c'est Marseille bébé !

leahglickman
Aug 8
7 min read

C'est pas la capitale ... but it's perfect for a weekend or even week trip getaway! We set off on a sunny September day, taking the train from Toulouse. About 4 hours (and a quick nap) later, we found ourselves at Marseille-Saint-Charles train station, right in the heart of the city.

Now I feel like it's important to note here, Marseille gets a bad rap as French cities go. It's not the cleanest, not the safest, and well ... not the quietest! Heck, I even tried to do a day trip with the family back in 2019 and it was definitely not what we expected. But, with a little planning (and an open mind), it's more than possible to fall in love with this vibrant and urban southern city.

notre logement / our stay

a quaint Panier street — a quaint *Panier* street

About a 20-minute walk from the train station lies a quaint, tourist neighborhood - le Panier. The oldest district in Marseille and the original Greek stomping grounds way back in 600 BC, this hilly area is truly an open-air museum! With street art, local boutiques, and windy staircases partout, le Panier is a great home base for a stay in Marseille.

We found an AirBnB that fit our criteria nestled in a calm alleyway. That being said le Panier is a hub for AirBnBs ... we found many a street corner loaded up with lockboxes and even some graffiti that confirmed our suspicions, the tourists staying in le Panier have driven up prices and moved locals out. It is important to note that Marseille is the second-largest city in France as well as a popular vacation spot, and with it comes classic big-city problems.

Other places to stay are in and around le Vieux-Port, the Vauban neighborhood in the 6e arrondissement, or even Joliette or Le Pharo. You could even head up to l'Estaque which is a little schlep into the downtown city spots for a calmer Marseille experience. Places to avoid would be the quartiers nords (13th, 14th, 15th arrondissements) which are generally considered less-safe.

à voir / what to do

Marseille is definitely a walkable city, so I recommend heading out à pied to see the sights! We took a bus once to head to Cassis and the calanques and a boat to the Îles du Frioul but other than that, we definitely got our steps in!

Get lost in the charming streets of Le Panier and keep your eyes open for art of all kinds! From street art to local boutiques to tags and more
Take a walk down to Fort Saint-Jean (and the MUCEM museum!) along the waterfront. This free 17th century fortress is a step back in time, and a great view from the towers looking out over the Vieux-Port
and speaking of le Vieux-Port, it's just as it sounds ... an old port! Filled with boats of all sizes (but not the cruise ships and ferries), this is the heart of Marseille. Lots of bars and restaurants line the port, but I'd advise staying away from those and heading to my top spots instead (more on that to come!)
Cours Julien is a lively hipster district in the center area. Filled with Marseille restaurants, farmers markets and more, this makes for an authentic marseillais experience!
Sainte-Marie-Majeure Cathedral (or "la Major" as the locals call it) is the largest cathedral in Marseille located in the Joliette neighborhood. She really is quite impressive ...
... but not as impressive as the Notre-Dame de la Garde Basilica (aka "la Bonne Mère"), located on the tippy-top of a hill overlooking the Phoenician city. Grab your walking shoes and your camera and head up, up, up with 360° views of Marseille, the Vieux-Port and even the surrounding neighborhoods. Legend has it that there is a guinguette once you get to the top for a refreshing beverage!
Le Palais Longchamp is located nearish to the train station and is the perfect afternoon spot! Home to the Natural History and Beaux-Arts museums, and hiding a very cute park with a zoo behind its impressive facade, this was one of my favorite spots on our trip to walk around and explore!
You can't mention a trip to Marseille without mentioning les Calanques (natural inlets and creeks along the coast in the region). This turquoise blue waters and stunning white cliffs are worth the hike into! They can be found all along the southern coast of the city but my favorites can be found near the cute nearby city of Cassis.
Cassis (sadly, not the name of the black-current fruit and liqueur but is thought to come from an old Latin word meaning “rocky place" ... coucou les Calanques !) is a train or bus-ride away from Marseille and the perfect complement as a calmer, smaller city. Quaint city-streets and the nearby calanques make for a perfect day trip!
We also visited les Îles du Frioul which is an island archipelago a quick boat-ride away. With boats leaving from the Vieux-Port, it's quite accessible to get to! Literature fans unite for the first stop on the boat ride - le Chateau d'Îf aka the Count of Monte-Cristo's old stomping ground. We didn't do the tour, but it's definitely a great idea. The small island where we stayed the day was full of little walking paths and of course, calanques! My advice? Grab sandwiches from Marseille and enjoy the day en pleine nature stopping for a cool beverage near the port area if needed.
Head up to l'Estaque, a beachfront neighborhood known for its inspiration for painters (hello Cézanne!) and it's tasty oceanside treats! Originally a port, this area is also home to the chemin des peintres a 3 kilometer walk through the city, taking you along some of the most famous spots.
Marseille is also known for it's rock-climbing spots in the Calanques National Park for any escalade fans. There are also loads of great hikes in the area.

