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Discover the Soul of France: Unmissable Things to Do in Marseille

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So, you’ve decided to explore the Mediterranean vibes of Marseille, France’s second-largest city. But with a place so rich in culture and history, how do you even start planning your trip? No worries , this guide has got you covered. Say “au revoir” to those travel jitters!

• Marseille is the second-largest city in France and steeped in rich history.
• Home to one of the world’s oldest ports, Vieux-Port.
• The city basks in the sun for about 300 days a year.
• Explore the city’s vibrant neighborhoods, cuisine, and water activities.

Vieux-Port: Where History Sets Sail

An ageless wonder.

Marseille boasts the Vieux-Port, one of the oldest ports in the world, dating back to 600 BC. And guess what? It’s not just a relic; it’s a bustling hub where fishermen still sell their catch.

The City of Sunshine

Embrace the sun’s warm hug.

As the former Mayor of Marseille, Jean-Claude Gaudin, so aptly puts it, “Marseille is a way of life… a place where the sun shines 300 days a year.” Get ready to soak up those rays , folks!

Dynamic Neighborhoods: From Le Panier to La Corniche

Diversity at its best.

Get a feel for the city’s essence by exploring its neighborhoods. Le Panier offers artistic flair while La Corniche boasts riveting sea views. With a population of over 850,000 people , each quarter has its unique charm.

Food and Culture: A Marseille Feast

Culinary bliss.

Let’s talk Bouillabaisse! This local fish stew is a microcosm of Marseille’s culture—rich, diverse, and absolutely delicious. Don’t forget to try pastis, an anise-flavored spirit, the city’s go-to aperitif.

Water Activities: Beyond the Ordinary

More than just a dip.

Given its oceanic setting, Marseille offers water activities that are a far cry from your regular beach bumming. Ever tried paddleboarding in Calanques National Park? Now’s your chance.

The Music Scene: A Medley of Genres

Where melodies meet the sea.

Alright, let’s tune into something most travel guides conveniently skip—Marseille’s electrifying music scene. From hip-hop and rap to traditional Provençal music, the city is a rich tapestry of sound. The local musicians bring in a blend of North African beats, French lyrics, and sometimes even a sprinkle of English phrases. Trust us , places like Le Molotov and L’Affranchi are not your run-of-the-mill music venues. They’re a pulse, a vibe, a story!

Shopping: Not Your Ordinary Souvenirs

From artisanal to haute couture.

If you’re looking to bring a piece of Marseille back home with you, there’s no better way than indulging in some retail therapy. Forget the magnets and postcards; here, you shop for artisanal soap (savon de Marseille, anyone?) and unique Provençal fabrics. The city is teeming with little boutiques, galleries, and markets, each offering something more intriguing than the last. The Quartier des Antiquaires is your go-to for antique shopping. Oh, and if you’re into fashion, Les Docks Village offers a range of haute couture that’ll make you want to strike a pose right there!

Adventure Awaits: Unconventional Excursions

Leave the beaten path.

So, you think you’ve seen all there is to see? How about chartering a private boat for a sunset sail? Or perhaps joining a culinary workshop to master the art of French patisserie? There’s always a unique twist to add to your Marseille vacation if you’re up for it. Whether it’s a hiking trip through the hills of Garlaban or a visit to the Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilizations (MuCEM), there’s no end to the adventure. Pack your curiosity and let it run wild!

Now that you’ve got a grasp on what Marseille offers, it’s clear that this isn’t just a ‘stop-by’ city. It’s a destination with layers, waiting for you to peel back and discover its hidden gems. So, grab your sunhat and say ‘bonjour’ to an unforgettable Marseille experience!

How many days should I spend in Marseille?

Ideally, 3 to 4 days to get a comprehensive feel of the city.

Is Marseille safe for tourists?

Generally safe, but like in any big city, always exercise caution.

What is the best time to visit Marseille?

Late spring to early fall offers the most pleasant weather conditions.

Is Marseille expensive?

Compared to other French cities like Paris, it’s more budget-friendly.

Do people in Marseille speak English?

Yes, although a basic understanding of French phrases can go a long way.

