Bouches-du-Rhône ( , , ; oc, Bocas de Ròse ; "Mouths of the Rhône") is a
department in
Southern France. It borders
Vaucluse to the north,
Gard to the west and
Var to the east. The
Mediterranean Sea lies to the south. Its
prefecture and largest city is
Marseille; other important cities include
Aix-en-Provence,
Arles,
Martigues
Martigues ( in classical norm, ''Lou Martegue'' in Mistralian norm) 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.
A di ...
and
Aubagne.
Marseille, France's second-largest city, has one of the largest
container
A container is any receptacle or enclosure for holding a product used in storage, packaging, and transportation, including shipping.
Things kept inside of a container are protected on several sides by being inside of its structure. The term ...
ports in the country. It prizes itself as France's oldest city, founded by Greek settlers from
Phocaea
Phocaea or Phokaia (Ancient Greek: Φώκαια, ''Phókaia''; modern-day Foça in Turkey) was an ancient Ionian Greek city on the western coast of Anatolia. Greek colonists from Phocaea founded the colony of Massalia (modern-day Marseille, in ...
around 600 BC. Bouches-du-Rhône is the most populous department of the
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, with 2,043,110 inhabitants as of 2019.
[Populations légales 2019: 13 Bouches-du-Rhône]
INSEE It has an area of . Its
INSEE and postal code is 13.
History
The history of the area is closely linked to that of
Provence. Marseille has been an important harbour since before
Julius Caesar's conquest of
Gaul. The Roman presence left numerous monuments across the department. Notable people born in the area include Romantic painter
Camille Roqueplan and his brother, journalist and theatre director
Nestor Roqueplan
Louis-Victor-Nestor Roqueplan lso sometimes spelled Rocoplan(16 September 1805 – 24 April 1870) was a French writer, journalist, and theatre director.
Early life and career
Nestor Roqueplan was born near Montréal, Aude, and was the ...
.
Bouches-du-Rhône is one of the original 83 departments created during the
French Revolution
The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in coup of 18 Brumaire, November 1799. Many of its ...
on 4 March 1790. It was created from the western part of the
former province of Provence and the principalities of
Orange
Orange most often refers to:
*Orange (fruit), the fruit of the tree species '' Citrus'' × ''sinensis''
** Orange blossom, its fragrant flower
*Orange (colour), from the color of an orange, occurs between red and yellow in the visible spectrum
* ...
,
Martigues
Martigues ( in classical norm, ''Lou Martegue'' in Mistralian norm) 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.
A di ...
and
Lambesc
Lambesc () is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in Southern France. In 2018, it had a population of 9,799.
Lambesc is located in the heart of Provence at the foot of the Côtes mountain ra ...
. It lost part of its territory in 1793, including Orange and
Apt
Apt. is an abbreviation for apartment.
Apt may also refer to:
Places
* Apt Cathedral, a former cathedral, and national monument of France, in the town of Apt in Provence
* Apt, Vaucluse, a commune of the Vaucluse département of France
* A ...
, when the
Vaucluse department was created.
Following its creation, the department strongly supported the
French Revolution
The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in coup of 18 Brumaire, November 1799. Many of its ...
, 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 which in effect subordinated the church to the government.
[Albert Ceccarelli, ''La Révolution...'', p. 30.] During the ascendancy of the
French Communist Party in the twentieth century, election results showed that support for left-wing politics remained relatively strong there, especially in the northern suburbs of Marseille.
Geography
Natural regions
The department is part of the current
region of
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. It is surrounded by the departments of Gard on the west, Vaucluse on the north, and Var on the east, and by the
Mediterranean Sea on the south. The Rhône river delta forms a vast swampy wetlands area called the
Camargue
Camargue (, also , , ; oc, label= Provençal, Camarga) is a region of France located south of Arles, between the Mediterranean Sea and the two arms of the Rhône delta. The eastern arm is called the ''Grand Rhône''; the western one is the '' ...
in the southwestern part of the department.
Bouches-du-Rhône is bordered by the
Rhône to the west and the
Durance to the north. The Rhône divides into the ''Grand Rhône'' and ''Petit Rhône'' south of
Arles; the area between forms the Camargue, a large wetland. The principal mountains of the department are the Sainte-Baume massif (1,042 metres – 3,418 feet), Mont Sainte-Victoire (1,011 metres – 3,316 feet), the Garlaban massif and Alpilles massif.
Seismic activity
The department of Bouches-du-Rhône is also known for its seismic activity: the zone II ("average seismic activity") townships of Lambesc Peyrolles-en-Provence and Salon-de-Provence are the most exposed.
