, of which it is a subprefecture, in the former province of Provence....
, population 52,729, sous-préfecture and site of an ancient Roman city - MartiguesMartiguesMartigues is a commune northwest of Marseille. It is part of the Bouches-du-Rhône department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region on the eastern end of the Canal de Caronte....
, population 46,471, the leading city for the European petrochemical industry - AubagneAubagneAubagne is a commune located east of Marseille in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in southern France.The French Foreign Legion has its headquarters there...
, population 46,093, birthplace of ProvençalProvençalProvençal may refer to:*Provençal, meaning "of Provence", a region of France*Provençal dialect, a dialect of the Occitan language, spoken in the south-east of France*Provençal, meaning the whole Occitan language...
author Marcel PagnolMarcel PagnolMarcel Pagnol was a French novelist, playwright, and filmmaker. In 1946, he became the first filmmaker elected to the Académie Française.-Biography:... - IstresIstresIstres is a commune in southern France, some 60 km northwest of Marseille. It is in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, in the Bouches-du-Rhône department, of which it is a subprefecture...
, population 42,603, sous-préfecture and home to a military airbase - Salon-de-ProvenceSalon-de-ProvenceSalon-de-Provence is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in southern France. It is the location of an important air base.-History:Salon was a Gallo-Roman oppidum well positioned on the salt trade routes between Adriatic, Atlantic and Mediterranean seas, hence its name...
, population 41,411, the home city of 16th-century soothsayerSoothsayerSoothsayer may refer to:* One practicing divination, including:** Fortune-teller** Oracle* The Soothsayer, an album by Wayne Shorter* "Soothsayer", a song by Buckethead from Crime Slunk Scene...
NostradamusNostradamusMichel de Nostredame , usually Latinised to Nostradamus, was a French apothecary and reputed seer who published collections of prophecies that have since become famous worldwide. He is best known for his book Les Propheties , the first edition of which appeared in 1555... - Vitrolles, population 36,610
- MarignaneMarignaneMarignane is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southern France.-Geography:It is a component of the metropolitan Marseille Provence Métropole, and the largest suburb of the city of Marseille...
, population 33,909, site of the Marseille-Provence regional airport - La CiotatLa CiotatLa Ciotat is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southern France. It is part of the metropolitan area of Marseille Provence. La ciotat is located to the east of Marseille at an equal distance from Marseille and Toulon...
, population 33,790 - MiramasMiramasMiramas is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southern France. It is the second-largest commune in metropolitan Ouest-Provence and is located at the north end of the Étang de Berre lagoon, adjacent to and northeast of the city of Istres.-Circuit...
, population 25,632, regional railway hub - GardanneGardanneGardanne is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in southern France.-Geography:It is close to Aix-en-Provence and Marseille and lies on the rail link connecting the two cities.-History:Walls dating back to the first century AD have been found....
, population 21,121 - Les Pennes-MirabeauLes Pennes-MirabeauLes Pennes-Mirabeau is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in southern France.-Population:-External links:*...
, population 20,187 - AllauchAllauchAllauch is a French commune situated east of Marseille in the department of Bouches-du-Rhône in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of France. Its inhabitants are called Allaudians.- Location :...
, population 18,728 - Port-de-BoucPort-de-BoucPort-de-Bouc is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in southern France.-Population:-References:*...
, population 17,207 - Fos-sur-MerFos-sur-MerFos-sur-Mer is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in southern France.-Geography:Fos-sur-Mer is situated about north west of Marseille, on the Mediterranean coast, and to the west of the Étang de Berre. The city has of sand beach.-Population:...
, population 15,448 - ChâteaurenardChâteaurenardChâteaurenard is a commune in the Arles arrondissement, in the Bouches-du-Rhône department, in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, in southern France.-Population:-External links:*...
, population 14,817 - Berre-l'ÉtangBerre-l'ÉtangBerre-l'Étang is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southern France.-Population:-References:*...
, population 13,881 - Bouc-Bel-AirBouc-Bel-AirBouc-Bel-Air is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in southern France. It is situated between Marseille, Gardanne and Aix-en-Provence...
, population 134,37 - Tarascon, population 13,340
- RognacRognacRognac is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in southern France.-Population:-References:*...
, population 12,195 - Auriol, population 11,969
- Châteauneuf-les-MartiguesChâteauneuf-les-MartiguesChâteauneuf-les-Martigues is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in southern France.-Population:-References:*...
, population 11,564 - Plan-de-CuquesPlan-de-CuquesPlan-de-Cuques is a commune northeast of Marseille in the department of Bouches-du-Rhône in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of France.-Population:The inhabitants are called Plan-de-Cuquois.-References:*...
, population 11,096 - Saint-Martin-de-CrauSaint-Martin-de-CrauSaint-Martin-de-Crau is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in southern France. Inhabitants are called Saint-Martinois.-Population:...
, population 10,979 - Saint-Rémy-de-ProvenceSaint-Rémy-de-ProvenceSaint-Rémy-de-Provence is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in southern France.-Geography:...
