Martigues City Map Poster

About Martigues

The Gare de Martigues railway station offers connections to Marseille, Aix-en-Provence and several regional destinations. The A50 autoroute (E05) from Marseille to Toulon connects the city with the coast. Martigues was founded by Ramon Berenguer IV, count of Provence in 1232 on a previously flooded area using land gained from the sea through occupation of land at low tide levels and filling in shallow areas between islands. It was separated from Saint-Dalmas parish under a bull dated 22 February 1233 by Pope Gregory IX: "in honorem Sanctae Mariae et beati Juliani", which also established its first governing body consisting of twelve consuls who were charged with ensuring that no new buildings would be constructed within fifty feet (15 meters) of any church or chapel without permission; this rule still applies today as evidenced by an ordinance passed on 1 July 1852 concerning construction near churches and chapels located within Martigues' limits.