Venelles

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Venelles is a small town in southern France, in the Bouches-du-Rhône department near Aix-en-Provence, in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. The mayor is Arnaud Mercier (2020–2026). The town covers about 120.5 square kilometers and sits at elevations between 254 and 442 meters (average around 409 m). In 2023, about 8,418 people lived there.

History:
A Roman settlement existed around 15 BC. It was destroyed by the Lombards in 574 AD and again in the 11th century by the Saracens. The area was repopulated in the 15th century. The number of houses grew slowly: seven in 1530, 30 in 1728, 124 in 1765, and 211 in 1820. A railway arrived in 1865, followed by a school in 1882. On June 11, 1909, a powerful earthquake damaged many homes.