à déguster / to eat

Marseille is a foodie paradise ... and I should know, we are bien gâtés in Toulouse! From restaurants with that classic Provincial cooking and dishes to cool, hipster small-plated restaurants (and some seafood in between!); here are some of my favorite Marseille eateries!

L'écaillerie: Located in the Vauban neighborhood and the perfect réconfort après l'effort of climbing up to see the Notre-Dame de la Garde Basilica, this was one of my favorite spots to try! With a name like l'écaillerie, seafood and crustaceans are sure to be on the menu! Some of the freshest and pinkest shrimp I have ever eaten ... Choose from oysters, whelks, clams and more for a taste of the mer. Not into seafood, not a problem! Their small sharing plates change seasonally and are full of unique flavors. My coup de cœur ? Their merguez sausages with a homemade harissa sauce that blew my tastebuds away! Grab a table on the terrasse for some al-fresco dining and people-watching.
Not far from the Cours Julien lies Caterine (surprise surprise) another small-sharing-plates restaurant! Convivial and presenting itself as a cantine marseillaise libérée, this restaurant was definitely full of good vibes ... and good food! Unique flavors line the always-changing menu with pairings like butternut squash-bacon-miso-peanuts that are sure to titiller your tastebuds. We threw in a classic Marseille classic - les panisses (little chickpea flour fries or beignets) and homemade aïoli for the added fun. And boy we were not disappointed.
Vanille Noire: While not a restaurant, this glacier is a Marseille-staple with their iconic (and namesake) "black vanilla" ice cream staple. A scoop of this dark gray (ok, black!) ice cream is a must-try. The classic ingredients (local cream, milk, eggs, vanilla) with an added secret one are what gives this unique flavor ... its unique flavor! Briny, salty, fishy, iodé ... call it what you will. (and try to guess what it is!) If you're not as adventurous (I don't blame you, I tried one bite and it was not for me), they have many other flavors; ranging from unique (Apple & Spicy Pepper) to classic (Passion fruit) that are sure to please.
Nestled in le Panier neighborhood, Ripaille was on our "to-eat list" ... yet we had to late until the last night we were there to get a reservation! With its self-proclaimed "cuisine familiale et vins naturels", their menu is a hodge-podge of flavors and small-plates dishes that will leave you satisfied and already thinking about what you'd order next time.
Local must-try dishes:
- Panisses: Chickpea flour, salt, water and pan-fried in olive oil ... these little snacks or appetizers and perfectly-paired with a homemade aïoli and best-enjoyed walking along the port of l'Estaque.
- Chichi frégi (or frégit): No no, please don't mistake this deep-fried pastry for its churro cousin! Made with olive oil (c'est le Sud hein !), chickpea flour and orange blossom water (typical of the region), this tasty dessert again, is best-enjoyed sur la pouce while out and about exploring! Extra gourmandise points if you add Nutella!
- Les Navettes: Not to be confused with les navets (turnips), these crunchy cookies look like little boats ... or shuttles (for my weaving friends out there!) as their name indicates. Originally created for the Chandeleur holiday, these typical provincial cookies are traditionally flavored with orange blossom water (sensing a theme here?) but can be found with different spices and flavors nowadays. Dunk them in your tea or coffee for the perfect wake up call!
- Bouillabaisse: Fish stew with tomatoes, saffron, and various herbs and spices (and so not a lele-approved dish!) is probably Marseille's most-famous dish! Even though I didn't try it, I can give a helpful tip: you usually need to reserve in advance for this slow-cooked soup.
- Pistou: Pesto's French little brother, pistou is (like pesto) an uncooked, green sauce. Basil, garlic, and olive oil are the main ingredients with some modern recipes adding in a hard cheese. But no pine nuts! Never the pine nuts for pistou ...
- Daube provençal: This slow-cooked beef or mutton stew flavored with local wine, seasonal vegetables and herbes de Provence is a must-try in the winter months! (or the summer ones, who am I to judge). It rounds out the regional cuisine with other classics like les légumes farcis (stuffed veggies), tapenade and/or anchoïade, pastis (a anis-flavored liquor diluted with ice cubes and water) and even North African/Mahgreb-influenced dishes like couscous or tagine!