Marseille was one of the biggest surprises on my recent visit to sun kissed Southern France. I’ve always held the impression that Marseille had nothing to offer but I was very wrong. With more than 1500 years of history, the city is amazing – the Old Port, Old Marseille – Le Panier with tiny streets and squares then the magnificent Notre Dame de la Garde.
This charming city in France’s Provence region has undergone an extensive facelift for its reign as European Capital of Culture 2013, and now boasts world-class museums, galleries and performing arts. Prepare to be seduced by the vibrant port city.
Notre Dame de la Garde dominates the cityscape from its position on top of the La Garde Hill that overlooks to old port. The structure was built in the Romano-byzantine style and features two parts – the lower church and crypt and the higher church that is dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
The heart of Marseille is the vibrant Vieux Port, mast-to-mast with yachts and pleasure boats. Just uphill is the ancient Le Panier neighbourhood, the oldest section of the city. It is filled with tall narrow houses draped with washing and criss-crossed by steep cobbled steps. Also worth exploring is the République quarter, with its stylish boutiques and Haussmann buildings from the early 19th century. The Joliette area was once home to the city’s industrial harbour and now hosts one of Marseille’s buzziest markets and includes shops, boutiques and galleries.
Visit Marseille any time of the year, as France’s second largest city it never shuts. In winter, the weather is mild enough for shirtsleeves and lunch on a terrace. Spring and autumn are perfect for further outdoor activities and in summer visit one of the nearby beaches for the day followed by an al fresco evening. This all sounds perfect to me!
Glenda Halliwell visited Marseille whilst on an Azamara Mediterranean Cruise. This article was originally published in the Coffs Coast Advocate on 30 September 2017.
See Glenda’s travel photos on Facebook.
