Marseille Population 2017. Marseille (also known as Marseilles or Masalia in antiquity) is the second-largest city in France after Paris and the oldest city in the country with a history going back more than 2,600 years. In 2014, Marseille has an estimated population of 855,000. Marseille has an estimated population of 855,000, up slightly from 850,700 in 2010. Population growth in Marseille has been fairly stagnant except for sizable growth in 2006 through 2008.