The fact that Marseille is a port city is one of the main reasons I wanted to come here, as I was interested in working with the large immigrant population. Because of France’s relationships with other countries and its history of colonization, people from all over the world are drawn here to call it home. It helps that, in addition to the temperature, the people in southern France are known to be warm and welcoming.
The port itself is one of the city’s main attractions, with boats coming in from all over the world. Someone from my polyglot club travels to Marseille from Algeria each week by boat for his work. In fact, the third-largest container shipping company in the world is headquartered here. The sea also provides tourism opportunities, with cruise ships stopping in a different port and groups visiting the calanques, château sites and the old city.
Recycling is readily available in many neighborhoods with simple sorting rules. Because produce is more local, people tend to eat in-season. There is also an appreciation for seafood, as exemplified by bouillabaisse [boo - yah - bess], a fish stew originating in Marseille.
The Canal de Marseille provides most of the city’s drinking water from the Durance River.
