Inflight Magazine of Brussels Airlines

Focus on Marseille

A blend of southern Europe and North Africa, Marseille is culturally a city of the Mediterranean. Join Neville Walker on a tour of its old stone facades, waterfront cafés, bustling markets, chic shops and attractive beaches

Like the delicious, fishy bouillabaisse for which its restaurants are famous, Marseille is refined yet earthy. Founded by the ancient Greeks, it has a good claim to be the oldest city in France, yet it has a youthful, contemporary edge with a vibrant bar and music scene, an obsessive relationship with football and a restless programme of urban renewal that is transforming entire swathes of the city.

The pounding traffic, bustling markets and chic shopping of the inner city contrast with the beaches and greenery of the elegant Corniche, while further afield the rocky wilderness of the calanques beckons – the coastal coves with dazzling white cliffs and crystal clear waters that are reachable only on foot or by yacht.

Vieux Port

Bathed in sunlight, filled with yachts and encircled by cafés, the Vieux Port is the real focus of Marseille and the obvious starting point for any visitor. To enjoy it at its freshest, come in the morning when the fish market fills Quai des Belges (Monday–Saturday from 8am).

Two mighty fortresses guard the entrance to the harbour and two unusual churches stand spiritual sentry to the south. The kitschy hilltop Nôtre Dame de la Garde is the one on all the postcards, and worth the climb for the wonderful views across the harbour and sea. But the stern, ancient Abbaye Saint-Victor is more engrossing inside, with a spooky, labyrinthine crypt. Close by, the Musée du Santon (47 Rue NeuveSainte-Catherine, tel. ) is the best place to see the traditional Provençal figurines that are still used at Christmas to depict the Nativity.

This is a fine part of town in which to eat. Place Thiars, on the southern side of the Vieux Port, is nothing but restaurants, many of them specialising in fish and seafood. But you’ll find more sophisticated (and less tourist-oriented) dining elsewhere: in the intellectual surroundings of Les Arcenaulx (Cours d’Estienne d’Orves 25, tel. ) or amid the Provençal aromas of Des Mets de Provence chez Maurice Brun (18 Quai Rive-Neuve, tel. ). Rue Sainte is full of fashionable eating places, including La Part des Anges (33 Rue Sainte, tel. ) and Caffè Milano (43 Rue Sainte, tel. ). The bouillabaisse is at its best on the north side of the port at Le Miramar(12 Quai du Port, tel. ) and this is also the best territory for all-day café lounging.

Vieux Port isn’t Marseille’s richest shopping district, but you may not want to miss Agnès b (31-33 Cours d’Estienne d’Orves). Finally, unwind to live jazz at Pelle Mêle (8 Place aux Huiles, tel. ), amid the literary associations at Bar de la Marine (15 Quai Rive-Neuve) – which inspired the writer Marcel Pagnol – or at the Opéra de Marseille (2 Place Ernest Reyer, tel. ).

Le Panier and Les Docks

Marseille’s old quarter is a warren of narrow streets, with all the architectural charm of a Côte d’Azur fishing village but none of the Riviera’s hype or expense. Discover Marseille’s Roman connection at the Musée des Docks Romains (Place Vivaux) and its local history at the Maison Diamantée (2 Rue de la Prison, tel. ) before ascending the steep hill of Le Panier to the Hospice de la Vieille Charité (2 Rue de la Charité), a 17th-century workhouse now converted into an impressive cultural complex with museums, a cinema and a café.

Marseille’s vast, rather lifeless 19th-century cathedral sits at the western end of Le Panier. bigger and more animated are the restored warehouses of Les Docks, now home to chic restaurants and thronging at lunchtime with affluent office workers – try Le Dock de Suez (10 Place de la Joliette, tel. ). For simpler fare, Chez Angèle (50 Rue Caisserie, tel. ) is a long-established Le Panier favourite.

La Canebière

Marseille’s stately principal boulevard divides the North African bustle of the Cours Belsunce from the chic shopping streets to the south. It runs arrow-straight from the Vieux Port to the church of St Vincent de Paul, in whose shadow you’ll find the splendidly historic Plauchut (168 La Canebière, tel. ).

In this patisserie, chocolatier and ice-cream parlour, the sweet treats are as impressive as the décor. Equally tempting are the Tunisian pastries at Le Carthage (8 Rue d’Aubagne).

