Kosher and Jewish Life in Marseille

Marseille, a port city in southern France, has been a crossroads of immigration and trade since its founding by the Phoenicians in 600 B.C.E. It’s a place of tranquil squares and stepped streets, bustling 19th-century avenues and souklike markets. At its heart is the Vieux Port, where fishmongers sell their daily catch along the boat-lined quayside. La Canebière, the main thoroughfare, runs east from here. Marseille has a population of 850,000. The capital of its department of Bouches-du-Rhône and region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Marseille is located on France's south coast and is the second largest city in France, after Paris. The port is also an important arrival base for millions of people each year, with 1.4 million including 890,100 from cruise ships. With its beaches, history, architecture and culture (14 museums and 41 theatres), Marseille is one of the most visited cities in France, with 4.1 million visitors in 2011. There are several popular festivals in different neighborhoods, with concerts, animations, and outdoor bars, like the Fête du Panier in June. On 11 June, there are dozens of free concerts in the city as part of the Fête de la Musique.