Introduction |  |
A gatecrasher at the cocktail party that is the southern French coast, Marseille has a rugged, unpredictable charm. With the tanned plutocrats of Monaco and the blazered aristocrats of St-Tropez to the east, and sniffy Aix to the north, France’s second city seems somehow larger than life, its colours even brighter, the louche, sun-soaked terraces of its cafés even sexier.
The graceful Vieux Port, home to France’s most photogenic fish market, is the hub of Marseille life. It sits guarded by the 12th-century Fort St-Jean on the north bank and the later Fort St-Nicolas on the south. On its south side, the quai de Rive Neuve contains the Théâtre National de la Criée (No.30, 04 91 54 70 54, www.theatre-lacriee.com), converted from old fish auction rooms; this is also where you’ll find the city’s hippest nightspots.
North of the Vieux Port is the hilly district of Le Panier, the oldest part of the city and traditionally the first stop for immigrants – and tourists. It’s hard to resist its narrow streets, steep stairways and ancient, pastel-coloured houses. The North African district of Belsunce, centred around rue d’Aubagne, has a souk-like feel and, less attractively, a reputation for muggings. Running east from the Vieux Port, La Canebière is the city’s main street and, although a little shabby, glamour can be found at the dynamic Musée de la Mode (No.11, 04 96 17 06 00, closed Mon).
South of La Canebière, bohemian cours Julien (known as the ‘cours Ju’) sits on the site of the former central food market. These days it is the city’s most youthful area, home to a varied collection of fashion boutiques, bookshops, terrace cafés and music venues. Hip Espace Julien (No.39, 04 91 24 34 10, www.espace-julien.com) hosts DJs and live world music.
The sun-bleached white turrrets of Château d’If, the 16th-century island prison immortalised in Alexandre Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo, are nowadays populated by seagulls and salamanders rather than convicts. The chateau is quickly visited, so bring a picnic and enjoy the clean seawater. Ferries take about 20 minutes and leave every hour from the Vieux Port’s quai de Belges – now officially re-named quai de la Fraternité (SACM, 04 91 55 50 09). There is also a regular, smaller ferry that potters from one side of the port to the other.
The Abbaye de St-Victor (3 rue de l’Abbaye, 04 96 11 22 60), a fascinating double-decker church and once one of the most powerful abbeys in the South, is worth the climb. Another (steep) climb, via twisting streets and steps, will take you to the city’s most famous landmark: Notre-Dame de la Garde (rue Fort du Sanctuaire, 04 91 13 40 80), an extraordinary neo-Byzantine extravagance of a basilica.
• Tourist information: 4 La Canebière (04 91 13 89 00, www.marseille-tourisme.com); also at Gare St-Charles.
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