Running south of La Canebière towards the Préfecture, Rue St-Ferréol is Marseille’s main drag for mainstream shopping, and it’s here that you’ll find Galeries Lafayette (40-48 Rue StFerréol). Exclusive and individual boutiques are found in the streets running off St Ferréol, and so too is Marseille’s most impressive art gallery, the Musée Cantini (19 Rue Grignan, tel. ). Eating and drinking hereabouts is oriented towards shoppers, not gourmets: nibble a salad at La Coupole (5 Rue Haxo, tel. ) or venture north of La Canebière to try the couscous at Sur Le Pouce (2 Rue des Convalescents).

Cours Julien and around

Funky, quaint and buried under graffiti, the streets around the leafy Cours Julien represent bohemian Marseille at its offbeat, uncompromising best, with plenty of small boutiques to rummage through and no shortage of places to stop for a restorative coffee or pastis. You can combine shopping and refreshment at La Passerelle (26 Rue des Trois Mages), a comic store-cumcafé between Cours Julien and the colourful market of La Plaine (Place Jean Jaurès).

Fashion fans will gravitate to home-grown Marseille couturier Madame Zaza (73 Cours Julien, tel. ), and afterwards admire the exquisite plants at Flowerbox Gallery (80 Cours Julien, tel. ). This is an excellent area for reasonably priced restaurants: try rich southwestern French fare at La Garbure (9 Cours Julien, tel. ), a hearty couscous at Dar Djerba (15 Cours Julien, tel. ) or the pizzas and grills at the trendy, relaxed Bistro Vénitien (29 Cours Julien, tel.  
).

After dark, this is one of Marseille’s best districts for nightlife. For live music, check out L’Intermédiare (63 Place Jean Jaurès, tel. ), La Poste à Galène (103 Rue Ferrari, tel.  
) or Exodus (9 Rue des Trois Mages, tel. ), which has a strong world music bias.

The Corniche

From the Vieux Port, a scenic coast road winds past hidden coves towards the broad Plage du Prado and, beyond it, to Les Goudes and the start of the wild, unspoilt calanques. Along the way, the road passes a couple of monuments to France’s tangled colonial past: the Monument aux Morts de l’Armée de l’Orient and the modernist memorial to the ‘Pieds Noirs’, Algeria’s European colonists, many of whom resettled in Marseille after Algerian independence.

Offshore, Château d’If – the sinister island prison from Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo – is a must-see, with boats departing throughout the day from the Vieux Port. Inland, Marseille shows its modernist face at the MAC art gallery (69 Avenue de Haïfa) and at Le Corbusier’s iconic Unité d’Habitation apartment building.

The coast is the setting for some of Marseille’s grandest restaurants, including Passédat at the hotel Le Petit Nice (Anse de Maldormé, tel. ). Nightlife has a similarly upmarket edge: sip cocktails in ocean-liner surroundings at Le Manuréva (1 Avenue de la Pointe Rouge).

Where to stay

Vieux Port

Etap Marseille Vieux Port, 46 Rue Sainte, tel. , etaphotel.com The best budget option in town, with an unbeatable location in the Vieux Port’s restaurant quarter. Rooms from €49.

New Hotel of Marseille, 71 Boulevard Charles Livon, tel. , new-hotel.com Slick new four-star hotel close to the Vieux Port, with a sunny outdoor pool and crisp modern décor. From €180.

Hôtel du Palais, 26 Rue Breteuil, tel. , hotelmarseille. com Three-star hotel a short walk from the Vieux Port, with simple but smart rooms. From €80.

Radisson SAS, 38-40 Quai du Rive-Neuve, tel. , radissonsas.com Brand new luxury hotel with Provençal and African-themed décor. From €205.

La Résidence du Vieux Port, 18 Quai du Port, tel. , hotelmarseille.com Comfortable, air-conditioned, three-star hotel right on the Vieux Port, with excellent views. From about €93.

Tonic Hôtel, 43 Quai des Belges, tel. , tonichotel.com Stylish boutique hotel on the Vieux Port close to the fish market and restaurants. From €99.

La Canebière

Lutétia, 38 Allée Léon Gambetta, tel. , hotelmarseille. com Attractive two-star hotel just metres from La Canebière. From €65.