• Tourism Marseille

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One response to “Discover the Soul of France: Unmissable Things to Do in Marseille”

Deborah, love your perspective on “Artistry in Everyday Life”. Genuinely got me reminiscing my last visit in the Milan Museum, entranced by classic strokes of Da Vinci.🎨 Occupation though intriguing, don’t you think traditional painting methods constrains the boundless potential of Artistry? Having personally experimented with VR/AR art experiences, I felt dialing up three-dimensional factoring could totally reshape modern art theories. Considering Capcom’s revitalization with expressive intrigue via ‘Moment in Time CGI Conundrums’, do you envision such evolution altering artistry conversations dramatically? Refreshing talk, be back soon on your next post! 🔮

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Dimanche 1 septembre Fête des Gilles

Les graffitis et les tags attirent les touristes à Marseille : verrue ou art de la rue ?

• Christophe Van Veen
• France Bleu Provence

La Ville de Marseille consacre plus d'un million d'euros par an pour effacer les tags. Mais des quartiers comme le Panier et le Cours Julien voient affluer chaque été des milliers de touristes en quête des peintures de rue. Un paradoxe marseillais de plus ?

Cours Julien , Fabricia ne sait plus où donner du grand angle. Appareil photo en bandoulière, cette habitante des Yvelines (région parisienne) vient deux ou trois fois par an se rincer l'œil dans la cité phocéenne. Groupie :  "C'est de l'art vivant pratiqué par de grands artistes selon moi. Le portrait bleu devant nous avec au pied du mur un scooter rouge, c'est la vie de ce quartier. C'est magnifique !"  .

David qui va prochainement travailler sur Marseille nous montre sur son smartphone sa rencontre magnétique avec une peinture du Panier qui l'a "retourné". "Ce visage d'homme pensant, grave, et la phrase qui doit tous nous interpeller : "Ce monde nous désole". Je prends le pouls de la ville. Et passer à côté des tags du Panier ou du Cours Julien, c'est rater quelque chose".

Un tourisme national et même international

Christine et Alain arrivent du Béarn. "On vient spécialement pour ça. On voulait voir une concentration d'artistes de tous les genres. Et on n'est pas déçus ! Dans la mesure où on est interpellés, pour moi, c'est vraiment la définition de l'art". Myriam est très fan d'art urbain . Elle vient d'une ville qui regorge de trésors et de murs sinistres que l'art a su conjurer : Berlin. "Je me sens comme chez moi ici. J'adore ! J'ai l'impression de me promener dans une galerie à ciel ouvert",  confie cette Allemande en vacances avec sa famille qui n'a pas eu d'autres choix que de l'accompagner.

"C'est l'âme de Marseille que l'on projette sur nos murs" - Un fan des tags marseillais

"C'est notre culture, notre identité. C'est l'âme de Marseille que l'on projette sur nos murs" résume, lyrique, un habitué du coin que nous croisons à la terrasse d'un bar. " Ça fait vivre le quartier. On vient du monde entier ici pour les graffitis", se félicite son collègue d'apéro.

Quelques taches de peinture

Du street art, les moins doués n'ont retenu que la street. Même David reconnaît que "certains sont très moches" et Fabricia objecte que "ça ne se renouvelle pas beaucoup en ce moment" .

Le plus mauvais des guides pour les voyagistes serait Daniel, marseillais fort bougon, à qui les tags donnent des migraines : "C'est particulièrement ignoble, mal peint, et cela concourt à la saleté du quartier. On m'explique qu'il s'agit de messages, moi, je trouve que c'est un peu dommage de tout saloper". Le Marseillais slalome au milieu des touristes. "Y en a qui prennent ça en photo. On a le droit d'aimer la médiocrité. Je vois des lettres partout, il n'y a pas un centimètre de libre. Ne savent-ils pas faire autre chose que des lettres, ces gens-là ?"

Émy est moins acerbe mais tout aussi dépitée. Elle est employée à la savonnerie qui venait de repeindre son mur... et qui donc a été retaguée. "C'est sans fin. Un cercle vicieux. On n'a même plus accès à nos murs. Les peintures font partie de l'ADN du quartier, certes, et on trouve des choses très chouettes. Mais nous, nous subissons parfois des messages avec insultes ou des signes qui ne nous correspondent pas".

La fontaine outragée en centre-ville

À un jet de peinture, se trouve la fontaine Espérandieu de 1873, adossée au mur du Conservatoire régional de musique et d’art dramatique. Visible à l’angle des rues de la Bibliothèque et des Trois Mages, le monument est classé monument historique, déclassé par les stakhanovistes des aérosols. La fontaine sèche surplombe le boulodrome.

