Martigues

Martigues is a commune in southern France and port town about 30 km west of Marseille, at the entrance of the Gulf of Lion in the Etang de Berre. On an area of ​​7,144 hectares live 47 614 inhabitants (as of 1 January 2011). Martigues making it the fourth largest city in the Bouches -du -Rhône.

The Canal de Caronte, the natural connection of the marsh with the Mediterranean Sea, the municipality cuts into three parts. Martigues is a city of water, and is called in the South of France and Venice of Provence. The city participated east of the Rhône mouth ( Fos -sur -Mer ) at the Charles de Gaulle -sponsored industrialization of the area. It is distinguished by its modernist residential architecture.

In ancient times the city was called Maritima.

Geography

Martigues was created in 1581 from the three formerly independent municipalities of L' Isle (old town center ), Jonquières and Ferrieres.

Coat of arms

Description: In red, a white brick crenellated tower with two open windows and a doorway of each pile a key provided with cross incision in the outwardly facing beard and a quatrefoil Ride accompanied.

Sons and daughters of the town

  • Gerhard Sasso (around 1040-1120 ), founder and first Grand Master of the Order of Malta
  • Joseph Boze (1745-1826), portrait painter
  • Charles Maurras (1868-1952), writer and journalist, thought leader of the right-wing
  • Alain Oreille (* 1953), rally driver
  • Éric Bernard (born 1964 ), race car driver
  • Gilles Petrucci ( born 1968 ), football player
  • Rod Fanni ( born 1981 ), football player
  • André- Pierre Gignac ( b. 1983 ), football player
  • Foued Kadir ( b. 1983 ), football player
  • Clara Sanchez ( b. 1983 ), track bike rider
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