# Martigues, the Venice of Provence, Marseille > Martigues is a canal town 40 kilometres north-west of Marseille, between the Mediterranean and the vast Étang de Berre lagoon. Its colourful waterside houses, moored boats and bridges have earned it the nickname 'the Venice of Provence'. Its heart is the island between the canals, with the Baroque Madeleine church and the Miroir aux Oiseaux quay painted by Dufy, Derain and Renoir. To the south are the beaches and coves of the Côte Bleue. Give Martigues half a day or a day. Web page: https://yesgo.io/france/marseille/martigues - City: [Marseille](https://yesgo.io/france/marseille), France - YesGo score: 23/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 3 h 30 min - Opening hours: Town always open; museum and church by day - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Town free - From Marseille: ≈ 40 km; train or bus ≈ 45–60 minutes - Districts: Ferrières, L'Île and Jonquières - Beaches: The Côte Bleue south of town - Duration: ≈ half a day to a day - Location: Between the sea and the Étang de Berre - Coordinates: 43.40528, 5.04750 - Facts checked: 12.11.2026 ## Key facts - **1232** — the Count of Provence founded the town (source: English Wikipedia) - **40 km** — of shoreline in the commune (source: French Wikipedia) - **1688** — the Madeleine church completed (source: French Wikipedia) - **1915** — the Caronte swing bridge built (source: French Wikipedia) ## About Martigues Martigues stands on the **Caronte canal**, which links the Mediterranean with the huge saltwater lagoon of the **Étang de Berre**. The town was founded in 1232 by the Count of Provence, Ramon Berenguer IV, who joined several fishing settlements. People lived here far earlier: remains of the village of Tamaris, from the 7th–6th centuries BC, one of the oldest in southern France, have been found on the coast. Martigues has three districts: **Ferrières** to the north, **L'Île**, the island amid the canals, and **Jonquières** to the south, where the Côte Bleue and its beaches begin. The canals, quays, boats and bridges gave the town its nickname, **'the Venice of Provence'**. ## What to see - **Miroir aux Oiseaux** — a quay of boats and pastel houses. - **L'Île** — the island between the canals. - **The Madeleine church** — Baroque, with a painted ceiling. - **Canal Saint-Sébastien** — the Chapeau de Gendarme house. - **Musée Ziem** — paintings of Provence. - **The Côte Bleue** — Verdon and Sainte-Croix beaches. ## L'Île and the Miroir aux Oiseaux The loveliest part of town is **L'Île**, the island between the canals. Narrow lanes lead down to the water, colourful fishing boats bob at the quays and pastel houses are mirrored in the canal. The best-known quay is the **Miroir aux Oiseaux**, the 'Mirror of Birds', a quiet corner loved by photographers and painters. Here too is the Baroque **Madeleine church** of 1681–1688: inside are paintings on the walls and wood panelling, an unusual flat painted wooden ceiling and a 19th-century organ. Old houses line the Canal Saint-Sébastien, among them the Chapeau de Gendarme, the 'Gendarme's Hat'. > **When to come** Martigues looks its best **in the morning and at sunset**, when the canals are still and the houses reflect in them like a mirror. In summer there are festivals on the water and evening concerts on the quays. Midday in July and August is hot, so save it for the beach. ## A town of painters Martigues' soft light and canals drew painters: **Félix Ziem**, André Derain, Raoul Dufy and Auguste Renoir all worked here. The town's **Musée Félix Ziem** shows his views of Martigues and Venice, alongside work by other Provençal painters and archaeological finds. Filmmakers love Martigues too: its canals, pinewoods and beaches often appear in French films and TV series. Over the Caronte canal stands the steel arch of the early-20th-century **Caronte swing bridge**, whose span pivots to let ships through. ## Côte Bleue beaches South of town begins the **Côte Bleue**, a rocky coast of coves and beaches between Martigues and Marseille. The nearest are **Verdon** and **Sainte-Croix**, with sand and clear water, and further on lie the fishing villages of La Couronne and Carro with their small harbours. The commune has 40 kilometres of shoreline in all, 11 of them on the Mediterranean and the rest on the lagoon. The beaches are busy in summer, so arrive early; Carro and La Couronne are calmer, and Carro harbour sells fresh fish in the mornings. ## How to get there 1. By train from Marseille Saint-Charles on the Côte Bleue line, about an hour. 2. By bus from Marseille, 45–60 minutes to the centre. 3. By car, 40–45 minutes on the A55 motorway. 4. To the Côte Bleue beaches, by town bus from the centre. ## Tips for your visit Half a day is enough for Martigues: a walk round L'Île, the Madeleine church and the quays. With a beach, make it a full day. The station is outside the centre, so take a bus from there. Martigues combines easily with [Aix-en-Provence](https://yesgo.io/france/marseille/aix-en-provence) by car, or with a drive along the Côte Bleue. The harbour and quays are full of fish restaurants: try the local catch and mussels. The centre is flat and the quays are easy with a pushchair. Bring a hat in summer, as there's little shade by the water. ## Before you go Tick off what's ready — your ticks are saved in this browser. - [ ] Find the Miroir aux Oiseaux quay - [ ] Step into the Madeleine church - [ ] Visit the Musée Ziem - [ ] Swim at a Côte Bleue beach - [ ] Have fish for lunch by the canal ## Places in Marseille: compare and choose Places in Marseille rated by YesGo. - [Château d'If](https://yesgo.io/france/marseille/chateau-d-if) — YesGo score 48/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · Castle ticket + boat - [Old Port](https://yesgo.io/france/marseille/vieux-port) — YesGo score 42/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Free - [Frioul islands](https://yesgo.io/france/marseille/frioul-islands) — YesGo score 29/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 4 h · Free; boat by ticket - [Cassis](https://yesgo.io/france/marseille/cassis) — YesGo score 26/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 4 h · Free - [Martigues](https://yesgo.io/france/marseille/martigues) — YesGo score 23/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h 30 min · Free ## Don't mix it up Martigues is the 'Venice of Provence' on the Étang de Berre; the Côte Bleue is the coast between Martigues and Marseille. ## Tips - Reflections at dawn and dusk. - L'Île is the highlight. - Beaches on the Côte Bleue. - The station is out of town. ## Questions ### How do I get to Martigues from Marseille? By train in about an hour, by bus in 45–60 minutes, or by car. ### Why is Martigues called the Venice of Provence? For its canals, bridges, boats and waterside houses. ### What is there to see in Martigues? L'Île, the Miroir aux Oiseaux quay, the Madeleine church and the Musée Ziem. ### Does Martigues have beaches? Yes, to the south on the Côte Bleue: Verdon, Sainte-Croix, Carro. ### How long do I need in Martigues? Half a day for the town, a full day with the beach. ## How we checked Facts from English and French Wikipedia. Transport times and museum hours weren't confirmed with an official source — hence the 'checking' badge. ## Sources - English Wikipedia: Martigues - French Wikipedia: Martigues --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.