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48 hours in . . . Marseille, an insider guide to France's port city with an edge

There’s an edge to Marseille – which is precisely why you should go - vichie81
There’s an edge to Marseille – which is precisely why you should go - vichie81

Sunshine and chic culture, but rambunctiousness still remains

Marseille is going straight – cultured, even. New museums and galleries sprout. Trendy restaurants and bars abound. Hotel openings bang into one another. The 21st-century city is recapturing the trading grandeur of the 19th century. It’s got a sophisticated swagger as it aspires to regain world city status.

Yet it remains Marseille, where the staring sun casts shadows enough for skulduggery. There’s an edge to the place – which is precisely why you should go. If you wanted just museums and hip restaurants, you could go anywhere because everywhere has them. You travel to Marseille for the new-found culture, certainly, but also for the brawling beat of a big port city, picaresque and seductive for the last 2,600 years. For the music, the bombast and football, the Med roots and 50 shades of humanity living life loud. Marseille changes continually but remains its boisterous self; the most overwhelming city in France.

Hot right now . . .

Anthony Peregrine, our resident expert, offers his top tips on the best things to do and places to eat and stay this season.

Stay

Difficult to get nearer the seaside than the hotel Les Bords de Mer– which means “seaside” (52 Corniche Kennedy; 00 33 413 943400); the hotel perches at the end of the Catalan beach, all its rooms – pastel shades, natural wood, 1950s vibe – turned towards the Med. The radical refurb was confirmed this year when the Levha sisters, Tatiana and Katia, took over the briny-side restaurant with their spicy Philippino-French cuisine.

The best hotels in Marseille 

Les Bords de Mer, Marseille
All the rooms at Les Bords de Mer are turned toward the Med

Eat

At Signature – mildly off-centre, towards the Stade Vélodrome soccer ground (180 Rue de Rouet; 00 33 465 855348) – Caroline Faulquier has, this year, built on her reputation as 2016 runner-up on French TV’s Top Chef programme to open a cracking and innovative little restaurant. Dishes come in full or half-portions. Ms Faulquier is particularly great with casserole dishes – the fishy ‘Med-en-cocotte’ is maybe the best thing that ever happened to a red mullet. Her aioli is ace, too.

Signature, Marseille
Caroline Faulquier's innovative little restaurant, Signature, is a must in Marseille

Between a book shop and a veg shop on the unsung Rue Breteuil – up from the Vieux Port – Cédrat(81, Rue Breteuil; 00 33 491 429441) doesn’t look much but is, in truth, a lot. Opened in 2018, the restaurant confirmed its place as a star Marseille newcomer when, barely a year later, 28-year-old owner/chef Eric Maillet was named south-East France’s Young Talent 2019 by the Gault & Millau guide. Eat blow-torched mackerel under the fig and citrus trees in the unsuspected garden out the back.

• The best restaurants in Marseille

Do

Who knew Man Ray was also a fashion photographer? Apparently, lots of people, and the rest of us may catch up with the Man Ray & La Mode – Man Ray and Fashion – show at the Musée Cantini(19 Rue Grignan; 00 33 491 547775). The New York-born snapper best known for dadaist and surrealist work also photographed the likes of Coco Chanel and Elsa Schiaparelli for Vogue and Vanity Fair. Both arty and commercial work may be seen at Marseille’s major 2019-2020 show, from November 8, 2019 to March 8, 2020.

• The best things to do in Marseille

48 hours in . . . Marseille

Day one

MORNING

Start your morning at the Vieux Port, or 'Old Port', the city's focal point for 2,600 years. Commercial shipping went round the corner decades ago, so the VP now bobs with pleasure craft, and a few small fishing boats that deliver their daily catch to fishwives on the Quai de la Fraternité. Early morning, they’ll be beheading sea bream – under the vast, reflective stainless steel awning designed by Norman Foster for the quay.

Vieux Port, Marseille - Credit: Xantana
Marseille's port is lined with yachts and fishing boats Credit: Xantana

Now take the hop-on, hop-off Colorbüs(which begins at Vieux Port), an effortless way of getting around some of Marseille’s greatest hits. Hop off at Vallon des Auffes, an unlikely fishing village entirely engulfed by the city.

Hop on again for the long pull up to Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde basilica (Rue Fort du Sanctuaire), topped by a golden Madonna and Child. Note the ex-votos, the crypt and the extraordinary views over city and sea, then eat at the basilica’s on-site restaurant, L’Eau Vive (00 33 491 37 8662), which is run by nuns and serves simple grills and French classics such as supreme of guinea fowl and rack of lamb in garlic cream. Its three-course menu of the day is €13 (£12).

