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France : Marseille - April 2009

Country Code: Dial for France

Marseille goes Carnaval crazy on 4 April with a procession that wends its way from Rond Point du Prado to Parc Borély and this year turns on the theme of “heads and tails”. Around 4,000 exotically costumed performers bring a touch of Rio to the city, while 250 drummers set the pace and up to 100,000 spectators stand back and watch the parade. Neville Walker discovers what else is worth celebrating

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

From the early morning bustle of the daily fish market until the last clubber departs in the small hours, Marseille’s yacht-filled harbour is the beating heart of the city.

Sleep soundly – A perennial favourite on the Vieux Port, the renovated Hôtel Alizé (35 Quai des Belges, tel. , alize-hotel.com, rooms from €73) offers a winning combination of comfortable, modern rooms and classic views over the old harbour. The décor is bright and cheerful, with lemon-coloured walls, regency stripes on the bed linen, rich, red drapes and pale wood fittings.

Culture vultures – Learn more about Marseille’s maritime past as the Maison de l’Artisanat et des Métiers d’Art (21 Cours d’Estienne d’Orves, maisondelartisanat.org) mounts an exhibition that includes maritime objets, models of ships and paintings by the marine artist Élie Boissin. It runs from 10 April.

THIERS

Bohemian flair meets shabby chic in Marseille’s most alternative district, a short distance uphill from La Canebière. It’s animated at all hours thanks to its buzzy markets and quirky boutiques. Come here for a selection of laid-back bars and restaurants that’s second to none in the city.

Must eat – Subdued light and a warm welcome soften the urban grit at Ummagumma (26 Rue des Trois Rois, tel. ), where you can nibble tapas at the bar or tuck into more formal French fare – including a good selection of cheeses – in the dining area.

Must drink – With low prices and a grandstand location overlooking the goings on at La Plaine market, the terrace at Au Petit Nice (28 Place Jean Jaurès) is a Marseille institution and a great place for the first apéro of the day.

Dance the night away – With a music policy that embraces everything from indie pop and electro to 80s revivalist stuff, Le Poste à Galène (103 Rue Ferrari) offers the perfect blend of DJ sets and live bands. The club is a perennial favourite with the neighbourhood’s hip, studenty crowd.

Shop til you drop – There’s a bohohippy charm to the couture women’s clothing and accessories at Mille et un Envols (10 Rue des Trois Mages), where everything is made by the proprietor Sylvie Mary.

BELSUNCE AND NOAILLES

Once home to the Armenian community but now strongly Algerian, the narrow streets of the Quartier Belsunce are where the south of France meets North Africa. Meanwhile its neighbour, Noailles, is multi-ethnic, occasionally edgy but always full of colour.

Sleep soundly – Marseille’s brightest budget option, Hôtel Vertigo (42 Rue des Petites Maries, tel. , hotelvertigo.fr, rooms from €55) is a stylish blend of hostel and hotel that proves cheap can still mean chic.

Must eat – For cheap but decidedly cheerful North African food in modest surroundings, head for Sur le Pouce (2 Rue des Convalescents, tel. ) in the Quartier Belsunce, where the couscous is excellent and the bill moderate. Or feast your eyes and palate on the fish and seafood at the jauntily nautical Toinou (3 Cours St Louis, tel. ) in Noailles, where from April to August moules-frites (mussels and chips) is a speciality. There’s also a long, wellpriced wine list here.

Shop til you drop – Soak up Noailles’ souk-like atmosphere. Check out the African and Asian herbs and spices of the Marché des Capucins (Place des Capucins), which runs from Monday to Saturday 8am–7pm. Finish by stocking up on Tunisian sweets at Le Carthage (8 Rue d’Aubagne).

Compiled by Neville Walker