, population 10,662 - Septèmes-les-VallonsSeptèmes-les-VallonsSeptèmes-les-Vallons is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in southern France.-Population:-References:*...
, population 10,481 - TretsTretsTrets is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in southern France.-Population:-Events:Trets hosts the SGI European Cultural Center; every year many members of the SGI from all over Europe go there to attend courses with the aim of deepening their understanding of the Buddhism of Nichiren...
, population 10,239
Rivers include:
- The Rhône, which forms the border with the Gard department.
- The DuranceDuranceThe Durance is a major river in south-eastern France.Its source is in the south-western Alps, in Montgenèvre ski resort near Briançon and it flows south-west through the following départements and cities:* Hautes-Alpes: Briançon, Embrun.* Alpes-de-Haute-Provence: Sisteron, Manosque.* Vaucluse:...
, which forms the border with the Vaucluse department. - The ArcArc (Provence)The Arc is an 83 km long river in the south of France. It arises at an altitude of 470 m, close to the village of Pourcieux. It then passes through Aix-en-Provence before flowing into the Étang de Berre, a lake to the west of Marseille....
- The HuveauneHuveauneThe Huveaune is a river in France. It is 48 kilometres long and rises in the Castelette cave at 590 m in the Sainte-Baume mountain range. It flows through Auriol, Roquevaire, Aubagne, and the metropolitan area of Marseille. It discharges into the Mediterranean Sea at...
Lakes include:
- Étang de BerreÉtang de BerreThe Étang de Berre is a body of water adjacent to the Mediterranean, about 25km north-west of Marseille.-Geography:Created by the rise in water levels at the end of the last ice age, this small inland sea is composed of...
- Étang de VaccarèsÉtang de VaccarèsÉtang de Vaccarès is a lake, or rather; a salt water lagoon , in the wetlands of the Camargue in the delta of the River Rhône in southern France.- Description:The lake has an area of 65 km², and the depth is less than two meters...
, in Camargue
Mountains include:
- AlpillesAlpillesThe Chaîne des Alpilles is a small range of mountains in Provence, southern France, located about south of Avignon at approximately .-Geography:The range is an extension of the much larger Luberon range...
mountain range - CalanqueCalanqueA calanque is a steep-walled inlet, cove, or bay that is developed in limestone, dolomite, or other carbonate strata and found along the Mediterranean coast...
s between Marseille and La Ciotat - Corniche des CrêtesCorniche des CrêtesThe Corniche des Crêtes is a picturesque and narrow coastal road in the south of France, winding from Cassis to La Ciotat along the Mediterranean shore....
- GarlabanGarlabanGarlaban is a hill which looks out to Aubagne. The summit is 715 metres high although its highest point is the butte des pinsots .It can be seen from most of the southern part of Bouches-du-Rhône, from Marseille to the valley of Huveaune, through to the motorway in Toulon and the one in...
- Mont PugetMont PugetMont Puget, named after the French sculptor Pierre Puget, is a mountain, part of Marseille-Cassis calanques, located south-east of Marseille.Like most Marseille mountains, it is formed from limestone.- Tourism :...
- Montagnette hills
- Sainte-VictoireMontagne Sainte-VictoireMontagne Sainte-Victoire — in Provençal Occitan: Venturi / Santa Venturi according to classical orthography and Ventùri / Santo Ventùri according to Mistralian orthography — is a limestone mountain ridge in the south of France which extends over 18 kilometres between the départements of...
mountain - Sainte-BaumeSainte-BaumeThe Sainte-Baume is a mountain ridge spreading between the départements of Bouches-du-Rhône and Var in southern France...
massifMassifIn geology, a massif is a section of a planet's crust that is demarcated by faults or flexures. In the movement of the crust, a massif tends to retain its internal structure while being displaced as a whole...
Politics
The President of the General Council is Jean-Noël GuériniJean-Noël Guérini
250px|right|frame|Jean-Noël GuériniJean-Noël Guérini is a member of the Senate of France, representing the Bouches-du-Rhône department since 1998...
of the Socialist Party
Socialist Party (France)
The Socialist Party is a social-democratic political party in France and the largest party of the French centre-left. It is one of the two major contemporary political parties in France, along with the center-right Union for a Popular Movement...
. Although the department leans to the right in national elections, it remains a stronghold of the left at the local level due to the very strong PS machine in the department led today by Guérini and in the past by Gaston Defferre
Gaston Defferre
Gaston Defferre was a French socialist politician.-Biography:Lawyer and member of the French Section of the Workers' International political party, he was a member of the Brutus Network, a Resistance Socialist group during World War II...