Le site semble réunir deux passions marseillaises : la pétanque et les tags. Re-nettoyée. Re-souillée. Entièrement recouverte de peinture, telle une maladie de peau incurable. La statue de bronze du cheval ressemble à un Pokemon. "Oui, elle est colorée", plaisante Sandrine une habitante, pas du tout choquée. Une autre passe devant sans changer de couleur. "Le monument de base n'est pas si beau que cela. Je dirais même que ça rajoute quelque chose. Ceux qui ne sont pas contents peuvent changer de quartier". Les grandes grilles de protection sont remarquablement inutiles. Les premiers articles mentionnant l'épidémie de tags datent de 2016.

La politique de la Ville

C'est le budget de Marseille qui en voit de toutes les couleurs. Enlever les tags coûte plus d'un million d'euros par an . L'équivalent de 40 terrains de football est "détagué" chaque année. 289.000 m2 !

Alice est aux premières loges, elle tient un magasin devant la fontaine outragée. La dégradation du site la choque moins que les " incohérences " de la politique de la ville, selon elle. Elle souhaitait peindre une fresque sur son rideau de fer pour donner une identité au petit local. Refus d'un élu "sous prétexte que nous sommes devant le Conservatoire et que nous devons avoir des murs blancs. Mais je lui ai dit qu'il ne restera jamais blanc, notre mur ! Il me dit d'appeler "Allô mairie". Et de rappeler tant qu'il le faudra. Mes impôts ne servent pas à payer de la peinture blanche ! Il y a d'autres priorités à Marseille, surtout dans un quartier où l'art de la rue fait partie de l'ADN".

Elle met en lumière le nettoiement de l'escalier mythique du Cours Ju , "lieu d'expression politique, un étendard de message, depuis toujours" e t qui a été revêtu d'un drapeau palestinien géant. Le drapeau a été nettoyé " officiellement parce qu'il y avait un tournage de film. Cela témoigne de la volonté de la mairie d'effacer certains messages. Je ne suis pas sûre qu'un autre drapeau aurait subi le même sort". Les opérations anti-tags seraient sélectives, à l'entendre.

• Les habitants peuvent signaler la présence de graffitis et demander leur enlèvement via "Allô Mairie" . Les graffitis sur le domaine public sont traités dans les cinq jours. Dans les trois heures pour les tags injurieux, obscènes ou racistes. Accessible gratuitement au 3013 .
• En 2022, la Ville a "nettoyé" la Plaine de ses graffitis et de ses tags : 12.500 euros.

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Hidalgo se baigne de nouveau dans la Seine à la veille de l'ouverture des Jeux paralympiques

La maire de paris anne hidalgo a de nouveau nagé dans la seine mardi matin, à la veille de la cérémonie d'ouverture des jeux paralympiques et à quelques jours des premières épreuves de para-triathlon, organisées dimanche..

Une vidéo postée sur son compte Instagram mardi la montre se baignant, sourire aux lèvres, sous un ciel ensoleillé au bras Marie, dans le centre de la capitale, accompagnée de plusieurs dizaines de personnes dans l'eau.

"Dès l'an prochain, la baignade en Seine deviendra un incontournable de l'été parisien !", a-t-elle écrit dans un message accompagnant sa vidéo, réitérant sa promesse de rendre le fleuve baignable pour tous à l'été 2025.

Le bras Marie est l'un des trois sites de baignade en Seine qui doit ouvrir au grand public à l'été 2025, avec le bras Grenelle et le site de Bercy. La dépollution de la Seine était l'un des piliers de la candidature de Paris et l'un des pans de "l'héritage olympique" vanté par les organisateurs.

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Anne Hidalgo s'était baignée une première fois dans la Seine le 17 juillet, neuf jours avant le début des Jeux olympiques, tenant sa promesse devant la presse du monde entier, plus de cent ans après l'interdiction de la baignade dans le fleuve.

Au total, Etat et collectivités locales ont investi 1,4 milliard d'euros depuis 2016 pour rendre la baignade possible dans la Seine et la Marne, son principal affluent. Le 30 juillet, l'épreuve masculine du triathlon avait cependant dû être reportée d'un jour pour "raisons sanitaires" à cause d'une eau de la Seine encore trop polluée, notamment du fait de fortes pluies.

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Une semaine après la fin des Jeux olympiques , les organisateurs avaient noté "une qualité conforme aux normes de baignabilité sur la quasi-totalité des points", dans un communiqué commun de la préfecture d'Île-de-France, la mairie de Paris et le Comité d'organisation des Jeux (Cojo).

