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France : Marseille - December 2008

Country Code: Dial for France

Though chilly, winter in Marseille has more bark than bite. Events like the lively Santon Fair (1-31 December) – where the streets throng with local artisans selling hand-painted clay fi gures that depict traditional nativity scenes – and the pre-Christmas son et lumière (sound and light) shows along La Canebière ensure there’s lashings of festive cheer. Heidi Fuller-Love reports

Getting around

Marseille-Provence

Bus: A shuttle bus connects the airport with the centre of Marseille every 20 minutes or so, and the journey takes between 25 and 30 minutes. Tickets cost €8,50.
Taxi: A taxi to the centre of Marseille from the airport costs about €40 during the day and €50 at night. The journey takes around 30 minutes.
Tourist information: The main office can be found at 4 La Canebière, close to Vieux Port (tel. , www.marseilletourisme.com).

VIEUX PORT

With its sparkling yachts, buzzing cafés and sizzling nightlife, the city’s mythical port is an ideal spot to beat those winter blues.

Sleep soundly – When night slides its chilly sheet across the sparkling sea, retire to one of the spacious rooms of the New Hotel Vieux Port, a cosy little bolthole with stunning views across the harbour.

Culture vultures – Find out what’s hot (and what’s not) at the glitzy Musée de la Mode (11 La Canebière), a fascinating museum tracing French fashion since the dizzy 30s via a dazzling collection of clothing and accessories.

Must eat – Beat the winter chill with a steaming bowl of bouillabaisse, a garlic and saffron-flavoured fish stew created by local fishermen and now favoured by royalty. One of the best places in town to try it is Restaurant Miramar (12 Quai du Port, tel. ). For something slightly cheaper, head to La Kahena (2 Rue de la République, tel. ), a Tunisian restaurant popular with locals which serves tajines (meat and vegetables seasoned with spices such as coriander and caraway seeds and cooked in a special dish made of clay), mechoui (whole, spit-roasted lamb) City lowdown and 10 different types of couscous.

Must drink – Get chummy at the cramped-but-cosy Pelle Melle (8 Place aux Huiles), an atmospheric jazz bar where internationally renowned musicians perform five nights a week.

Dance the night away – Hang out at the Metal Café (20 Rue Fortia), a glamorous nightspot that pulls in a cool clientele. The gleaming metal décor here mirrors the turntables spinning hot house and salsa.

Shop til you drop – Warm your cockles at the raucous fish market (mornings on the Quai des Belges), where fishermen compete vociferously to sell their catch.

LA PLAINE DISTRICT AND LE COURS JULIEN

Packed with antique stores and fashionable boutiques, this chic little quartier sandwiched between the Chave boulevard and the Noailles district throngs with musicians, artists and a smattering of backpackers.

Sleep soundly – Hipsters seeking shelter after a heavy night on the town can snooze peacefully at the l’Hôtel Saint Louis, a surprisingly luxurious little two-star hotel in a refurbished Napoleonic building on a semi-pedestrian sidestreet just around the corner from the Cours Julien

Culture vultures – Soak up some of that electric local vibe at l’Espace Julien (39 Cours Julien, espace-julien. com), an achingly trendy music and arts venue that hosts an eclectic range of performers. You’ll hear everything from Piaf-inspired chanteuses to the latest strains of modern jazz here.

Must eat – Trendy diners should hoof it to Le Tire-Bouchon (11 Cours Julien, tel. ), an upmarket bistro-style restaurant with varnished wood tables, chintzy turn-of-the-century décor and an extensive wine list. A chic crowd comes here to sup on oysters au gratin (baked in a cheese sauce), foie gras and lobster. For a cheaper option, slip round the corner to the live-wire La Plaine district and tuck into titbits like camembert pôelé (hot camembert) and escabéche (lightly fried fish preserved in a vinegar marinade) at the Casa No Name (7 Rue André Poggioli, tel. ). The restaurant hosts live music nights and is perennially popular with the city’s gay contingent.

Shop til you drop – Soffee Shop (132 Rue d’Aubagne) sells kitschy pieces, vibrant ceramics and chic accessories, all made by local designers. Greenfingered folk should make a beeline for The Flowerbox Gallery (80 Cours Julien), an innovative art shop where the tableaux and wall hangings are made out of potted plants.

Compiled by Heidi Fuller-Love

Previous issues for Marseille

Whilst every effort is made to ensure accuracy,
please confirm event/venue details in advance.

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