La Ciotat facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
La Ciotat
La Ciutat (Occitan)
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Marina in La Ciotat
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 La Ciotat
Location in France
La Ciotat
Location in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
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| Country | France | |
| Region | Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur | |
| Department | Bouches-du-Rhône | |
| Arrondissement | Marseille | |
| Canton | La Ciotat | |
| Intercommunality | Aix-Marseille-Provence | |
| Area
1
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31.46 km2 (12.15 sq mi) | |
| Population
(2021)
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36,987 | |
| • Density | 1,175.68/km2 (3,045.0/sq mi) | |
| Demonym(s) | Ciotadens (m.) Ciotadennes (f.) |
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| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) | |
| INSEE/Postal code |
13028 /13600
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| 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | ||
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La Ciotat is a lovely town in the south of France. It is located in the Bouches-du-Rhône area, which is part of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. La Ciotat is about 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) east of Marseille. It is also about the same distance from Toulon. This town is the most southeastern part of the Aix-Marseille-Provence Metropolis.
Contents
Discover La Ciotat
A Look at History
The name La Ciutat means 'the City'. This name comes from the Occitan and Catalan languages. It became well-known in the 1400s.
La Ciotat is famous for its connection to early movies. In 1895, the Lumière brothers filmed L'Arrivée d'un train en gare de La Ciotat here. This was one of the very first movies ever shown! Before its big premiere in Paris, the film was shown to special guests in La Ciotat.
Other early Lumière films were also made in La Ciotat in 1895. These included Partie de cartes, L'Arroseur arrosé, and Repas de bébé. L'Arroseur arrosé is known as the first filmed comedy. These movies were filmed at the Lumière brothers' summer home, Villa du Clos des Plages. In 1904, the Lumiere Brothers also created their first color photos in La Ciotat.
In 1907, a game called pétanque was invented in La Ciotat by Jules Le Noir. The first tournament for this game happened here in 1910. You can learn more about the game's history at the Musée Ciotaden.
Getting Around La Ciotat
The main way to get to La Ciotat is by train. The train station is about a ten-minute drive from the town center. Trains from Marseille and Toulon stop at La Ciotat almost every hour during the day.
La Ciotat also has a public bus service that covers most of the town. Buses are not super frequent, but they work well for the town's size. Bus routes 10, 21, and 40 go to the downtown station from the train station. Buses run most often from 8 AM to 5 PM. After 8 PM, buses stop running, and they are rare on weekends.
Taxis are available in La Ciotat, but you usually have to call for one. It's rare to find one on the street. It can also be hard to find a taxi before 7 AM and after 8 PM. Most taxis are run by individuals, not a central company. During the summer, when many tourists visit, there are more taxis and buses run more often.
Fun Things to Do and See
La Ciotat has many offices in its uptown area. These offices provide many jobs and help the local economy. They also bring business travelers, which helps the hotels. The town center has shopping malls, including stores like Carrefour and McDonald's.
The Famous Route des Crêtes
Cap Canaille is a huge cliff that is 394 meters (1,293 feet) high. It is located between La Ciotat and Cassis. This is one of the tallest cliffs by the sea in Europe! The route des crêtes is a coastal road that goes over this amazing cliff, offering incredible views.
Relaxing at the Beach
La Ciotat has a beach with artificial sand. This is because the area is naturally very rocky. The beach is right downtown, close to the market, shipyards, and bus station. From the beach, you can see the Alps mountains on one side and the commercial area on the other. Many hotels, restaurants, and bars are located on the same street as the beach.
Sports and Games
La Ciotat has its own football club called ES La Ciotat. They play their games at the Stade Jean Bouissou. As mentioned before, the popular game of pétanque was invented right here in La Ciotat in 1907!
Parks and Festivals
The Parc du Mugel is a beautiful park in La Ciotat. It is located near a huge rock called "Le Bec D'Aigle" (the eagle's beak), which is 155 meters high. This park is considered one of the "Remarkable Gardens of France" by the Ministry of Culture. It has a special garden with tropical plants and a nature area with plants native to the Provence region.
The town also hosts an annual film festival in early June called 'Cinestival'. This festival usually focuses on a specific movie topic. There are two other film-related festivals each year: a scriptwriter festival in April and a film conference called 'Berceau du cinema' about two weeks after Cinestival.
La Ciotat's Friends Around the World
La Ciotat is "twinned" with several towns in other countries. This means they have a special friendship and cultural exchange.
Bridgwater, England, United Kingdom, since 1957
Kranj, Slovenia, since 1958
Singen, Germany, since 1958
Torre Annunziata, Italy, since 2006
See also
In Spanish: La Ciotat para niños
