Bouches-du-Rhone

Bouches-du-Rhône is a department in the south of France named after the mouth of the Rhône River. 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.

Marseille has been an important harbor since before Julius Caesar's conquest of Gaul.

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 significant cities include:

• Salon de Provence • Aix-en-Provence • Aubagne • Arles • Cassis • Fos-sur-Mer • Istres • La Ciotat • Martigues

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.

Places to visit:

• Cities of Marseille and Aix-en-Provence • Roman and Romanesque monuments of Arles • The Camargue and the city 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 citadelle of Provence: Chateau de l'Empéri