Étang de Berre
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The Étang de Berre (in Provençal Occitan: estanh de Bèrra / mar de Bèrra according to classical orthography, estang de Berro / mar de Berro according to Mistralian orthography) is a body of water adjacent to the Mediterranean to the west of Marseille.
Created by the rise in water levels at the end of the last ice age, this small inland sea is composed of three parts: the principal body of water, the Étang de Vaïn to the east and the Étang de Bolmon to the south-east.
The Étang de Berre is fed with fresh water by the rivers Arc, Touloubre and Cadière and – since 1966 – by the canal de la Durance. Two canals link it to the sea: the canal de Caronte leading towards Port-de-Bouc and the canal du Rove which leads towards L'Estaque. However the underground portion of the latter is blocked by a rock fall.
Ten communes border the Étang de Berre: Istres, Miramas, Saint-Chamas, Berre-l'Étang, Rognac, Vitrolles, Marignane, Châteauneuf-les-Martigues, Martigues and Saint-Mitre-les-Remparts.
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