Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Puglia Italy - Matera
Italy • 8 days, 7 nights
Southern Italy: Castles, Caves & Coastal Treasures in Puglia
from
Turkmenistan Gates of Hell Darvaza crater
Turkmenistan • 10 days, 9 nights
Turkmenistan & the Gates of Hell
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Pinal Airpark
Note the chrysanthemum crests.
Hachiman Bridge
Clarendon War Memorial.
Clarendon War Memorial
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Chefs Aruss Lerlerstkull and Atcharaporn Kiatthanawat lean into regional traditions.
Charmgang
The khao soi at Gedhawa comes with a rich, coconutty broth.
Gedhawa
At Nai Mong Hoi Thod, the oyster omelet is worth waiting for.
Nai Mong Hoi Thod
In this deceptively simple dish, top-quality ingredients are paramount.
Kor Panich
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Haleakalā National Park’s summit region, shrouded in the pre-dawn fog.
Beware the Legends Behind These National Park Souvenirs
4 days ago
For Aguilar-Carrasco, nature is a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of all life.
How Can National Parks Be Made Accessible to All? AO Wants to Know.
5 days ago
Podcast: Finding ‘The Great Gatsby’ in Louisville
6 days ago
Here’s which treats you can safely lug home without risking a fine.
Dear Atlas: What International Food Can I Legally Bring Into the U.S.?
7 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All France Marseille Rove Tunnel

Rove Tunnel

Longest canal tunnel in the world, abandoned in the 1960s.

Marseille, France

Added By
Nick Jackson
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
The southern portal of the Rove Tunnel.   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tunnel-d...
The southern portal of the Rove Tunnel.   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tunnel-d...
Rove Tunnel.   http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fichier:Tunne...
Northern portal of the Rove Tunnel.   http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fichier:Tunne...
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Between 1911 and 1916, the Rove Tunnel was built to link the Marseille Harbor to the Rhone River. But it wasn’t until 1926, after twenty years of work and a World War, that the tunnel was finally opened for use, surviving a little under 40 years before collapsing in 1963.

The longest canal tunnel in the world, the Rove Tunnel passes through Berre Lake (adjacent to the Mediterranean to the west of Marseille) and Martigues (a commune in the southeastern part of France, to the northwest of Marseille), and stretches about 4.5 miles in length and 72 feet in width, which, before it was closed to public use, enabled about two ships to cross inside.

Although it has been abandoned for years, a project has been launched to bring this tunnel back to life by using it as a salty water supply for the Berre Lake, which is slowly drying.

Related Tags

Abandoned Subterranean Tunnels Natural Wonders Inventions Architectural Oddities Architecture Nature Subterranean Sites

Know Before You Go

By car. 5mn W from Marseille. Park your car at the Rove marina parking.

Community Contributors

Added By

nbj914

Published

December 22, 2010

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • Wikipedia: Tunnel du Rove: http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunnel_du_Rove
  • ExploGuide: The Rove Tunnel: http://www.exploguide.com/site/rove-tunnel-l-estaque
Rove Tunnel
The Rove Tunnel
Marseille, 13016
France
43.359642, 5.293919
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Fort of Ratonneau

Marseille, France

miles away

Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisations

Marseille, France

miles away

Château d'If

Marseille, France

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Marseille

Marseille

France

Places 11
Stories 2

Nearby Places

Fort of Ratonneau

Marseille, France

miles away

Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisations

Marseille, France

miles away

Château d'If

Marseille, France

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Marseille

Marseille

France

Places 11
Stories 2

Related Places

  • Kitakyushu, Japan

    Wisteria Tunnel

    An exquisite tunnel of cascading flowers.

  • The 100,000 Soldiers.

    Mialet, France

    100,000 Soldiers of Trabuc Caves

    This army of concretions is an unexplained geological phenomenon unlike anything else in the world.

  • Dobbs Ferry, New York

    St. Cabrini Novitiate

    This dilapidated castle-like structure overlooks the Hudson River at one of its widest points and was once home to nuns.

  • Aurland, Norway

    Laerdal Tunnel

    Longest road tunnel in the world features an air treatment plant and the illusion of daylight.

  • A typical SubTropolis building.

    Kansas City, Missouri

    SubTropolis

    The "World's Largest Underground Business Complex," a 55,000,000-square-foot city underneath Missouri.

  • St Paul’s Catacombs

    Rabat, Malta

    Maltese Catacomb Complexes

    Burial grounds for more than 1,000 bodies deep under the modern town of Rabat.

  • Xuân Trạch, Vietnam

    Hang Son Doong

    World's largest cave was only discovered in 1991, and now offers tours to the public.

  • One of the two completed sections for the Barge Canal.

    Palatka, Florida

    Cross Florida Barge Canal

    Public works and national defense project meant to carve a canal all the way across the state of Florida.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.