Port du Frioul : A First step towards an incredible Archipelago
The marina is quite large as it can accommodate more than 600 boats in its berths. It is surrounded by buildings from the 1970s that house shops on the ground floor and residences on the upper floors. It also has a visitor area for stopovers, which has 100 available places. However, one must be cautious and pay attention because the maximum draft is 5 meters. This port is the first anchorage point of the Frioul archipelago, accessible by boat from the city of Marseille. Frioul offers magnificent landscapes whose natural essence has been preserved for many years. Turquoise waters, dazzling beaches, coves kept like secrets, and a magical fauna and flora, this is what this place hides.
The strategic position of port du Frioul
Well situated, the Frioul archipelago has long served as a strategic defense location with the installation of military forts, trenches, and observation posts. The fortifications began under Henri IV, starting with a fort on Ratonneau Island, followed by the fortification of If Island. Under Louis XIV, the fortifications were extended to the entire archipelago. During Napoleon's rule and the Third Republic, additional military constructions were added, marking the landscape until today.
During World War I, observation balloons were stationed on the islands, which were then fortified by the Germans. The Allies bombed these defenses to facilitate access to Marseille. After the war, the islands remained military grounds until 1975 when the former military harbor was transformed into a marina.
