Marseille to gain Capital of Culture role

The Marseille-Provence region will be European Capital of Culture in 2013, the European Union has revealed.

It was announced today that the area - comprising Marseille and the adjacent Provence region - will share the role with the Slovak city of Kosice.

The situation could have major benefits for the south of France area as it will increase its profile and may attract investment in the run-up to the event, as well as providing those investing in property with a year when there could be particularly high tourist rental demand.

House prices in the area could also increase more than elsewhere in France, as was the case for Liverpool when it was the 2008 Capital of Culture.

In the five years after the awarding of the status in 2003, the city saw its prices rise 76 per cent, compared with 69 per cent for the north-west of England as a whole.

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