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Home » Travel Guides » France » 15 Best Things to Do in Marseille (France)

15 Best Things to Do in Marseille (France)

Like many port around the world, Marseille long had a reputation for seediness and crime. And there’s still a scruffiness about the city today, which is no bad thing. It lends Marseille a rakish character and gives it an intoxicating dynamism and colour.

You can see it all in neighbourhoods like Le Panier, Noailles and La Paine and their shops, markets and cafes. The Old Port has been in use since 600BC, and if you’re inspired by the great age of France’s oldest city there’s a wonderful choice of museums that will send you back in time.

Lets explore the best things to do in Marseille :

1. Old Port

Marseille’s massive rectangular port has been trading for 2,600 years, and is more of a whole district than a single sight.

On three sides are quays with broad promenades enclosed mostly 18th-century former warehouses.

It seems like almost every one of these has a cafe, fish restaurant or bar on its ground floor, with outdoor seating so you can see life in this enchanting city unfold as you nurse a pastis.

Industry has long moved to the modern docks to the docks to the north, and most of the boats in the old port are for pleasure.

But at the innermost Quai des Belges the latest catch is still brought ashore to be sold at the fish market by the water every morning.

2. Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde

It’s hard to miss this monument rising above the skyline to the south of the Old Port.

It’s a 19th-century neo-Byzantine church 150 metres above the water, with a large golden statue of the Virgin and Child at the top of its tower to watch over Marseille’s maritime communities.

There had been religious sanctuaries and watch towers on La Garde for many centuries, and the basilica incorporates the lower levels of a renaissance fort that also included a chapel.

The climb isn’t to be taken lightly in the summer, but there’s a tourist train departing regularly from the Old Port.

Needless to say the scenery from up here is jaw-dropping.

3. Calanques National Park

Marseille’s southern and eastern suburbs brush up against an area of exceptional natural beauty.

The Calanques are craggy white limestone cliffs and creeks reaching gargantuan heights and descending sharply to the sea.

You can experience these rocky wonders by land or sea.

If you’re going to hike it then you’ll need an intrepid spirit, as the GR 98 from Marseille to Cassis takes around 11 hours and leads you into some tough country.

Of course, the scenery makes up for the exertion.

There are also mini-cruises departing from the Old Port, as well as guided kayaking adventures.

If you can, try to reach the indescribably beautiful cove at Calanque d’En Vau.

Available tour : Catamaran Cruise & Lunch in the Calanques National Park

4. Musée d’Histoire de Marseille

It can be difficult to get your head around Marseille’s 26 centuries of history, but this first-rate museum near the Old Port will help.

Because of the huge time-span that the attraction deals with it’s the largest urban history museum in France.

For history geeks it means half a day spent inspecting amphorae, ceramics, architectural fragments, the remains of ancient ships, mosaics, sarcophagi and much more.

As well as this heap of artefacts from the Ancient Greeks up to the 20th century there are maps and models illustrating Marseille in all phases of its history, and the building joins onto a set of archaeological site containing ramparts, port buildings and a necropolis.

5. La Corniche

Weaving down the coast for several kilometres from the Old Port, La Corniche is one long balcony next to the Mediterranean, going past beaches and quirky little neighbourhoods.

You can drive it, but it’s just as rewarding to walk for the sea air and outstanding vistas of the Frioul Archipelago and the towers of the Château d’If in the bay.

One of the most striking sights is the Vallon des Auffes, a traditional fishing harbour on a steep inlet, ringed with ramshackle old huts and accessed from the sea beneath the arches that support the road.

6. Le Panier

This part of Marseille, just north of the Old Port, has been inhabited since 600 BC and was the site of the Greek colony of Massalia.

A the city evolved it became the place where Marseille’s waves of immigrants settled, and even today there’s a large Maghreb and Corsican population.

It’s a district with ochre-coloured walls, stone stairways and long, corridor-like streets emerging on sun-drenched squares.

Until recently it had always been one of the poorest parts of Marseille, as demonstrated by the La Vieille Charité, a 17th-centruy baroque almshouse with three tiers of arcaded galleries around a chapel.

Now it’s an increasingly trendy district with independent boutiques and craft shops, cafes and plenty of imaginative street art.

Inaugurated in 2013, MuCEM is a cutting edge museum that regenerated a portion of Marseille’s waterfront next to the 17th-century Fort de Saint-Jean.

The architecture is breathtaking, but what’s inside is actually quite difficult to sum up: It’s a kind of overview of Mediterranean culture an civilisation, incorporating art, photography exhibitions and historic artefacts.

