La Ciotat, Mediterranean port settlement in Bouches-du-Rhône, France
La Ciotat is a Mediterranean port settlement in Bouches-du-Rhône with seven kilometers of coastline featuring sandy beaches, pebble shores and natural coves between rocky cliffs. The old town sits on a hillside above the harbor while newer neighborhoods spread along the coastal road.
The Lumière brothers chose the railway station here in 1895 to film their groundbreaking work L'Arrivée d'un train en gare de La Ciotat. The town was then an important shipbuilding center with yards that built large merchant ships and freighters until well into the 20th century.
The market around Boulevard Anatole France and Place Evariste Gras sets up three times a week with stalls selling fresh produce, clothing and Provençal specialties. Vendors arrive early in the morning and the streets turn into a busy meeting point for locals and visitors alike.
Regular trains from Marseille and Toulon stop at the station, with the journey from Marseille taking around 45 minutes. The central harbor and most beaches lie about a 15-minute walk from the station, while some coves along the coast road are easier to reach by bus.
The Eden Théâtre stands as the first purpose-built cinema building in the world, originally opened as a theater in 1889 before becoming a movie house in 1899. The building still stands today and recalls the early days of film exhibition when moving pictures were a new form of entertainment.
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