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Marseille is the second-largest
city of France and forms the third-largest
metropolitan area, with 1,516,340 inhabitants
at the 1999 census (only Paris and Lyon
are larger). Located in the former province
of Provence and on the Mediterranean Sea,
it is France's largest commercial port.
It is considered the Provençal capital,
one of the Occitan capitals of Occitania,
and the most populated, and France. Marseille
is also the capital of the Provence-Alpes-Côte
d'Azur région, as well as the préfecture
(capital) of the Bouches-du-Rhône
département.
Marseille shares with
Lyon the status as France’s No 2
city with a population of 800,000. The
city has grown into an industrial and services
sector hub, but it is still its position
as the Mediterranean’s leading port
which drives the economy. Although some
3,000 scientists make it France’s
No 2 research pole. A young, cosmopolitan
population (90,000 students) helps make
Marseille a passionate, exuberant city.
And the fever will only be stoked up by
the Rugby World Cup.
The Stade Vélodrome
is a 60,031 capacity stadium in Marseille,
France. It is the home ground of top French
football club Olympique de Marseille and
was also a venue in the 1998 FIFA World
Cup. It is the largest club football ground
in France. The stadium is also used regularly
by the French rugby union team. The record
attendance for a club game at the Stade
Vélodrome was of 58 897, for a UEFA
Cup semi-final game against Newcastle United
FC in 2004. The stadium also featured as
a Football World Cup venue when the 1938
finals were held in France. The first ever
match to be played was between Marseille
and Torino in 1937. There are plans to
increase the capacity to 80,000 and build
a roof to cover all four stands. The stadium
will be used for the 2007 Rugby World Cup.
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