Most people who visit agree that the exhibitions aren’t the most consistent, capriciously jumping from period to period and theme to theme, but they’re so diverse that there are galleries to capture everyone’s attention.

Entry to the fort, built by Louis XIV,  is included in the ticket, and this structure is connected to the museum by two bridges.

8. La Plaine and Noailles

Directly east of the Old Port are two neighbourhoods that will give you a sense of day-to-day life in Marseille.

Noailles is another area in which generations of Africans settled, particularly after Algeria became a French territory in 1830. The scruffy and chaotic market here runs from Monday to Saturday, with sights and scents that could be from a souk in North Africa or the Middle East, with flatbreads baking and kebabs sizzling.

La Plaine, around Place Jean Jaurès, a few streets further east is one of the trendier parts of the city.

Here there are stylish boutiques and bars, as well as a market on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturday mornings with a jumble of stalls selling everything from fresh produce to perfumes.

9. Stade Vélodrome

Even before a marvellous refurbishment in the build up to Euro 2016, Olympique de Marseille’s home stadium was one of the world’s football cathedrals.

Now it’s the largest club football stadium in the country, with a capacity of 67,000, and is finally protected from the merciless Mistral wind by a spectacular undulating roof.

Despite being an icon, the Stade Vélodrome hasn’t always been appreciated by the city or OM’s fans, and you’ll learn all you need to know about this history on an hour-long tour, while visiting the dressing rooms, the highest point of the terraces and going pitch-side.

10. Boulevard Longchamp

One of Marseille’s most edifying walks can be taken along the handsome Boulevard Longchamp with its upmarket 19th-century houses and twin row of plane trees.

The best way to do it is to head from Canebière station up towards Palais Longchamp, and the crescent-shaped colonnade and fountain of this imposing 19th-century complex will slowly come in to view.

Palais Longchamp and the park and attractions around it were built to celebrate the completion of the Canal de Marseille, which linked with the Durance River and ended centuries of water supply problems for the city.

The city’s Natural Museum and Museum of Fine Arts are set here too.

11. Cité Radieuse

Built between 1947 and 1952 this apartment building made from concrete was the Swiss architect Le Corbusier’s first Unité d’Habitation, a design that would be repeated across Europe in the post-war period.

The idea was to transfer the homes, streets and amenities of a city into an 18-floor concrete block.

More than a thousand people still live here, but there’s a tour taking you into one of the restored original apartments, and up to the rooftop terrace where you can gaze out over the city.

Like all of Le Corbusier’s buildings it’s now protected as a UNESCO site.

12. L’Estaque

Now a north-western suburb of Marseille, L’Estaque is a fishing village that inspired Cézanne, Braque and an array of other late-19th-century painters.

Cézanne in particular spent a lot of time in L’Estaque, painting scenes of the village and sea in different seasons.

If you’re familiar with his work you may get thrills when you survey these seascapes with your own eyes.

The Marseille artist Adolphe Monticelli was another painter linked to the village in this period, and there’s a museum in L’Estaque with the largest single collection of his work in the world.

On a wander, go by the old port where stalls sell panisses (chips made with chickpea flour) and chichis fregis (donuts).

13. Musée des Docks Romains

Marseille’s ancient history is so rich that one museum isn’t enough to show you all there is to see.

The Musée des Docks Romains is a couple of streets in from the north side of the Old Port and covers the site of one of the world’s few known Roman commercial warehouses.

They were uncovered after the war, during the which a number of streets had been dynamited by the Germans.

What will blow you away here are the dolia, massive ceramic jugs as tall as full-grown adults and able to store 2,000 litres of wine or olive oil.

14. Beaches

Despite being on the Mediterranean and having 42 kilometres of coast, Marseille has never been thought of as a beach destination.

In the mid-70s though the Prado seaside park was created, reclaiming 40 hectares of sea and laying it with shingle and sand.

What really makes it is the view of the gnarled white rocks at the start of the Calanques to the southeast.

Your other option for seaside relaxation are the beaches of Corbière in the north, just past L’Estaque.

These are also man-made, and like Prado are protected from erosion by breakwaters.

15. Cuisine

Bouillabaisse is a Marseille dish that is cooked all over the world.

It’s a fish and seafood stew normally made with lean fish that have little market value and are better when cooked down, like scorpionfish, conger and sea robins.

These are stewed with wine, olive oil and saffron, although the remainder of the recipe varies from restaurant to restaurant.

Part of the ritual is rustic bread smothered with rouille, a kind of piquant mayonnaise, and dropped into the soup.