Saint Ferréol, 19 Rue Pisançon, tel.   , hotel-stferreol.com A winning location in the thick of Marseille’s shopping zone. Two-night weekend deals €185 for two.

The Corniche

Le Corbusier, Unité d’Habitation, 280 Boulevard Michelet, tel. , hotellecorbusier.com Stylish accommodation in Le Corbusier’s famous apartment building. From €59.

Le Petit Nice-Passédat, Anse de Maldormé, Corniche JF Kennedy, tel. , relaischateaux.com An exclusive little seaside hideaway with a superb setting on the Corniche. From €190.

Sofitel Palm Beach, 200 Corniche JF Kennedy, tel. , sofitel.com Modern hotel with an outdoor pool and sea views. From about €215.

FR » Gros plan sur Marseille

Mélange d’Europe du Sud et d’Afrique du Nord, Marseille est une ville raffinée mais sans chichis. La circulation incessante et l’agitation du centre-ville contrastent avec les plages et la verdure de l’élégante Corniche.

Le Vieux Port est la véritable attraction de Marseille – deux forteresses gardent l’entrée du port et deux curieuses églises font office de sentinelles côté sud. C’est un très bon quartier où aller manger, avec de nombreux restaurants spécialisés en poissons et fruits de mer.

Le vieux quartier de Marseille est un dédale de rues étroites au charme architectural d’un village de pêcheurs de la Côte d’Azur. Grimpez sur la colline escarpée du Panier jusqu’à l’hospice de La Vieille Charité, qui est aujourd’hui un complexe culturel impressionnant. Les entrepôts restaurés des docks, plus animés, abritent des restaurants et sont un lieu d’affluence aux heures de midi.

L’imposant boulevard de la Cannebière sépare l’agitation nord-africaine du cours Belsunce du très chic centre commercial plus au sud. La rue Saint-Ferréol, qui rejoint la Préfecture, est la principale artère commerçante de Marseille.

Un peu désuètes et couvertes de graffitis, les rues qui entourent le verdoyant cours Julien représentent la Marseille bohémienne, remplie de petites boutiques et cafés. C’est également l’endroit parfait pour trouver des restaurants à prix raisonnables et l’un des meilleurs quartiers où sortir.

Depuis le Vieux Port, la Corniche serpente à travers de riches quartiers résidentiels parmi les plus prestigieux en direction de la plage du Prado et des Calanques encore sauvages, criques rocheuses dans les falaises calcaires. C’est là que l’on trouve quelques-uns des bars les plus prisés et des plus grands restaurants marseillais.

NL » Focus op Marseille

Marseille is een wereldstad op het kruispunt van Zuid-Europa en NoordAfrika. Het drukke verkeer en leven van de binnenstad staan in schril contrast met de stranden en het groen van de elegante Corniche.

De Vieux Port vormt het hart van Marseille. Twee forten bewaken de ingang naar de haven, terwijl hogerop twee ongewone kerken de wacht houden. Dat boeiende gedeelte van de stad herbergt talrijke vis- en zeevruchtenrestaurants.

De oude wijk van Marseille is een wirwar van nauwe straatjes, met de architecturale charme van een vissersdorp aan de Côte d’Azur. Beklim de steile helling van Le Panier naar de Hospice de la Vieille Charité, nu een indrukwekkend cultureel complex. Veel animo is er ook in de gerestaureerde pakhuizen van Les Docks, met hun vele restaurants waar het vooral ‘s middags erg druk is.

De imposante boulevard Le Canebière vormt de scheidingslijn tussen de NoordAfrikaanse drukte van de Cours Belsunce en het chique commerciële centrum in het zuiden. De Rue Saint-Ferréol is Marseilles belangrijkste winkelstraat en loopt zuidwaarts, richting Préfecture.

De eigenaardige en met graffiti bedekte straten rond het groene Cours Julien vormen de kunstenaarswijk van Marseille, met tal van boetiekjes, cafés en goedkope restaurants. De ideale plek om de bloemetjes eens flink buiten te zetten.

Vanaf de Vieux Port loopt de Corniche langs enkele van de meest exclusieve woonwijken van de stad, naar de Plage du Prado en de ongerepte calanques – rotsachtige inhammen in de kalkstenen kliffen. Daar vind je enkele van Marseilles indrukwekkendste restaurants en hipste bars.

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