Marseille is on the move! Join us for a selection of what’s new and what’s not. Our selection for Luxus Magazine.
Unique and authentic, majestic and rebellious, cosmopolitan and unruly, bourgeois and safe, Marseille is a city with a thousand and one faces. “You either love it or hate it”, they say. But it never leaves you indifferent.
France’s second-largest city (873,000 inhabitants, 2.5 times the size of Paris) tells the story of lives past and present.
Voted European Capital of Culture in 2013, the city is renowned for its museums, but also for the beauty of its natural sites.
With its picturesque neighborhoods, trendy bistros and heavenly calanques, the Phocéenne city has much to offer. It’s just a matter of taming it step by step. You’ll have a wonderful time!
The Mucem and Villa Méditerranée to marvel at
The Vieux-Port is the beating heart of Marseille. After a walk along the quayside, you’ll be irresistibly drawn to Mucem, the Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilization. To get there, simply enter the lower part of Fort Saint-Jean and walk along the 130-metre footbridge.
You’ll then have a magnificent view of the Frioul islands, including Ile d’If. This tiny island (and its castle) has seen an upsurge in visitors since the success of the French blockbuster The Count of Monte Cristo starring Pierre Niney as Edmond Dantès.
The Mucem is constantly renewing itself, with five exhibitions, including the history of the plural and fantasized “Mediterranean” and “Populaire?”, a presentation of heterogeneous objects from the treasures of the permanent collection.
The temporary exhibition “Paradis naturiste” is a well-constructed didactic tour that is not lacking in daring. Once a month, visitors, either nude or wearing a simple pareo, can wander through the rooms to discover the history and values of naturism. Naturism has been around in Europe since the end of the 19th century, even before May 68.
But the highlight of our stay in Marseille was a visit to the spectacular replica of the Grotte Cosquer at the Villa Méditerranée. Did you know that? It’s the only cave in the world decorated with cave paintings that exists underwater. It was the young diver Henri Cosquer who discovered this prehistoric cave at Cap Morgiou in 1985, at a depth of 37 metres. Thanks to our national “Indiana Jones”, since June 2022 you can take an unusual tour of the Villa Méditerranée, a large white building next to the Mucem.
Equipped with synchronized headphones and seated in a gondola, you’ll be immersed in an atmosphere worthy of “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea” for 35 minutes. Gliding gently through the stalactites, you can admire the bestiary depicted on the walls, as well as handprints and flint tools. All of which attest to the presence of Homo Sapiens during an ice age in Provence… 30,000 years ago.
With a flurry of real estate projects, Marseille has entered the 21st century with a bang.
We stroll through the Joliette district, past the “Docks Village” and the “Terrasses du Port”, home to the famous R2, renowned for its electric Marseille nights. Then a quick visit to the neo-Byzantine La Major cathedral before climbing up to the Panier district. Marseille’s boboland (also popular with tourists) delights us with its pretty, graffiti-covered alleys and flowery staircases, art galleries and sunny squares. A pastis, please!
A drink on a terrace or rooftop to admire the view
What could be better than a terrace or rooftop to admire the city’s many panoramas?
If you’re lucky, you’ll be able to snag a table on the tiny balcony of the bar-restaurant La Caravelle. Well-known to jazz fans, this institution is the ideal place to enjoy a glass of white wine at aperitif time on the Old Port. Incognito… away from the crowds.
Overlooking La Canebière, vintage bar-restaurant Les Réformés has set up shop on the roof of the Artplexe cinema. It’s the place to be for the young and hip (but not just that!) to dance the night away. As the name suggests, you’ll have a view of the Saint-Vincent-de-Paul church, also known as the Eglise des Réformés. Plates are available to share at any time, at low prices.
Le Rowing, Marseille’s century-old rowing club, is the place to go if you’ve got good friends in the city. In a relaxed atmosphere, come for brunch, tapas or the restaurant with its breathtaking view of the Old Port and Fort Saint-Jean.