It all goes best with white wines from the Rhône Valley or Languedoc-Roussillon.

On the sweet side you can pick up navettes, cute boat-shaped biscuits in a variety of flavours, from anis to chocolate.

15 Best Things to Do in Marseille (France):

• Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde
• Calanques National Park
• Musée d'Histoire de Marseille
• La Corniche
• La Plaine and Noailles
• Stade Vélodrome
• Boulevard Longchamp
• Cité Radieuse
• Musée des Docks Romains

5 of the best experiences you can only have in Marseille

Jul 10, 2024 • 5 min read

Hire a boat and take to the water for a wonderful day in Marseille © StockByM / Getty Images

Michael covered his home city of Marseille for the latest Lonely Planet guide . Here he gives his top five experiences unique to the city on the sea.

A sprawling city bathed in sunshine reflected off the turquoise waters of the Mediterranean, Marseille lingers in your memory long after you leave.

It may possess the historical remnants of its ancient Phoenician founders, but the hustle and throng of this port city have drawn a hip crowd from around the globe. The result is an urban setting that has finally shaken off its rough reputation and now features in Vogue magazine and on the social media feeds of hot celebrities.

Time moves differently here in the summer months. Everything may be open, but Marseille is effortlessly slow during the day as the heat takes over. You'll naturally be drawn to the coast for a dip or to simply relax under a parasol as your ice melts in your drink.

We've rounded up some of the best experiences that will keep you coming back for more of Marseille.

1. Rent a boat and captain

Marseille is a port city with an insatiable love for leisure sailing. There is no better way to have a moment of respite from the city’s intense energy than to suddenly skip away from the heavy concrete across the gentle waters of the Mediterranean. Public transport and huge party boats filled with tourists venture out into the waters, but the best way to enjoy a trip over the waves is to find a sailboat with a captain.

You can kick back and enjoy a meal they will happily prepare as you catch the winds and visit the local inlets and tiny islands reachable within 30 minutes of the port. It is pure escapism and the joy of nature combined – a healthy, lung-filled burst of life and no better way to catch a sunset. If you are especially lucky, you may also attract dolphins and whales to marvel at.

Planning tip: Please be certain to book well in advance in the summer months , as one captain will usually only be operating from their own craft.

2. Explore the African Quarter

Marseille’s African diaspora lives shoulder to shoulder within the very center of the city. Life for many revolves around the market, where languages and dialects ring out loudly. It is a home-from-home where imported ingredients and restaurants feed the soul as well as the body. They bring back the taste of far-flung places and memories and have created a natural home in this foodie city.

As well as experiencing the local produce and recipes that make up Provence’s glorious cuisine, do not leave without tasting what, amongst others, Senegal, Ghana, Cameroon, Tunisia and Morocco have to offer. All are well represented in joints you can hear hopping from down the street. La Jungle is an absolute highlight with music blaring from the huge TV screen as mountain-sized plates of food are dropped before you. 

3. Sing or Die

Marseille has a reputation for being macho, but there is no better place to see this energy cast aside than at  Sing or Die , tucked behind a heavy door on a quiet cobbled street in the Longchamp district. Here, a Scot named Jacqui, who has lived in the region for over a decade, has founded a safe space for all walks of life to sing their hearts out together drunkenly. This sparkly dark room with a stage is more a karaoke club than a bar, and it is truly like no other venue when filled to the brim at the weekend.

This is karaoke at full blast, sweat dripping from the ceiling onto a screaming crowd. Anyone wanting to cosplay as a rockstar will have found a nonjudgmental and remarkably friendly place to live out their dreams. It is a little part of the UK mixed with the sticky dance floors of Marseille – a place from which you can happily stagger back to your bed.

4. Les Goudes

Known as the end of the world to those in the city, this is Marseille at its very perimeters. It's a fishing village more than anything else, a small port where the locals speak in a familiar Marseille twang and sip Pastis (an alcoholic drink that is as much a part of the city as sunshine itself).

Les Goudes is far from the sounds and smells of urban sprawl, but it has entered a new phase as a destination for the super-rich on a summer break.

Le Tuba is featured in only the most fashionable magazines – a hotel with a limited number of ocean-view rooms that costs a pretty cent for those fortunate enough to get a booking. It stands at odds with the handful of local fish restaurants and institutions like the Bar des Goudes , the perfect place to eat seafood and enjoy a cold drink.

