Plages du Prado

Plages du Prado (Prado Beaches) are a series of artificial beaches located in the southern part of Marseille, France. The seaside park was developed in the late 1970s by Gaston Defferre using the fill from the excavation of the Marseille subway lines. Overview The beaches of Prado host numerous events throughout the year, including the Sosh Freestyle Cup, which features various sports competitions such as skateboarding and BMX at the famous Bowl of Marseille skatepark. In June, concerts are held during the annual World Music Day festival. In 2008, the beaches were the venue for the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup, marking the first time the tournament was held outside of Brazil. For the event, the capacity of the stadium was increased to 8,500 seats. Sixteen teams participated in the competition. Notable events 2008: FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2012: Presidential candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon held a rally at the Plages du Prado, with an estimated 120,000 attendees. References Other websites Official site about Marseille beaches