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Martigues, the Venice of Provence (Venise Provençale), is located on an island at the mouth of the Rhone, between the Berre pond (Etang de Berre) and the Charon canal (chenal de Caronte), not far from Marseille and Aix-en- Provence. The town is very beautiful with its canals and colorful houses and definitely deserves a visit. Martigues is situated in an enviable position, an obligatory point of passage to reach the pond from the sea. Already in the 5th century BC. the first settlements are attested in the current district of the island (Ile). Near the town there are the remains of an important Roman villa of Saint Julien les Martigues. Martigues is made up of the three districts of Jonquiéres, L’île et Ferriéres. Due to the numerous canals that characterize the town, Martigues is nicknamed the Provençal Venice (Venise Provençale).
MARTIGUES CHRISTMAS MARKET
Martigues Christmas Market (Noël artisanal de Martigues). This wonderful market is located in La Halle de Martigues, at the Rond-point de l’hôtel de ville. The market is made up of around 150 exhibitors and is dedicated to local crafts and art. The Martigues Christmas Market is known for its famous Provencal nativity scene figurines, the colorful santons. In the chalets of the market you will also find Christmas decorations, local gastronomic products and Christmas traditions. During the Christmas holidays, this small town in Provence is enlivened by numerous events, among the events connected to Christmas there are new ones every year, but usually there are puppet shows, choirs and Christmas songs, parades of majorettes, games and entertainment for including a toy train, snow cannons and bouncy castle.