.
| Party | seats | |
|---|---|---|
| • | Socialist Party Socialist Party (France) The Socialist Party is a social-democratic political party in France and the largest party of the French centre-left. It is one of the two major contemporary political parties in France, along with the center-right Union for a Popular Movement... |
33 |
| Union for a Popular Movement Union for a Popular Movement The Union for a Popular Movement is a centre-right political party in France, and one of the two major contemporary political parties in the country along with the center-left Socialist Party... |
13 | |
| • | French Communist Party French Communist Party The French Communist Party is a political party in France which advocates the principles of communism.Although its electoral support has declined in recent decades, the PCF retains a large membership, behind only that of the Union for a Popular Movement , and considerable influence in French... |
6 |
| Miscellaneous Right Miscellaneous Right Miscellaneous Right in France refers to right-wing candidates that are not member of any large party. They either include small right-wing parties, dissidents expelled from their parties for running against their party's candidate, as well as candidates who were never formal members of a party... |
5 | |
Culture
The department is well represented in French art. Paul CézannePaul Cézanne
Paul Cézanne was a French artist and Post-Impressionist painter whose work laid the foundations of the transition from the 19th century conception of artistic endeavour to a new and radically different world of art in the 20th century. Cézanne can be said to form the bridge between late 19th...
painted numerous representations of the Mont Sainte-Victoire. Vincent van Gogh
Vincent van Gogh
Vincent Willem van Gogh , and used Brabant dialect in his writing; it is therefore likely that he himself pronounced his name with a Brabant accent: , with a voiced V and palatalized G and gh. In France, where much of his work was produced, it is...
spent much of his life in Arles, painting many scenes in the area.
Tourism
- Cities of Marseille and Aix-en-Provence
- RomanRoman architectureAncient Roman architecture adopted certain aspects of Ancient Greek architecture, creating a new architectural style. The Romans were indebted to their Etruscan neighbors and forefathers who supplied them with a wealth of knowledge essential for future architectural solutions, such as hydraulics...
and RomanesqueRomanesque architectureRomanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
monuments of ArlesArlesArles is a city and commune in the south of France, in the Bouches-du-Rhône department, of which it is a subprefecture, in the former province of Provence.... - The CamargueCamargueThe Camargue is the region located south of Arles, France, between the Mediterranean Sea and the two arms of the Rhône River delta. The eastern arm is called the Grand Rhône; the western one is the Petit Rhône....
and the town of Saintes-Maries-de-la-MerSaintes-Maries-de-la-MerSaintes-Maries-de-la-Mer is the capital of the Camargue in the south of France. It is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department by the Mediterranean Sea. Population: 2,478... - Alphonse DaudetAlphonse DaudetAlphonse Daudet was a French novelist. He was the father of Léon Daudet and Lucien Daudet.- Early life :Alphonse Daudet was born in Nîmes, France. His family, on both sides, belonged to the bourgeoisie. The father, Vincent Daudet, was a silk manufacturer — a man dogged through life by misfortune...
's windmill in FontvieilleFontvieille, Bouches-du-RhôneFontvieille is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in southern France.-Population:-Sights:* Alphonse Daudet's windmill* Barbegal aqueduct and mill, a Roman watermill complex located on the territory of the commune-External links:* *... - Les Baux de ProvenceLes Baux de ProvenceLes Baux-de-Provence is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in southern France, in the province of Provence. It has a spectacular position in the Alpilles mountains, set atop a rocky outcrop crowned with a ruined castle overlooking the plains to the south. Its names refers to its site...
, medieval village - Saint-Rémy-de-ProvenceSaint-Rémy-de-ProvenceSaint-Rémy-de-Provence is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in southern France.-Geography:...
and the ruins of the Roman city of GlanumGlanumGlanum was an oppidum, or fortified town, founded by a Celto-Ligurian people called the Salyens in the 6th century B.C.,. It was known for the healing power of its spring. It became a Roman city in Provence until its abandonment in 260 A.D.... - TarasconTarasconTarascon , sometimes referred to as Tarascon-sur-Rhône, is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in southern France.-Geography:...
, medieval castle and church - SalonSalon-de-ProvenceSalon-de-Provence is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in southern France. It is the location of an important air base.-History:Salon was a Gallo-Roman oppidum well positioned on the salt trade routes between Adriatic, Atlantic and Mediterranean seas, hence its name...
, city of NostradamusNostradamusMichel de Nostredame , usually Latinised to Nostradamus, was a French apothecary and reputed seer who published collections of prophecies that have since become famous worldwide. He is best known for his book Les Propheties , the first edition of which appeared in 1555...
and one of the biggest citadels of Provence: Château de l'EmpériChâteau de l'EmpériThe Château de l'Empéri is a 9th century castle built on the rock of Puech which dominates the immense plain of Crau in the commune of Salon-de-Provence in the Bouches-du-Rhône département of France. It is listed as a monument historique by the French Ministry of Culture.The castle was the... - CalanqueCalanqueA calanque is a steep-walled inlet, cove, or bay that is developed in limestone, dolomite, or other carbonate strata and found along the Mediterranean coast...
s, between Marseille and la CiotatLa CiotatLa Ciotat is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southern France. It is part of the metropolitan area of Marseille Provence. La ciotat is located to the east of Marseille at an equal distance from Marseille and Toulon...
See also
- Cantons of the Bouches-du-Rhône department
- Communes of the Bouches-du-Rhône department
- Arrondissements of the Bouches-du-Rhône department