Marseille City Guide

Marseille is France's second-largest city and the country's largest Mediterranean port — a 2,600-year-old Greek-founded settlement (Massalia, 600 BC, France's oldest city) that today combines deep multicultural character with the country's strongest urban yield + capital growth combination. Population approximately 870,000 (city) / 1.6M (metro). Marseille's average apartment prices €3,388-€3,750/m² in 2025 — materially below Paris (€9,924+/m²) and Nice (€5,771/m²) — but with the highest gross rental yields of any major French city at 5.45% average (Studios 6.47%, select districts up to 7%). Buyer demand exceeds available properties by 18%, supporting continued appreciation. The city's Mediterranean climate, port economy, MUCEM cultural complex, and the 2023 Calanques National Park UNESCO inscription continue to drive long-term lifestyle migration from northern French cities.