Areas Ib ("low seismic activity") including the cantons of Aix-en-Provence, Trets Eyguières, Orgon, Berre-Pond, Istres, Istres-North and South, and Ia areas ("very low seismic activity") including the other cantons in the district of Aix-en-Provence, Arles-East, Châteaurenard, Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, Marignane, Martigues-East and Roquevaire-West, are least exposed. Zone 0 ("negligible seismic activity") includes the rest of the department.
Climate
The department has a Mediterranean climate, with contrasting temperatures within a range of 15 degrees. Precipitation is irregular, with only 65 days per year where rain falls in excess of 1 mm. However it falls in sudden downpours, with an average of annually. This mainly happens in the spring and autumn; summer is very hot, winter mild. Violent winds are common, especially the famed mistral, which blows 100 days per year with a maximum of . The coast is drier, especially along the
Côte Bleue
The Côte Bleue ( Provençal Occitan: ''Còsta Blava'') is part of Provence's southwestern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, reaching from Marseilles to the Étang de Berre
The Étang de Berre (in Provençal Occitan: ''estanh de Bèrra / ma ...
, the
Calanques and the bay of
La Ciotat
La Ciotat (; oc, label= Provençal Occitan, La Ciutat ; in Mistralian spelling ''La Ciéutat''; 'the City') is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in Southern France. It is the southeasternmost ...
, which include some of the driest areas in France, with only of rain per year. Higher areas receive more precipitation and lower temperatures. The
Arc region in the interior is much colder than other areas, with heavy frosts in winter.
Demographics
Principal towns
The most populous commune is
Marseille, the prefecture. As of 2019, there are 14 communes with more than 20,000 inhabitants:
[
There are 15 more communes with over 10,000 inhabitants: ]Châteauneuf-les-Martigues
Châteauneuf-les-Martigues (; oc, Castèunòu dau Martegue) is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in southern France. The La Mède refinery is nearby and has been in operation since 1935.
Population
See also
* Étang de Berre
* ...
, Port-de-Bouc
Port-de-Bouc (; oc, Lo Pòrt de Boc) is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in southern France.
Population
See also
*Communes of the Bouches-du-Rhône department
The following is a list of the 119 communes of the Bouches-du- ...
, Châteaurenard
Châteaurenard (; Provençal oc, Castèurainard; ) 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
Twin towns
Châteaurenard is twinn ...
, Tarascon, Fos-sur-Mer, Bouc-Bel-Air, Berre-l'Étang, Saint-Martin-de-Crau, Auriol, Rognac
Rognac (; oc, Ronhac) is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in Southern France. Located to the east of the Étang de Berre, north of Marseille Provence Airport, it is part of the Aix-Marsei ...
, Plan-de-Cuques
Plan-de-Cuques (; oc, Lo Plan de Cucas) is a commune northeast of Marseille in the department of Bouches-du-Rhône in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of France. It is located 9.2 km (5.7 mi) from Marseille.
Population
The ...
, Septèmes-les-Vallons, Pélissanne, Trets
Trets (; ; Provençal: ''Tretz'') is a ''commune'' (town or township, in English) in the Bouches-du-Rhône department of the Provence-Alpes-Côtes d’Azur region in the southeast of France. With a population of over 10,000, it is one of 4 ...
and Fuveau
Fuveau (; oc, Fuvèu) is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in southern France.
Population
See also
*Communes of the Bouches-du-Rhône department
The following is a list of the 119 communes of the Bouches-du-Rhône departm ...
.[
File:Place Lamartine.JPG, Arles
File:Martigues-4.JPG, Martigues
File:Tois Istres.jpg, Istres
File:Salon-de-Provence 20111112 32.jpg, Salon-de-Provence
File:13600 La Ciotat, France - panoramio - 4net (6).jpg, La Ciotat
]
Politics
History
Since Bouches-du-Rhône is one of the most populous and diverse departments of France, it has long been the scene of particularly fierce political battles. The development of the Marseille-Fos Port, the relationship maintained between France and its colonial empire, the industry around coal mining in Provence, as well as significant immigration, especially coming from Italy, from the end the 19th century and during the period between the two world wars are all factors that led to the emergence of a large and militant working class. From the late 19th century, the socialist movement gained influence, such as in 1881 by the election of the country's first socialist MP, Clovis Hugues. Rural areas, particularly in the region of Aix-en-Provence, have tended to favour the influence of right-wing parties, including monarchists and Catholics at the beginning of the French Third Republic
The French Third Republic (french: Troisième République, sometimes written as ) was the system of government adopted in France from 4 September 1870, when the Second French Empire collapsed during the Franco-Prussian War, until 10 July 19 ...
