Marseille is a city that has its own unique culture and is proud of its differences from the rest of France.[35] Today it is a regional centre for culture and entertainment with an important opera house, historical and maritime museums, five art galleries and numerous cinemas, clubs, bars and restaurants.

Marseille has a large number of theatres, including la Criée, le Gymnase and the Théâtre Toursky. There is also an extensive arts centre in La Friche, a former match factory behind the St-Charles station. The Alcazar (fr), until the 1960s a well known music-hall and variety theatre, has recently been completely remodelled behind its original façade and now houses the central municipal library.[36] Other music venues in Marseille are L’Embobineuze and GRIM.

Marseille has also been important in the arts. It has been the birthplace and home of many French writers and poets, including Victor Gélu (fr), Valère Bernard (fr), Pierre Bertas, Edmond Rostand and André Roussin. The small port of l’Estaque on the far end of the Bay of Marseille became a favourite haunt for artists, including Auguste Renoir, Paul Cézanne (who frequently visited from his home in Aix), Georges Braque and Raoul Dufy.

European Capital of Culture

Marseille served as the European Capital of Culture for 2013 along with Košice.[37] Marseille-Provence 2013 (MP2013) featured more than 900 cultural events held throughout Marseille and the surrounding communities. These cultural events generated more than 11 million visits.[38] The European Capital of Culture was also the occasion to unveil more than 600 million euros in new cultural infrastructure in Marseille and it environs, including the iconic MuCEM designed by Rudy Ricciotti.

Tarot de Marseille

The most commonly used tarot deck takes its name from the city; it has been called the Tarot de Marseille since the 1930s—a name coined for commercial use by the French cardmaker and cartomancer Paul Marteau, owner of B–P Grimaud. Previously this deck was called Tarot italien (Italian Tarot) and even earlier it was simply called Tarot. Before being de Marseille, it was used to play the local variant of tarocchi before it became used in cartomancy at the end of the 18th century, following the trend set by Antoine Court de Gébelin. The name Tarot de Marseille (Marteau used the name ancien Tarot de Marseille) was used by contrast to other types of Tarots such as Tarot de Besançon; those names were simply associated with cities where there were many cardmakers in the 18th century (previously several cities in France were involved in cardmaking).[39]

Another local tradition is the making of santons, small hand-crafted figurines for the traditional Provençal Christmas creche. Since 1803, starting on the last Sunday of November, there has been a Santon Fair in Marseille; it is currently held in the Cours d’Estienne d’Orves, a large square off the Vieux-Port.

Opera

Marseille’s main cultural attraction was, since its creation at the end of the 18th century and until the late 1970s, the Opéra. Located near the Old Port and the Canebière, at the very heart of the city, its architectural style was comparable to the classical trend found in other opera houses built at the same time in Lyon and Bordeaux. In 1919, a fire almost completely destroyed the house, leaving only the stone colonnade and peristyle from the original façade.[40][41] The classical façade was restored and the opera house reconstructed in a predominantly Art Deco style, as the result of a major competition. Currently the Opéra de Marseille stages six or seven operas each year.[42]

Since 1972, the Ballet national de Marseille has performed at the opera house; its director from its foundation to 1998 was Roland Petit.

Popular events and festivals

There are several popular festivals in different neighborhoods, with concerts, animations, and outdoor bars, like the Fête du Panier in June. On 21 June, there are dozens of free concerts in the city as part of the Fête de la Musique. Music from all over the world in introduced. Being a free event, many Marseille residents attend.

Marseille hosts a Gay Pride event in early July. In 2013, Marseille hosted Europride, an international LGBT event, 10 July–20.[43] At the beginning of July, there is the International Documentary Festival.[44] At the end of September, the electronic music festival Marsatac takes place. In October, the Fiesta des Suds offers many concerts of world music.[45]

Hip hop music

Marseille is also well known in France for its hip hop music.[46] Bands like IAM originated from Marseille and initiated the rap phenomenon in France. Other known groups include Fonky Family, Psy 4 de la Rime (including rappers Soprano and Alonzo), and Keny Arkana. In a slightly different way, ragga music is represented by Massilia Sound System.

