Literal translation
to be from Martigues
Meaning
to be a simpleton
Explanation
Martigues, a small fishing village at the mouth of the Étang de Berre, has long carried a foolish and amusing reputation for silliness in the eyes of Marseille. Jokes about its people even have a name, les martégalades, and a saying claims those poor Martégaux mistake the moon for a streetlamp. Every region picks a neighbor as its butt of jokes this way: the French have the Belgians, Parisians have the Auvergnats, Marseille has the Martégaux. It never goes beyond harmless teasing, though it can wear thin over time. A variant, être des Martigues, traces back to the three old communes that merged to form the town.