. The interwar period and the time of the Popular Front
A popular front is "any coalition of working-class and middle-class parties", including liberal and social democratic ones, "united for the defense of democratic forms" against "a presumed Fascist assault".
More generally, it is "a coalition ...
marked the beginning of the dominance of the left in the department, first with the election of the French Section of the Workers' International (SFIO).
After the Second World War, the Marseillais right, linked to the underworld and who collaborated with the German occupation, was widely discredited. The left largely dominated the Liberation and Marseille even saw the election in 1945 of Communist Mayor Jean Cristofol. In 1947 the SFIO led an alliance with right and centre parties against the Communists, resulting in the election of Gaston Defferre
Gaston Defferre (14 September 1910 – 7 May 1986) was a French Socialist politician. He served as mayor of Marseille for 33 years until his death in 1986. He was minister for overseas territories in Guy Mollet’s socialist government in 1956� ...
as Mayor of Marseille. The dominance of socialism was, however, challenged by deindustrialisation. The conservative success in 1995 by Jean-Claude Gaudin in Marseille is a symbol of widespread political shifts while even the communists bastions of La Ciotat and Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône voted for the right. The 1990s saw the rise of the National Front, including its victories in the municipal elections of Marignane and Vitrolles. The President of the Departmental Council is Martine Vassal of The Republicans party since 2015, after former Socialist President Jean-Noël Guérini was voted out of office and faces corruption charges.
In the 2022 French presidential election, Marine Le Pen of the National Rally (formerly National Front) won a majority in Bouches-du-Rhône in the first round; incumbent Emmanuel Macron of La République En Marche! won a majority in the second round.
Members of the National Assembly
Bouches-du-Rhône elected the following members of the National Assembly during the 2017 legislative election:
Departmental Council of Bouches-du-Rhône
Below is a list of seats won by the department's different parties after the 2015 departmental elections.
Culture
The department is well represented in French art. Paul Cézanne painted numerous representations of the Mont Sainte-Victoire. Vincent van Gogh spent two years in Arles, painting many scenes in the area. The department's main museums include the Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisations, the Musée de la Faïence de Marseille
The Musée de la Faïence de Marseille was a museum in southern Marseille, France, dedicated to faience, a type of pottery. It opened to the public in June 1995 in Château Pastré at 157, Avenue de Montredon 13008 Marseille. It closed on 31 Decem ...
and the Marseille History Museum.
Tourism
Main sights
Major sites of tourism include:
* The cities of Marseille and Aix-en-Provence
* Roman and Romanesque monuments of Arles
* The Camargue
Camargue (, also , , ; oc, label= Provençal, Camarga) is a region of France located south of Arles, between the Mediterranean Sea and the two arms of the Rhône delta. The eastern arm is called the ''Grand Rhône''; the western one is the '' ...
and the town of Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer
Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer (, lit.: "Saint Marys of the Sea"; Provençal Occitan: ''Li Santi Mario de la Mar'') is the capital of the Camargue ( Provençal Occitan ''Camarga'') in the south of France. It is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône ...
* Alphonse Daudet's windmill in Fontvieille
* Les Baux-de-Provence, medieval village
* Saint-Rémy-de-Provence
Saint-Rémy-de-Provence (; Provençal Occitan: ''Sant Romieg de Provença'' in classical and ''Sant Roumié de Prouvènço'' in Mistralian norms) is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Southern France. L ...
and the ruins of the Roman city of Glanum
* Tarascon, medieval castle and church
* Salon-de-Provence, city of Nostradamus
Michel de Nostredame (December 1503 – July 1566), usually Latinised as Nostradamus, was a French astrologer, apothecary, physician, and reputed seer, who is best known for his book '' Les Prophéties'' (published in 1555), a collection ...
and one of the biggest citadels in Provence: Château de l'Empéri
* The Calanque de Sormiou
The Calanque de Sormiou is the biggest calanque of the Calanques National Park, France. Located in the 9th arrondissement of Marseille, it is famous for its climbing
Climbing is the activity of using one's hands, feet, or any other part o ...
, Marseille
File:Marseille - Fort Saint-Jean 16.jpg, Fort Saint-Jean in Marseille
File:Calanque near Cassis, Provence, France (6052444485).jpg, Landscape near Cassis
Cassis (; Occitan: ''Cassís'') is a commune situated east of Marseille in the department of Bouches-du-Rhône in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, whose coastline is known in English as the French Riviera, in Southern France. In 201 ...
