How about a peaceful retreat right here in Marseille? Welcome to Lotissement le Clos du Mont Rose. This street offers a unique slice of life in France. Lotissement le Clos du Mont Rose is located in Marseille. It is part of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region. The postal code for Lotissement le Clos du Mont Rose is 13013.
Lotissement le Clos du Mont Rose is a newer street in Marseille. You can find it using maps and coordinates. The coordinates are Latitude 43.3335213 and Longitude 5.4258025.
But let’s talk about Mont Rose itself. The nearby Mont Rose is more than just a name. It is a place rich in history and nature. Imagine this hill by the sea. It is bordered by urban development. Yet, it has a classic Calanques landscape. Think limestone rocks and Mediterranean plants. It is a semi-desert environment. Mont Rose is one of the driest sites in France. Its peak rises to 84 meters.
Mont Rose is a treasure of biodiversity. You will find pine forests and garrigue landscapes. There are rare and common species. It is a biodiversity hotspot. This means it is threatened. But it has many different species. Some are rare and protected.
Flora thrives here. Aleppo pines and heather grow. Cistus and rosemary dot the landscape. You might spot the famous astragales of Marseille. Invasive exotic plants threaten these species.
The fauna is equally fascinating. The Psammodromus edwardsianus lives here. It is France’s smallest lizard. It has been on the Mediterranean coast for five million years. Other reptiles share the park. These include the ocellated lizard.
Mont Rose has been known since the 11th century. It was called mons rotundus. Later, locals called it lo grant mont redon. This means the big round mountain. The nearby village of Madrague de Montredon still uses this name.
Around 1700, the Roze family owned Mont Redon. They built a bastide there. Nicolas Roze was a famous member of this family. He was a knight who helped during the plague of 1720. He stayed at the bastide. Later, the family sold the land. But people still called the port calle de Roze. Calle means creek or natural port. About a century later, the name officially became Mont Rose.
In the early 1800s, Marseille saw industrial growth. Factories moved into the Calanques. One factory had a long chimney. It went up the hill. This chimney removed toxic fumes from homes.
From the 1800s to World War II, Mont Rose had military installations. There were about ten cannons. You can still see remains of the German anti-tank wall. It blocked the road. The army decommissioned the site in 2005. However, military structures are still there.
High on the hill, there is a cave. It holds the tomb of the Rostan d’Ancezune family. They bought the land from the Roze family in 1776.
Alexandre Dumas wrote about Montredon. He described it as being at the base of a triangle. This triangle protects the harbor from the east wind. It is built on gray and blue limestone slopes.
Did you know Mont Rose attracts naturalists and naturists? Joseph Poucel was one. He was a doctor from Marseille. He loved botany and promoted naturism in Provence.
If you visit Mont Rose, be prepared. Check the regulations. The foothills of Mont Rose are the start of trails. These go into the Marseilleveyre massif. One trail honors Antoine Pellicé. He was the former president of the Excursionnistes Marseillais. The GR 51-98 trail starts here too. These trails are open all year. However, they may close due to fire risk.
Swimming at Mont Rose is not supervised. Swim only in calm seas. The coast is steep and dangerous. Currents can be unpredictable. Accidents happen every year.
You can reach Mont Rose by bus. Take bus number 19 to Madrague de Montredon. The southern coastal road is often congested. It is best to travel during off-peak hours. Consider using public transport or a bicycle.
Lotissement le Clos du Mont Rose offers a gateway to this area. Enjoy the blend of urban life and natural beauty here.