mɑːɹsˈeɪsˈeɪnttʃˈɑːɹlz wʌz wˈʌns ɐ kˈiː stˈeɪdʒ ɔnðə sˈiː vˈɔɪɪdʒ tʊ ˈæfɹɪkə, ðə mˈɪdəl ˈiːst ænd ðə fˈɑːɹ ˈiːst, bᵻfˌoːɹ ðə pˌɑːpjʊlɚɹəzˈeɪʃən ʌv flˈaɪɪŋ.
Marseille-Saint-Charles was once a key stage on the sea voyage to Africa, the Middle East and the Far East, before the popularisation of flying.