Istres is not a tourist destination in the classic sense. It is a town that lives with its lagoon, its air base and its industrial history, and which hides, for those who care to look, a few discreet beauties that visitors in a hurry to reach the Riviera never see. That is what I like about these corners: they do not try to seduce you. They are there, that is all.
The Étang de Berre: a world apart
At 155 km², the Étang de Berre is the largest lagoon in Western Europe. Its shores bear the contradictory marks of the 20th century, the petrochemical complexes of Fos-sur-Mer, refineries, and at the same time thousands of flamingos, grey herons and white egrets hunting in the coastal marshes. This mix of nature and industry produces strange landscapes of a beauty like no other at sunset.
The old village of Istres
The old village perched above the lagoon has kept its medieval character, with the 15th-century Saint-Sulpice church and its Clock Tower. The lanes running down to the water's edge offer views over the lagoon and the Crau hills. Discreet and authentic.
Air Base 125 Istres-Le Tubé
This important air base notably hosts Rafale tests and the air force's tanker aircraft. For professionals travelling to the base or to companies in the Fos-sur-Mer industrial zone, MR Taxi handles transfers from Marseille, Aix and Marseille Provence Airport.
MR Taxi handles transfers from Marseille, Aix and the airport to Istres and the Fos industrial zone. Book your Martigues–Istres taxi, available 24/7.
