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Why are summers in Marseille more comfortable because of the sea breeze?

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View of the old port of Marseille, France, with numerous boats docked in the harbor and the city's terracotta-roofed buildings rising up a hill, topped by the Notre-Dame de la Garde basilica. — Marseille Seaside view of the Old Port of Marseille, France.

During the summer months in Marseille, temperatures rise to levels that would otherwise be unpleasant. The sea breeze makes these conditions more comfortable by acting as a local wind system that flows from the sea toward the land during the day.12

Because this breeze originates over the water, it serves to moderate the city's temperature, effectively making coastal areas cooler than locations further inland during hot, sunny afternoons.23