If you have a romantic rendezvous, opt for the Dantès Skylounge, the Sofitel Vieux Port‘s chic and intimate evening bar, with its sunset view. It would be a shame to take refuge indoors. On the terrace, generous cocktails, soft music and plaids are served on cool evenings.
A bike ride along the Corniche and a hike in the calanques
Early in the morning, we meet at Fada Bike, a flashy new hybrid of bike rental, café, restaurant, boutique and repair shop… After a “professional” debriefing, we feel confident enough to get on our intense blue electric bikes like the Mediterranean.
Crazy? Not completely. Accompanied by a local guide, it’s the ideal way to see Marseille’s “must-sees” in just three hours. Beautiful bicycle paths along the John Fitzgerald-Kennedy Corniche make pedaling easy. A quick glance: on the heights, plush 19th-century villas overlook the sea. The invigorating iodine-flavoured sea air oxygenates the brain.
After a stop at the Palais du Pharo (which can only be visited on Heritage Day), we take a few photos in the Vallon des Auffes, a discreet little fishing port that retains its old-world charm with its pretty, colorful cottages.
Via the narrow streets of Roucas Blanc, the chic district of Marseille’s 7th arrondissement, the climb is steep to reach Notre-Dame-de-La-Garde, which offers a breathtaking view of the city. Legend has it that the basilica watches over the people of Marseille, hence its nickname “La Bonne Mère”.
We cross the blond beaches of Prado, towards the port of La Pointe-Rouge, the Montredon district to arrive at the Calanque de Callelongue, lined with picturesque cabanons and surprisingly clear water.
It’s a pastis, sea and sun break in the land of Pagnol. La Grotte, a resolutely kitsch institution, serves delicious beef ribs, wood-fired pizzas and the day’s catch of the day.
A little effort and you’re off for a two-hour hike in the Parc National des Calanques between Callelongue and Marseilleveyre , with a view of the Riou archipelago. Beware, the path is not always easy to find, so it’s best to climb the ridge with a local guide for a first discovery. It’s a beautiful walk that will delight both the sporty and the contemplative. Here we are, sitting on a piece of rock in this stone cathedral. Silence, meditating in front of the sea. The crossing to Cassis is for another time…
On the way back, you’ll discover Les Goudes and its bustling fishing port. It’s Happy Hour at the Grand Bar des Goudes, the place to be for Marseillais who like to get their groove on.
Gourmet bouillabaisse
Let’s face it, we love the ritual of eating bouillabaisse, a dish emblematic of Marseilles culture. Bouillabaisse is served with boiling soup (hence the name boil and lower the heat). It is served with five rock fish, croutons rubbed with garlic and the famous rouille. Small appetites should be avoided. Expect to pay a minimum of 65 euros per person.
At Fonfon, the view is both on the plate and through the bay window, as the restaurant overlooks the Vallon des Auffes. Bouillabaisse has been prepared here in the family since 1952. Service is attentive and portions generous. It’s best to ask for a reservation on the 1st floor to avoid groups of happy gourmets.
Clinging to the Corniche, Peron is an institution that rivals Michel, the table for politicians and other celebrities. Le Rhul also boasts one of the best bouillabaisses in town.
A dream hotel for two nights and more.
Perched on the hill of Le Panier, the Intercontinental, a renowned five-star luxury hotel, is a reassuring old lady. Formerly a public hospital built in the 16th century, this sumptuous building has been luxuriously reinvented to dominate the Marseilles scene. Its huge terrace is ideal for socializing, with a view of “La Bonne Mère” and the bustle of the Port. Chef Arnaud Davin orchestrates a refined cuisine that’s free of Michelin stars.
On the Corniche Kennedy, Hôtel Les Bords de mer, part of the Domaines de Fontenille portfolio recently acquired by the LVMH group, seems suspended between heaven and earth. Overlooking the Catalan beach, the 19 sober, elegant rooms all look resolutely out to sea.
Facing the Pharo, the decor of the family-run New Hôtel de Marseille honors the multicultural history of the Old Port, with its many travelers, immigrants and newcomers.
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Featured Photo: Marseille’s Old Port and “La Bonne Mère” (the Good Mother) watching over its inhabitants © DR