5. Swimming with the locals

There is no more authentic way to spend an afternoon in Marseille than at the beach . However, this is not the place to laze on the sand (although you can do it at La Prophète beach if you wish); instead, it is customary to find a perch on the rocks with friends. Those in the know make their way along the Corniche Kennedy that winds out of the city as they gaze down at guests lounging in private clubs or simply diving off the rocks into the cooling waters of the Med.

The first stop is the Port de Malmousque. As you descend the steps from the street, you're greeted by narrow alleys that hark back to a fishing village from another era. Head to the right to find a tiny and still port where locals drink wine out of plastic cups and float gently in the sea.

Those who desire more action and to mingle amongst the beautiful people can go further along the coast to the rocks under the celebrated restaurant,  Le Petit Nice. At La Fausse Monnaie beach, you'll be shrouded in the kind of golden light that dreams are spun from.

Local tip : To truly do it as the locals do, bring all your picnic essentials, including wine or beer, and your towel.

This article was first published May 24, 2022 and updated Jul 10, 2024.

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The calanques, towns and villages, parks and gardens, visiting marseille is child's play.

MarseilleTourisme.fr is an INDEPENDANT website which want to provide authentic information, certified by our dear tourist friends. Visiting Marseille is no longer a headache, discover now the secret places, jealously kept by the locals ;) Enjoying a tour in Marseille, France means discovering the emblematic districts, testing restaurants with exotic flavours, and enjoy the cosmopolitan life offered by the French "southern capital". It also means taking care of yourself and playing sports.

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Visiting Marseille

The history of marseille.

If the exact conditions of Massalia's foundation are still clouded with mystery, we know that the City was built by the Greek settlers of Phocaeus who came to establish a trading port there. Thus, the bay of Lacydon - a wide and deep cove - has become one of the most attractive ports in the Mediterranean and an essential emblem of the Phocaean City. Massalia quickly became a prosperous city with strong growth. Its strategic location permits to maintain privileged commercial links with Greece, Asia and Rome. The population of Marseille was already around 40,000 at that time (only enough to fill 3/4 of the Velodrome Stadium !), making it the largest urban area in Gaul and an important cultural and religious city.

Marseille: a Greco-Roman city?

But in the 1st century BC, the Phocaean City became Roman. The city's influence was gradually diminishing in favour of Arles, which quickly became a major competitor. The following centuries were marked by successive attempts to conquer the city. If the Visigoths failed to enter the City, the Burgundians (initially) and then the Ostrogoths managed to take control of Marseille. It was not until 536 AD that the Francs of Clovis took over Provence. Then began a prosperous period during which Marseille tried to compete with Arles; the construction of the Cathedral of the Major and the Saint-Victor Abbey was a sign of this intention.

Definitive attachment to the Kingdom of France

Plundered in the 8th century by Charles Martel, ravaged by the great plague of Europe in 1347, it was not until the 15th century that the city really regained its former attractiveness, the date on which Marseille was truly attached to the Kingdom of France. Impressed by the commercial power of the city, François I deplored its vulnerability and lack of defence against potential enemies and ordered the construction of the Château d'If and ramparts.

A historically rebellious city

Marseille's rebellious past, still rooted in its DNA, resurfaced in the 17th century when the city rebelled against the Sun King's policies. Louis XIV besieged, disarmed and controlled the Phocaean City in order to assert his political authority. Aware of the city's potential, the King undertook a vast urban planning project (just a tad more impressive than the Euro-Mediterranean project) that gave way to numerous developments: construction of the Old Charity , Fort Saint-Jean , the new Town Hall, and the Canebière and Cours Belsunce developments. This urban momentum contributed to the rapid development of the city but ran out of steam dramatically with the 1720 plague, which killed a third of the Phocaeans. As always in its history , Marseille has rebounded by opening up even more to international trade. Historically rebellious, Marseille was naturally very committed to the ideas of the Revolution and sent nearly 500 men to Paris. The rest of the story is now famous: the Marseille revolutionaries adopted the war song of Rouget de Lisle and took it up in chorus in the streets of Paris. La Marseillaise was born...

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• Tourism in Marseille
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Marseille , the oldest city of France, overflows with cultural, architectural and artistic treasures to discover. It is a tourist destination particularly appreciated by the French and foreigners. Between tradition and modernity, the city of Marseille is waiting for you. From the Vieux Port (Old Port) to the Calanques (rocky inlets) by way of the Panier district and the Corniche facing the sea, you will certainly be amazed by the beauty of the cosmopolitan city . Beyond the game of Pétanque and its football club Olympique de Marseille (OM), Marseille reveals itself behind its emblematic monuments such as the Château d’If, Les Docks, the Palais de la Bourse, the Fort Saint Jean fortification, Notre-Dame de la Garde, the Palais Longchamp, the Marseille Cathedral of la Major to name just a few.