Marseille, France - Credit: Daniiielc/Daniiielc
Stop by Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde basilica, the most distinctive landmark in the city Credit: Daniiielc/Daniiielc

AFTERNOON

After lunch take the bus to the Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisations (MuCEM) (7 Promenade Robert Laffont; 00 33 04 84 35 1313). It’s new, right by the water and appears to be wearing a mantilla. Inside you'll find challenging coverage of Euro-Med cultural themes, taking in art, industry, agriculture, politics and more.

Mucem, Marseille
The architecture of the MuCEM is just as much worth a look as the exhibits inside

Trot across, past the cathedral and up into thePanier district, where Marseille was founded by incoming Greeks. Subsequently, its steep streets and suspect stairways filled up with huddled masses and hoodlums. It’s now gone bourgeois, or so they say. But there’s still a whiff of roguery about the place.

I usually intend to visit the museums of the Vieille Charité – the classically-designed ex-workhouse – but get ambushed by the Bar des 13 Coins(45 Rue Sainte-Françoise; 00 33 4 9191 5649). The huge terrace was HQ to Jean-Claude Izzo, poet and crime writer, than whom no one ever wrote better about Marseille.

Le Panier - Credit: Chalffy
The colourful Le Panier quartier is the perfect neighbourhood to get lost in Credit: Chalffy

LATE

Take an aperitif up above the St Victor abbey over the Vieux Port – at, say, theCafé de l’Abbaye (3 Rue d'Endoume; 00 33 4 91 66 8757) where smart young professionals spill out onto the pavement.

Have dinner nearby at L’Aromat (49 Rue Sainte; 00 33 491 550906), the city-centre HQ of one of Marseille’s brightest young talents. Chef Sylvain Robert has an enviable reputation for his contemporary take on Mediterranean cooking. Try the squid ravioli with tomato, chard and tapenade, or the celebrated hamburger de bouillabaisse.

Later,Le Trolleybus(24 Quai Neuve; 00 33 491 543045) – in former arsenal premises across the port – is made up of three different spaces offering different ways of dancing till dawn.

L’Aromat. Marseille - Credit: www.RMZ.me/Romain MARTINEZ
L'Aromat is the city-centre HQ of one of Marseille’s brightest young talents, chef Sylvain Robert Credit: www.RMZ.me/Romain MARTINEZ

• The best restaurants in Marseille

Day two

MORNING

Onto La Canebière, Marseille’s monumental main drag running back from the Vieux Port and now regaining the imperial grandeur first established during the port’s trading heyday. Sheer off towards the all-day Capucin market(5 Rue du Marché des Capucins), and associated souk zone of open-fronted spice emporia, stalls, rai music, bazaars, halal butchers and hole-in-the-wall cafés. All nations are here and trying to get a word in edgeways.

Pause for coffee, mint tea or a snack lunch – salad, omelette, sandwich - at the Café Prinder (1 Place Marché du Capucins; 00 33 491 54 0515). It’s the oldest in Marseille, in the same Italian family since 1925, and the meeting place for local tradespeople.

La Canebière - Credit: CAHKT
La Canebière is Marseille’s emblematic avenue, lined with stately historic buildings Credit: CAHKT

AFTERNOON

Returning to the Vieux Port, pause at Maison Empereur(4 Rue des Récolettes; 00 33 4 91 54 0229), the most venerable hardware store in France, dating back to 1827. It’s a sort of Aladdin’s cave of a shop of the sort we all thought had died out in our grandparents’ day – selling pretty much everything you need for the house, the garden or anywhere else in your life. There’s so much to see, you’ll struggle to be out before closing time.

Now, to boat: from the port, take the Frioul-If-Express to the isles. In 20 minutes you’re at If, almost entirely covered by the château-prison in which the future Count of Monte Cristo was gaolled. You’ll be shown his cell, but maybe not reminded that he was, in fact, fictional. The Frioul isles are 20 minutes further on and offer more rewarding, affording cliffs, creeks and beaches for stirring strolls. The views back to Marseille are outstanding.

If, France - Credit: stevenallan/stevenallan
Château d'If served as the fictional prison for The Count of Monte Cristo Credit: stevenallan/stevenallan

LATE

You mustn’t leave Marseille without tackling bouillabaisse, the feisty maul of sea-creatures expressing the city’s turbulent spirit in fish stew form. It should come in two servings: first the broth, then the scrum of four to six different fish. Try it by the Vieux Port at Chez Madie Les Galinettes (€45 [£40]; 138 Quai du Port; 00 33 491 90 4087).

