Our tips for a great
getaway in... Marseille France
The colours of Provence meet the flavours of the Mediterranean in Marseille, with a dash of North Africa adding an exotic note. It’s an earthy blend, reflecting the down-to-earth nature of the folk who live here. Marseille may not have airs and graces, but it does have great beaches, wonderful food and plenty of culture, with a history dating back to the ancient Greeks and a live theatre tradition second only to Paris. Smart galleries and boutiques fill the streets near the Préfecture, while the bars and restaurants that cluster around the Old Port prove that, earthy or not, Marseille knows how to put on the style.
bestmeal with a view: Peron Gorgeous sunsets, spectacular coastal panoramas and a liner-like setting on the sea’s edge make Michelin-starred Peron one of the most memorable places to dine on Marseille’s chic corniche. Where >Peron, 56 corniche Kennedy, Marseille, Tel: +33 (0)491 52 15 22. view map Website > www.restaurant-peron.com
bestauthentic local cuisine: bouillabaisse Don’t leave Marseille without sampling bouillabaisse, the delicious fish stew that is the city’s signature dish. To be sure of authenticity, head for a restaurant that has signed up to the Charte de la Bouillabaisse (a charter that ensures high standards and adherence to traditional recipes) – Miramar is one, and it’s right on the Old Port. Where >Miramar, 12 quai du Port, Marseille, Tel: +33 (0)491 91 10 40. view map Website > www.bouillabaisse.com
besthidden gem: The calanques Crystal clear waters and bright limestone cliffs make the calanques – long, secret coastal inlets south and east of the city – irresistible. Hike, take a boat trip from the Old Port or – best of all – befriend someone who’s taking their yacht that way. Where >The calanques, stretching for 20km along the coast between Marseille and Cassis.
bestsouvenir: pastis or absinthe Get into the spirit of Marseille with one of 95 varieties of pastis or absinthe from this extraordinary little shop. Where >La Maison du Pastis, 108 quai du Port, Marseille, Tel: +33 (0)491 90 86 77. view map Website > www.lamaisondupastis.com
bestoddity: Notre Dame de la Garde Topped by a vast golden Madonna and child, perched on a hill and visible from half the city, there’s nothing low-key about the church of Notre Dame de la Garde. Inside things take a turn for the weird: the Madonna is the protector of the port’s sailors and is the subject of a cult, so that the church is filled with models of the ships she has saved and drawings of the car crashes, house fires and domestic accidents that people have survived with her help. Funny yet touching, it’s definitely one of Marseille’s oddest sights.
Where >Basilique de Notre-Dame de la Garde, Rue Fort-du-Sanctuaire, Marseille, Tel: +33 (0)491 134080. view map Website > www.notredamedelagarde.com
bestarchitecture: Cité Radieuse It may be a concrete high rise, but the Cité Radieuse is the original concrete high rise, completed in 1952 and proof that concrete is cool, if it’s couture. The Cité was designed by legendary modernist Le Corbusier and it’s a lot more stylish than the mass-produced knock-offs which followed. You can take the lift up to the café and bar, then continue to the rooftop sports deck, which resembles the deck of an ocean liner. Where >Cité Radieuse Le Corbusier, 280 bd Michelet, Marseille. view map Website > www.marseille-citeradieuse.org
bestday trip: L’Estaque Take the train to the lively old fishing village of L’Estaque, where there are clean, small beaches, places to eat fish alfresco and plenty of yachts, liners and ferries to admire. Cézanne, Braque and Renoir were among the artists who painted here, and you can follow their footsteps with a guided tour organised by the Marseille tourist office. Be sure to try a doughnut-like chichi before you head back to town. Where >L’Estaque, about 20 minutes west of Marseille. view map Website > www.marseille-tourisme.com
Compiled by Neville Walker
besttrivia
The lovely, atmospheric Bar de la Marine on the Old Port (Quai de Rive Neuve) is the perfect spot for romantics – it featured in the film Love, Actually.
The Online Destination Guides are published by INK Publishing on behalf of
bmibaby.
The views expressed in the Online Destination Guides are not
necessarily those held by bmibaby.
No part of these Online Destination
Guides may be reproduced in any material form (including photocopying or
storing it in any medium by electronic means) without the written permission
of the copyright owner.
