At first glance, the city layout resembles that of Paris, but on closer inspection it differs significantly from it. The city is divided into 16 quarters, numbering which begins with the historical center (the famous Old Port and the main city attractions are concentrated in the first 5 districts) and ends with the northern district of L’Estac, once an independent settlement. Instead of the Parisian “snail shell principle” Marseilles divided the city districts into two semicircles: the inner one (from the 1st to the 7th quarters) is numbered clockwise, and the outer one – counterclockwise.
Although Marseille is inferior to the capital in the number of inhabitants, in terms of total area it exceeds it by 2.5 times – this is due to the fact that almost half of the urban area due to the rocks is unsuitable for construction.
A characteristic feature of the city is a fairly clear zoning: in the southern quarters are the houses of prosperous bourgeoisie, (the most prestigious districts of Marseille – 7 and 8), and the north has long enjoyed a bad reputation – it is there are the famous Marseille “ghettos”. The 13th, 14th and 15th arrondissements have a particularly bad reputation – it is strongly not recommended to visit them at night, the police in case of trouble you will not call.
The exception to the rules is the 16th district, located in the far north of the city. It is quiet, picturesque and populated mostly by ethnic French. Its small port and traditional Provençal houses make it a desirable destination for many tourists, but from the city center it’s quieter to get there by tour bus or sea streetcar.