The Massif de l'Étoile is a small mountain range stretching from west to east for more than 6.2 mi (10 km) on the northern edge of the Marseille metropolitan area. According to Frédéric Mistral, a French writer and lexicographer, its name comes from its location from the town of Marseille in the direction of the polar star. In any case, it forms a sort of border to Marseille and offers a natural space rich in panoramic views of the city, its harbor, and its unchanging guardian, Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde.