What could be better than Marseille in May? Especially as the trip involved a Bruce Springsteen concert at the Orange Velodrome. Or that was the plan anyway. Sadly Bruce was ill and the concert was cancelled just before it was due to start. Not part of the plans but a great visit nonetheless.
As a lifelong Springsteen fan, I’ve travelled all over for his concerts. In 2021, it was Sunderland on a rain-lashed Wednesday evening, to be followed on the Saturday by Bruce in Marseille – dreams of a glorious summer evening. Unlike most of my trips, which involve group adventures to far-flung places, this was independent travel. But, luckily, the friend I was going with is a dab hand at sorting travel arrangements.
We took the Eurostar first of all to Lille. Why don’t they ring a bell or something to mark the journey through the tunnel and arrival in France? Lille involved a very easy change of station and train, and enough time to buy provisions for the onward journey to Marseille.
We left London at 9am and arrived in Marseille at 5pm. An effortless and very relaxing journey of over 500 miles.
Here are six of my highlights from Marseilles.
1. Excellent public transport
Credit: Sue Ablett
Marseille, founded in 600 BC is the oldest city in France. Located on the Mediterranean, it has been an important trading port since ancient times. It’s busy, bustling, and cosmopolitan. But it’s also very easy to find your way around.
Public transport within the city is excellent – two metro lines, good local buses and trams, and the bus and train stations are right next to each other. We had no problem mastering the art of ticket buying. Ticket machines in the metro all offer English as well as French. And we had no problem finding local buses and trains for day trips out of Marseille.
Marseille is also a very easy city to explore on foot. And it felt perfectly safe, even when wandering off the beaten track.
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2. The museums
Marseille may have a reputation as a seafaring port but, since the 1990s, there’s been a significant cultural expansion. The city is now second only to Paris in terms of the number of museums. I’m not really a museum person. I much prefer to be outside, wandering around, or people-watching at a pavement café – and we didn’t have a lot of time. But there’s a fantastic choice of museums.
Here are just two that might be worth visiting – and, on my next visit, I’ll certainly make a point of visiting The Marseille Soap Museum. Soap has been made in Marseille for about six centuries. To receive the official Savon de Marseille stamp, a very precise process has to be followed. This museum demonstrates how the soap is made, the special ingredients and its former uses, as well as a beautiful collection of soap.
Another museum not to be missed is MUCEM (Museum of Civilisations of Europe and the Mediterranean). Opened in 2013, and described as a 21st-century museum, this is the first museum dedicated to Mediterranean cultures. Within just a year of its opening, it was rated one of the 50 most visited museums in the world! MUCEM encompasses three sites, linked with footbridges, and is home to a vast collection of exhibits and documents. You could probably easily spend a day here.
3. Le Vieux Port
The heart of Marseille is Le Vieux Port (the old port), no longer home to commercial sea traffic, but a huge marina full of pleasure boats of all shapes and sizes, as well as bars and restaurants. It’s a place to wander, people watch, pause for a drink or a bite to eat, and, if you’re so inclined, buy your freshly caught fish.
From Le Vieux Port there’s also a great view of the emblem of the city, the Basilica of Notre Dame de la Garde. Sitting on the city’s highest hill and topped by a huge gold statue of the Virgin Mary, the Church can be seen from everywhere in the city, and watches over the people of Marseille.
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4. The hop-on, hop-off bus tour
Credit: Sue Ablett
A great way to get your bearings in a new city is to take a hop-on, hop-off, bus tour. You can get off wherever you like and pick up a later bus, or just stay on and complete the tour in one go. Starting at the Town Hall, a circular route takes you along the coast before turning up to the church of Notre Dame de la Garde, from where there are incredible views of the city below. The inside is pretty spectacular too.
Then, back down by the sea is the stunning Cathédrale de La Major, the oldest church in France, with its origins dating back to early Christianity in Europe. Comparable in size to St Peter’s in Rome, it’s huge and very ornate, reflecting the Romano-Byzantine style.
5. Le Panier
Credit: Sue Ablett
The oldest part of Marseille is the district known as Le Panier. Once one of the poorest parts of the city, it has undergone something of a transformation and is now regarded as a very trendy place to live. It’s home to some amazing graffiti, or maybe we should call it ‘street art’. Certainly, there’s barely a building that is not decorated with some design or other.
The highlight of a stroll around Le Panier is the stunning building, La Vieille Charité. Originally a 17th-century workhouse, albeit on a very grand scale, it’s now a cultural centre and museum. The domed central chapel is considered to be Italian baroque architecture at its very finest.
Credit: Sue Ablett
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6. Palais Longchamp
Credit: Sue Ablett
Another stunning building in Marseille, just a short distance from Le Vieux Port, is the Palais Longchamp, described as “the greatest expression of Marseille’s 19th century golden age”. But it’s not exactly a palace.
To quote the guidebook, “Marseille has embellished what is essentially just a water tower in palatial second Empire style”. It was built in the mid-19th century to celebrate the arrival of the waters of the Durance in the city, via the Canal de Marseille.
The wings to the left and right are home to the Fine Arts and Natural History museums. The Palais also contains fountains, columns, and animal sculptures, all of which are said to serve to evoke a sense of abundance and fertility.
Some easy day trips from Marseille
Cassis
Credit: Sue Ablett
Overseen by France’s highest cliffs, the narrow little harbour and old town of Cassis, are an absolute delight. Just an hour from Marseille by bus, the journey offers stunning views of the coastline. Cassis was much loved by Winston Churchill and Edith Piaf, and a favourite with painters, such as Matisse – inspired by the clear light and bright Mediterranean hues.
The excursion that most visitors to Cassis take though is a boat trip to visit the Calanques. These are creeks formed where the white chalk cliffs between Cassis and Marseille plunge into the sea. You can visit 3, 5 or 8 Calanques (creeks). We chose just three. This gave us a good view of the creeks, which are popular for boating, canoes, picnics, or hiking along the coast.
As you return to Cassis harbour, there’s a great view of Cap Canaille, at 394 metres (or 1,293 feet), which is the highest sea cliff in France.
The colourful little harbour is also home to bars, cafes, and other eateries, and there are nice shops to be found in the town (just one street really). There’s a nice sandy beach, too, so plenty of chances to relax and have a bite to eat after a boat trip.
L’Estaque
Perhaps best known as being a popular hang out for artists – and particularly for the painting The Bay at L’Estaque by Paul Cézanne, a regular visitor to the town – L’Estaque is just a 10-minute train ride from Marseille. It’s variously described as “one of Marseille’s many treasures”, “a charming suburban port with a village vibe” or “a scruffy fishing port northwest of Marseille”. Take your pick!
In the last half of the 19th century, L’Estaque was a beloved bathing spot for the residents of Marseille. The waterfront is still dotted with grand villas – and, since the 1930s, people have still flocked to the town, but are now more attracted by the famous fried snacks! The three beach shacks serving chichis frégis (long fried dough fritters) and panisses (chickpea fritters) are considered as essential to Marseille’s culinary legacy as its bouillabaisse (fish stew). Well worth a taste – just don’t think about the calories!
For over half a century, L’Estaque was a magnet for artists, including Renoir, Cézanne, Dufy and Braque, and regarded as the epicentre of the impressionist, fauvist, and Cubist movements. From the Church Square and the neighbouring house where Cézanne stayed is a wonderful view of rooftops and the sea. In a letter to fellow artist Camille Pissarro, Cézanne wrote that “L’Estaque is like a playing card. Red roofs over the blue sea.” Take time to explore Le Chemin Des Peintres De L’Estaque (The Painters’ Trail).
Aix-en-Provence
Often referred to as “the city of a thousand fountains”, Aix really deserves more than a one-day visit. Again, it was an easy one-hour bus trip from Marseille, and very easy to find your way around. Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday are market days, and it’s well worth timing your visit to coincide with the market.
Cours Mirabeau, created in 1650, is the main avenue in Aix. Pedestrianised and lined with plane trees, elegant houses, and a succession of fountains, it’s also where the main market is to be found, with very elegant stalls selling mainly clothes and handbags. Stalls packed with wonderful fresh fruit and vegetables are just a stone’s throw away.
Credit: Sue Ablett
If time is limited there’s a handy ‘noddy train’ that takes in areas of the city that you might not otherwise have a chance to discover. The elegant Quartier Mazarin is where Aix nobility established some of the finest houses in the 17th and 18th centuries, now home to antique shops and art galleries, and more fountains.
The train also takes in the Cathedral of the Holy Saviour to the north of the medieval part of Aix. Built on the site of a former Roman forum and adjacent basilica, the Cathedral has a mix of styles dating from the fifth to the 17th centuries.
Aix was where Paul Cézanne was born and died. There’s a lovely bronze statue of him next to the Tourist Information Office and near the main fountain – The Rotunda, which dates from 1860. Topped with three giant statues, representing art, justice and agriculture, the fountain is regarded as the hub of the city.
With more time it would have been fascinating to visit the Atelier Cézanne, the studio where he painted from 1901 until his death in 1906, and now left as it was with a jumble of artist’s paraphernalia. Note though it is currently closed until Spring 2025.
A short visit to Aix just served to stir our appetites. A return visit is definitely on the cards.
Final thoughts…
Sitting at the airport before our short flight home, there was time to reflect on a great visit and all that we’d seen. Clearly, there’s much more to explore, both in Marseille and the surrounding area.
The good news! Bruce has rearranged his cancelled concert so we’ll be back again for another short break in May 2025. Hopefully, the concert will go ahead this time.
Have you been to Marseille? Or perhaps it’s on your travel list? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below.