Spin off of the Tapie thread, but also others like the one on Marseille as a Venice-style city-state...
Second city of France - Marseille/Maisilia fascinating, rich in history and perhaps older than Paris/Lutèce. Accusations of neglect and uncaringness come at times thought, born of France's centralisation traditions, probably...
Discussion and dare; 'wank' Marseille in many ways as possible. Make it the first city of France in population maybe, richer maybe than Paris, more influent in some periods, heck, even make it THE center of Governement if possible. Anything so it have at least a playing field and egality with Paris, the Light City.