Lagoon of Berre

The Étang de Berre is a broad lagoon west of Marseille, fed by the Arc, Touloubre and smaller streams. Its waters reach the Mediterranean through the passage by Martigues, where fishing communities grew beside the channel. Low shores, marshes and hills surround the lagoon, while traces of ancient and medieval settlement at Saint-Blaise recall the long history of its banks. Fresh water and the sea meet in this sheltered Provençal basin.