Lions, Gulf of

a gulf of the Mediterranean Sea on the southern coast of France. Length, 93 km; greatest width, 245 km; depth, more than 1,000 m. The tides are semi-diurnal but irregular, with a high tide of 0.2 m. The coasts on the west and north are low, while those on the east are high and steep. The Rhône River flows into the Gulf of Lions. The chief port on the gulf is Marseille.