
A little history
It’s the prestigious stage where Marseille’s history is played out. It was here that the ancient Greek colony of Massalia was born, later to become Roman Massilia, and still around the Old Port that the medieval Marsiho was built. From then on, the entrance to the port was guarded by two forts, Fort Saint-Nicolas and Fort Saint-Jean. Surrounded by limestone hills, the city naturally faces the Mediterranean. The primary vocation of Marseille’s Vieux-Port was trade, and over time, the city forged links with increasingly distant destinations. One of the symbols of the Old Port was the transporter bridge, a metal structure inaugurated in 1905 between the two forts, but unfortunately destroyed after the Second World War. Renovated in 2013, the year of Marseille’s European Capital of Culture campaign (easier access to the port, reduced traffic, creation of an ombrièreToday, the Vieux-Port remains Marseille’s nerve center, under the benevolent gaze of Notre-Dame de la Garde. It’s a marina surrounded by the Hôtel de Ville, Opéra, Saint-Victor and Pharo districts. It’s a popular gathering place and a true symbol of the city.