La Fare-les-Oliviers

La Fare-les-Oliviers is a town in the Bouches-du-Rhône department, in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, part of the Aix-Marseille-Provence metropolis and set on the slopes of the Mauribas massif, on the right bank of the river Arc. The suffix 'les Oliviers' was added to its name in the 19th century, when olive growing was the main crop, although vines now cover most of its farmland. From its past it preserves the Castellas, a medieval fortress on a rocky spur built around the 10th century, as well as the Pavillon, listed as a historic monument, and the Chapel of Sainte-Rosalie. It has some 8,900 inhabitants according to the 2021 census, and every April it holds the Les Chemins de Sainte Rosalie running race. La Fare-les-Oliviers was recognised by ACES Europe as European Town of Sport 2021, a title reserved for municipalities of fewer than 25,000 inhabitants, which places it within the French representation of the ACES network.