Aix-Marseille-Provence Metropolis Aix-Marseille-Provence Metropolis The Aix-Marseille-Provence Metropolis () is the "métropole", an intercommunal structure, centred on the cities of Marseille and Aix-en-Provence. It is located in the Bouches-du-Rhône, Var and Vaucluse departments, in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, southeastern France. It was created in January 2016, replacing the previous "Communauté urbaine Marseille Provence Métropole" and five communautés d'agglomération. Its population was 1,886,842 in 2014, of which 866,644 in Marseille proper and 145,763 in Aix-en-Provence. The Aix-Marseille-Provence Metropolis was formed through the merger of the following communities: Of the 92 communes of the métropole d'Aix-Marseille-Provence, 90 are part of the Bouches-du-Rhône department. Pertuis is
Alpes-de-Haute-Provence isolated from main roads. "Nord-de-Provence" was one of the 83 original departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790 under the Act of 22 December 1789. It was renamed "Haute-Provence" then "Basses-Alpes". On 12 August 1793, the department of Vaucluse was created from parts of the departments of Bouches-du-Rhône, Drôme, and Basses-Alpes. Basses-Alpes lost the canton of Sault to Vaucluse at this point. Seventeen years later, in 1810, the canton of Barcillonnette was transferred over to Hautes-Alpes. The department of Basses-Alpes was occupied by fascist Italy from November 1942 to September 1943. On 13 April 1970, the department