Not far away,La Caravelle (34 Quai du Port; 00 33 491 903664) on the first floor of the Hotel Belle-Vue has been a jazz bar since the inter-war years. There’s live music on Wednesdays and Fridays, October through May.

Chez Madie Les Galinettes - Credit: Oxana Medvedeva
You shouldn't leave Marseille before trying bouillabaisse Credit: Oxana Medvedeva

The best nightlife in Marseille

Where to stay . . .

Luxury Living

Centuries of history get a creative modern makeover in one of Marseille's most beautiful landmarks, a palatial 18th-century hospital exquisitely restored to the Intercontinental Marseille Hotel Dieu. Check out the bar-brasserie; it's one of the best in town.

Doubles from €220 (£192). 1 Place Daviel; 00 33 413 424242

Intercontinental Marseille Hotel Dieu
The five-star hotel has a cool, contemporary, marine-themed décor

Boutique Bolthole

Step straight from the crowds and bustle of central Marseille into Hotel la Résidence du Vieux Port, a warm, colourful sanctuary with fabulous views of the harbour and top transport connections. This four-star, family-owned hotel belies its stark exterior to offer a boutique, welcoming, slightly quirky experience.

Double rooms from €160 (£141). 18 Quai Du Port; 00 33 491 919122

Hotel la Résidence du Vieux Port
The atmosphere of Hotel la Résidence du Vieux Port is lively, original and a little eccentric

Budget Beauty

The Marseille member of the fast-growing Mama Shelter clan rocks this mini-chain’s popular formula of low(-ish) prices and light-hearted, high-concept urban chic. Zesty public areas and minimalist bedrooms combine to offer a pleasurable cocooning experience in an outlying district of the city.

Doubles from €71 (£63). 64 Rue de la Loubière; 00 33 484 352000

Mama Shelter Marseille
Phillipe Starck is behind Mama Shelter's bright and minimalist décor

• A complete guide to the best hotels in Marseille

What to bring home . . .

Marseille runs on pastis at the aperitif hour and, indeed, most other hours too. Rather than the big, famous brands, try the herbier Henri Bardouin from theMaison du Pastis(108 Quai du Port; 00 33 491 908677).

Pastis - Credit: Gutzemberg/Gutzemberg
Pastis is the aperitif of choice in Marseille Credit: Gutzemberg/Gutzemberg

The soap of Marseille has been known for centuries as useful for those who are allergic to other soaps – and equally wonderful for de-staining and washing clothes. Get the soap and learn its story at theMusée du Savon de Marseille (1 Rue Henri Fiocca; 00 33 972 545109).

Soap of Marseille - Credit: valeale2014/valeale2014
The gentle soap of Marseille is great for the skin, as well as laundering clothes Credit: valeale2014/valeale2014

When to go . . .

Marseille is an anytime destination. As France’s second city, it never shuts. In winter, the weather may be mild enough for shirtsleeves and lunch on a terrace. Spring and autumn are generally perfect for further outdoor moments – say, walking along the glorious Calanques (limestone creeks). Meanwhile, summer in the city might involve the south-side beaches followed by an al fresco evening until whatever hour you deem is bedtime.

Know before you go . . .

Essential information

British Consulate in Marseille: (00 33 491 157210; gov.uk), Les Docks de Marseille, Atrium 10.3, 1er Etage/1st Floor, 13002 Marseille. Open Mon, Wed, Fri, 9.30am-12h30

British Embassy, Paris: 00 33 144 513100

Emergency services: Dial 112

Marseilles Tourist Office: (00 33 826 500500; marseille-tourisme.com), 4 La Canebière

Local laws and etiquette

French law requires that you always have personal ID about your person, so keep your passport on you.

If driving, you must have a fluorescent yellow bib in the car. It’s to be put on should you break down on a busy road and need to be visible to other motorists – and it’s a legal requirement.

When introduced to someone, shake him or her by the hand. All that cheek-kissing comes a little later.

Note that, when offered something (a fill-up of your wine glass, more bread, a minor treat), simply saying “Merci” indicates refusal. If you want more, say: “Oui, s’il vous plait.”

Round-the-clock snacking is far less common in France than in the UK – as is eating or drinking in the street. French practices are loosening, but you’re still unlikely to draw admiring glances if you’re walking along at 4pm with pizza in one hand, a can of beer in the other.

The basics

Currency: Euro

Telephone code: Dial 00 33 491 for Marseille numbers from abroad, 0491 from inside France

Time difference: +1 hour

Flight time: London to Marseille is about two hours

Author bio

Anthony has several decades' experience of Marseille: he’s seen it open to the 21st century – contemporary museums, fast trains, the chic blast of smart hotels and restaurants – while retaining its boisterous essence. 

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