File:Cabane en Camargue.jpg, Gardian
A is a mounted cattle herdsman in the Camargue delta in Provence, southern France. The work is akin to that of the Mexican , the North American cowboy, the Tuscan buttero or the Portuguese . Gardians ride Camargue horses.
See also
* Camarg ...
house in the Camargue
Camargue (, also , , ; oc, label= Provençal, Camarga) is a region of France located south of Arles, between the Mediterranean Sea and the two arms of the Rhône delta. The eastern arm is called the ''Grand Rhône''; the western one is the '' ...
File:Calanque de Figuerolles-La Ciotat.jpg, Mediterranean coast near La Ciotat
La Ciotat (; oc, label= Provençal Occitan, La Ciutat ; in Mistralian spelling ''La Ciéutat''; 'the City') is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in Southern France. It is the southeasternmost ...
File:Calanque de Sormiou 1 1.jpg, Calanque de Sormiou
The Calanque de Sormiou is the biggest calanque of the Calanques National Park, France. Located in the 9th arrondissement of Marseille, it is famous for its climbing
Climbing is the activity of using one's hands, feet, or any other part o ...
Natural landmarks
Rivers include:
* The Rhône, which forms the border with the department of Gard
* The Durance, which forms the border with the department of Vaucluse
* The Arc
* The Huveaune
The Huveaune (; oc, Evèuna) is a small river in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of southeastern France. It is long and flows through the communes of La Penne-sur-Huveaune, Nans-les-Pins, Saint-Zacharie, Plan-d'Aups-Sainte-Baume, Aurio ...
Lakes include:
* Étang de Berre
* Étang de Vaccarès
Étang de Vaccarès is a lake, or, more accurately, a salt water lagoon (french: étang), 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 l ...
, in the Camargue
Mountains include:
* Alpilles mountain range
* Calanque
A calanque (, "inlet"; co, calanca, plural ''calanche'' or ''calanchi''; oc, calanca, plural ''calancas'') is a narrow, steep-walled inlet that is developed in limestone, dolomite, or other carbonate strata and found along the Mediterranean co ...
s between Marseille and La Ciotat
La Ciotat (; oc, label= Provençal Occitan, La Ciutat ; in Mistralian spelling ''La Ciéutat''; 'the City') is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in Southern France. It is the southeasternmost ...
* Corniche des Crêtes
* Garlaban
Garlaban is a hill which looks out to Aubagne. The summit is 715 metres high although its highest point is the ''butte des pinsots'' (731 m).
It can be seen from most of the southern part of Bouches-du-Rhône, from Marseille to the valley of Huve ...
* Mont Puget
Mont Puget is a mountain, part of Marseille-Cassis calanques, located south-east of Marseille. Like most Marseille mountains, it is formed from limestone.
Tourism
Often neglected by tourists, much interested by the Calanques themselves and by ...
* Montagne Sainte-Victoire
* Sainte-Baume
The Sainte-Baume (Provençal dialect, Provençal: ''Massís de la Santa Bauma'' according to classical orthography and ''La Santo Baumo'' according to mistralian orthography) is a mountain ridge spreading between the Departments of France, depart ...
massif
In geology, a massif ( or ) 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. The term also refers to a ...
Massif du Garlaban.jpg, Garlaban
Garlaban is a hill which looks out to Aubagne. The summit is 715 metres high although its highest point is the ''butte des pinsots'' (731 m).
It can be seen from most of the southern part of Bouches-du-Rhône, from Marseille to the valley of Huve ...
170604-Alpilles-01.jpg, Alpilles
France - Marseille (30474472526).jpg, Calanque
A calanque (, "inlet"; co, calanca, plural ''calanche'' or ''calanchi''; oc, calanca, plural ''calancas'') is a narrow, steep-walled inlet that is developed in limestone, dolomite, or other carbonate strata and found along the Mediterranean co ...
s
Barrage de Bimont 20130921 01.jpg, Montagne Sainte-Victoire
See also
* Cantons of the Bouches-du-Rhône department
* Communes of the Bouches-du-Rhône department
* Arrondissements of the Bouches-du-Rhône department
* List of senators of Bouches-du-Rhône
* Bouches-du-Rhône Police Prefecture
The Bouches-du-Rhône Police Prefecture (french: Préfecture de police des Bouches-du-Rhône), headed by the Bouches-du-Rhône Police Prefect (''Préfet de police des Bouches-du-Rhône''), is a Prefecture of Police part of the National Police, w ...
Sources
External links
*
Prefecture website
*
Departmental Council website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bouches-Du-Rhone
1790 establishments in France
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region articles needing translation from French Wikipedia
Departments of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
States and territories established in 1790