BOUCHES-DU-RHôNE

'Bouches-du-Rhône' (Occitan: ''Bocas de Ròse'', lit. "Mouths of the Rhône River") is a department in the south of France named after the mouth of the Rhône River.

Contents

History

History of the department

History of the area

Geography

Culture

Tourism

See also

External links

History

History of the department

Bouches-du-Rhône is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790. It was created from part of the former province of Provence and the principalities of Orange, Martigues, and Lambesc. It lost part of its territory in 1793, including Orange and Apt, when the Vaucluse department was created.

History of the area

The history of the area is closely linked to that of Provence. Marseille has been an important harbor since before Julius Caesar's conquest of Gaul. The Roman presence has left numerous monuments across the department.

Geography

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.
Marseille contains an important harbor.
Other cities include:

★ Salon de Provence

★ Aix-en-Provence

★ Aubagne

★ Arles

★ Cassis

★ Fos-sur-Mer

★ Istres

★ La Ciotat

★ Martigues
Rivers include:

★ Rhône, which forms the border with the Gard department

★ Rhône delta (the Camargue), in the southwestern part of the department

★ Durance

★ Arc

★ Huveaune
Lakes include:

★ Étang de Berre

★ Étang de Vaccarès, in Camargue
Mountains include:

★ Alpilles mountain range

★ Calanques between Marseille and La Ciotat

★ Corniche des Crêtes

★ Garlaban

★ Mont Puget

★ Montagnette hills

★ Sainte-Victoire mountain

★ Sainte-Baume massif

Culture

The department is well represented in French art. Paul Cézanne painted numerous representations of the Mont Sainte-Victoire. Vincent van Gogh spent much of his life in Arles, painting many scenes in the area.

Tourism

★ Cities of Marseille and Aix-en-Provence

★ Roman and Romanesque monuments of Arles

★ The Camargue and the town of Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer

★ Alphonse Daudet's windmill in Fontvieille

★ Les Baux de Provence, medieval village

★ Saint-Rémy-de-Provence and the ruins of the Roman city of Glanum

★ Tarascon, medieval castle and church

★ Salon, city of Nostradamus and one of the biggest citadels of Provence: Château de l'Empéri

See also

★ Cantons of the Bouches-du-Rhône department

★ Communes of the Bouches-du-Rhône department

★ Arrondissements of the Bouches-du-Rhône department

External links

★ Tourism Guide

★ Prefecture website

★ General Council website

★ Website from the Camargue