Food

Traditional Marseille bouillabaisse

Swordfish in olive oilwith ratatouille and saffronrice

Pieds paquets

Bouillabaisse is the most famous seafood dish of Marseille. It is a fish stew containing at least three varieties of very fresh local fish: typically red rascasse (Scorpaena scrofa); sea robin (fr: grondin ); and European conger (fr: congre ). [47] It can include gilt-head bream (fr: dorade ); turbot; monkfish (fr: lotte or baudroie ); mullet; or silver hake (fr: merlan ), and it usually includes shellfish and other seafood such as sea urchins (fr: oursins ), mussels (fr: moules ); velvet crabs (fr: étrilles ); spider crab (fr: araignées de mer ), plus potatoes and vegetables. In the traditional version, the fish is served on a platter separate from the broth. [48] The broth is served with rouille, a mayonnaise made with egg yolk, olive oil, red bell pepper, saffron, and garlic, spread on pieces of toasted bread, or croûtes . [49] [50] In Marseille, bouillabaisse is rarely made for fewer than ten people; the more people who share the meal, and the more different fish that are included, the better the bouillabaisse. [51]

); and European conger (fr: ). It can include gilt-head bream (fr: ); turbot; monkfish (fr: or ); mullet; or silver hake (fr: ), and it usually includes shellfish and other seafood such as sea urchins (fr: ), mussels (fr: ); velvet crabs (fr: ); spider crab (fr: ), plus potatoes and vegetables. In the traditional version, the fish is served on a platter separate from the broth. The broth is served with rouille, a mayonnaise made with egg yolk, olive oil, red bell pepper, saffron, and garlic, spread on pieces of toasted bread, or . In Marseille, bouillabaisse is rarely made for fewer than ten people; the more people who share the meal, and the more different fish that are included, the better the bouillabaisse. Aïoli is a sauce made from raw garlic, lemon juice, eggs and olive oil, served with boiled fish, hard boiled eggs and cooked vegetables. [49]

Anchoïade (fr) is a paste made from anchovies, garlic, and olive oil, spread on bread or served with raw vegetables. [49]

is a paste made from anchovies, garlic, and olive oil, spread on bread or served with raw vegetables. Bourride (fr) is a soup made with white fish (monkfish, European sea bass, whiting, etc.) and aïoli.

is a soup made with white fish (monkfish, European sea bass, whiting, etc.) and aïoli. Fougasse is a flat Provençal bread, similar to the Italian focaccia. It is traditionally baked in a wood oven and sometimes filled with olives, cheese or anchovies. [ citation needed ]

Navette de Marseille (fr) are, in the words of food writer M. F. K. Fisher, “little boat-shaped cookies, tough dough tasting vaguely of orange peel, smelling better than they are.” [53]

are, in the words of food writer M. F. K. Fisher, “little boat-shaped cookies, tough dough tasting vaguely of orange peel, smelling better than they are.” Panisse (fr) is chickpea flour boiled into a thick mush, allowed to firm up, then cut into blocks and fried. [54]

is chickpea flour boiled into a thick mush, allowed to firm up, then cut into blocks and fried. Pastis is an alcoholic beverage made with aniseed and spice. It is extremely popular in the region. [55]

Pieds paquets is a dish prepared from sheep’s feet and offal.

Pistou is a combination of crushed fresh basil and garlic with olive oil, similar to the Italian pesto. Soup au pistou combines pistou in a broth with pasta and vegetables. [49]

Tapenade is a paste made from chopped olives, capers, and olive oil (sometimes anchovies may be added).[56]

Films set in Marseille

Main article: List of films set in Marseille

Marseille has been the setting for many films, mostly produced in France or Hollywood.

Marseille in television

The French television series Plus belle la vie is set in an imaginary quartier, Le Mistral, of Marseille. It is filmed in the Panier quartier of Marseille.

The Netflix series Marseille is set in the city in the 2010s.