Destination Spotlight: Marseilles

Marseilles, France. October 2009. Photo: Rachel King.

France’s southern coastline is known for beautiful beaches and lovely weather. If you’re looking for a relaxing vacation in the south of France this summer, Marseilles should not be your final destination.

While Marseilles, being the second most-populated metropolitan area in France, is worthy of a visit and an easily accessible city, it’s not France’s best. (It also didn’t help that I went when the garbage department was on strike, although I’m not sure the city would have been much cleaner otherwise.)

Getting There: Marseilles is one of the biggest hubs in France, with a major TGV (high-speed rail) station, buses to many local cities and an international airport, served by many airlines including Air France, Ryanair and easyJet.

Marseilles, France. October 2009. Photo: Rachel King.

Where To Stay: Finding a decent hotel in Marseilles isn’t very difficult, although most of the reviews for the cheaper Etap hotels and hostels aren’t the greatest. During the summer months, though, expect to pay much more for a hotel stay, especially near the centrally located Vieux-Port (literally, “old port”). One hotel that is a good deal near the Vieux-Port area though is the Hotel Montgrand, which for €70 to €80 per night for a family-sized room (up to four people) includes a private bathroom and a flat-screen TV with cable.

What To Do: Marseilles has quite a lot to see. The most obvious to the eye is the Notre-Dame Cathedral perched on the top of a hill overlooking the city as well as the Mediterranean Sea. It’s the best Kodak moment spot in the area. From there you’ll also see a small island, home of the Château d’If from the book, The Count of Monte Cristo, which can be visited by ferry.

Marseilles, France. October 2009. Photo: Rachel King.

Marseilles also has some interesting neighborhoods to troll around, including the Quartier de Panier, which is supposedly the oldest established urban neighborhood in all of France. But for every neighborhood in the city, pay particular attention to your belongings at ALL times as you are most likely to be harassed by someone at some point in your trip, even if you’re only there for a day.

If you’re going to be staying in Marseilles for three to four days, consider taking a day trip to one of the other major cities nearby, including Aix-en-Provence, Avignon or Montpelier. And if you’d like a more athletic outdoor activity, take a city bus to Les Calanques, a mountain range on the coast nearby with breathtaking views and some easy trails.

Overall, Marseilles is a fine city with some interesting sights and also a broad range of cuisines. (And if you’re a seafood lover, don’t forget to try the bouillabaisse, a local delicacy, and it’s a real treat to watch it being prepared). But being a big city, it’s not very clean and if you’re not careful, you’re bound to run into rude and perhaps dangerous people. I don’t regret going once, but I don’t see myself going back – at least not anytime soon.