Hellenic Net

Ράτονο, Γαλλία Ratonneau is one of the islands of the Frioul archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea, off the southern coast of France near Marseille. It is relatively long and thin, approximately 2.5 km long but at most 500 m wide and generally much narrower. It was connected to the nearly island of Pomègues, which runs roughly parallel, by a mole constructed in 1822 to create a port area. The Frioul archipelago is a group of 4 islands located off the Mediterranean coast of France, approximately at 4 kilometres (2 miles) from Marseille. The islands of the archipelago cover a total land area of approximately 200 hectares. For centuries the islands were places for Mediterranean sailors to stop, whether they were warriors or adventurers. Their health aspect later played a major role in the protection of Marseille. Massalia, whose name was probably adapted from an existing language related to Ligurian,was the first Greek settlement in France. It was established within modern Marseille around...

Βίξ, Γαλλία Hill dominating the village of Vix and the Seine. Mont-Lassois, also called Mont-Saint-Marcel and Mont-Roussillon, consists of two plateaus. The higher of the two, at a height of 100 m above the valley, has remains of prehistoric occupations. On the lower plateau a necropolis of the 7th c. A.D. is the only archaeological vestige. The importance of the site was revealed in 1929 by excavations which, after being interrupted in 1939, were resumed in 1947, and continue today. Mont-Lassois was inhabited from Neolithic to Merovingian times, but it was the site of an intensive occupation at the end of the first Iron Age, during the 6th and 5th c. B.C. At that time the site was strongly fortified. A ditch with triangular section, 5 m deep and 19 m wide at the top, surrounded the mountain over a length of 2.7 km. Behind this ditch stood a strong vallum, still more than 3 m in high in places. This vallum is characterized by the presence of an internal facing consisting of an ashlar w...

Μαρτίγκ, Γαλλία Martigues (Occitan: Lo Martegue in classical norm, Lou Martegue in Mistralian norm) is a commune northwest of Marseille. It is part of the Bouches-du-Rhône department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region on the eastern end of the Canal de Caronte. History The Greeks arrived mid 7th century BC and found a charming spot the other side of Martigues at St. Blaise  and   is becoming the   main town   in the west of   the Etang de Berre.   This site stands on a hill top plateau, amoungst pine trees and is situated between two peaceful etangs. This idyllic site too had previously been occupied by Celts, but the Greeks ‘kind of took it over’ and it grew and grew, finally becoming a town encompassing 40 hectares.  Stone to build the site was chiselled out from the rock along the coast and transported inland.  Similarly was stone acquired to built the site of Marseille, 40 kms to the west.  The ancient ...