European Capital of Culture in 2013 , Marseille aims to be a destination of choice for art and culture enthusiasts. Still in 2013, Marseille inaugurated the MuCEM, a museum dedicated to the Mediterranean civilizations of the 21st century. It is today one of the most visited museums. In the historic center of the city, you can also go to La Vieille Charité. There, you will find many cultural structures : the Mediterranean archaeology museum, the African, Oceanic and Native American art museum (MAAOA), but also a cinema, a bookshop…

While exploring the city, alone or with a guide, immerse yourself in the local culture and discover the traditions of Marseille. Relax on the terrace of a restaurant, under the southern sun, to taste Marseille’s cuisine . Let yourself be tempted by the bouillabaisse, a fish specialty, or by the pieds paquets, the panisses, etc. If you were to bring back only one souvenir of Marseille , no doubt you would choose the famous soap. Particularly effective and renowned, it can be used to clean skin, hair, clothes, floors, walls… Ideally located, the Bouches-du-Rhône prefecture, in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region, is a starting point for various tourist destinations accessible by train, plane and boat.

Notre-Dame de la Garde

Notre-Dame de la Garde , more commonly called « Bonne Mère » by the people of Marseille, watches over the sailors and fishermen. Overlooking the city from the top of its hill, it offers a remarkable view. The basilica is an old observation post, and François I built a fort there to defend the city. It was only after a few years that it would become a true place of pilgrimage when Eugène de Mazenod (Bishop of Marseille) commissioned the great basilica. A true symbol of Marseille, the Basilica Notre-Dame de la Garde is visible throughout the city. The site is the most visited monument of the city and has been listed since 1917.

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The Palais Longchamp

Located in the 4th arrondissement of Marseille, the Palais Longchamp is a water tower made up of a garden and two museums. The building was built by the architect Henry Espérandieu, who also designed the Notre-Dame de la Garde basilica, to store drinking water coming from the Durance River. Several artists participated in the beautification of the park with the creation of sculptures and a fountain. A visit to the Palais Longchamp is an opportunity to discover the Musée des Beaux-Arts (Museum of fine arts), the oldest museum in Marseille, which preserves paintings and drawings dating from the 16th to the 19th century. You can also stop at the Natural History Museum of Marseille, which has cabinets of curiosities dating from the 18 th century.

The Calanques National Park

The Calanques National Park is known throughout the world for its breathtaking scenery. Surrounded by cliffs, sea, fauna and flora, nature lovers will never get tired of it. Hiking, diving, canoeing and kayaking… On land, on the sea or underwater, different activities allow you to discover the Calanques. Once deserved, the rocky inlets reveal themselves to you with idyllic coves such as Port Pin, En-Vau, Sugiton, Morgiou or Sormiou.

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La Canebière

La Canebière, the famous high street of the old quarter, connects the Old Port of Marseille to the Église Saint-Vincent-de-Paul church (Les Réformés). It was a true symbol of elegance with its chic hotels, department stores and posh cafés. Performance venues such as theaters were later set up there as well as the santons fair, part of the Christmas tradition. Nearly 1 km long, La Canebière is a lively district where you can find many shops, cafés, restaurants, the old Hôtel Louvre et Paix, the Monument des Mobiles… La Canebière is a parade route when demonstrations that go down to the Town Hall or the Prefecture are held, or when the French National Day and the carnival are celebrated.

A real open-air museum, the mythical and picturesque Panier district can be discovered through its narrow streets. The district resembles a small village in Provence where it is good to live. Colorful facades, street art, shops of craftsmen and designers… a visit to Le Panier is a must during your holidays in Marseille. For a gourmet break, sit on the terrace in Place de Lenche and admire the view of the Old Port.

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Practical information

• Tourist Office of Marseille : http://www.marseille-tourisme.com/fr/
• Road service: A7-A51 Highways (from Aix or Lyon), A55 Highway (from Aix, Fos, Lyon, Montpellier or Barcelona) and A50 Highway (from Cassis, Toulon, Nice, Genoa)
• Air access: Marseille Provence Airport
• Railroad access: Saint-Charles station
• Sea access: autonomous port
• Discover also : markets , beaches , private beaches

nearby towns

• Aix-en-Provence
• Salon de Provence
• TO & Travel Agents