We've been to Marseille several times and will stop there again in April 2023 on a TA cruise. I am posting this for suggestions on a day trip from Marseille departing around 8:00 hr, and returning to Marseille by 16:00 hr. Any suggestions would be appreciated. If anyone has used a local guide for such an excursion, I would be grateful for her/his name and contact information. The focus of a day trip could be wine and/or food and/or architecture; either by land or water. Thanks for any suggestions.
Posted by
Chicago, IL, USA
401 posts
Not sure if you really meant a "trip" or are open to various activities. This summer we had a great time with Gilles for a cooking class through https://www.provence-gourmet.fr/cooking-class-marseille/ and with Freddy for a sailing trip but the company offers various activities https://planetazur.com/destinations/marseille/ Enjoy the planning!
Posted by
Irving
2977 posts
The Calanques is where I would take a day trip to. As a matter of fact, it would be my sole purpose for going to Marseille.
Posted by
Paris, France
16 posts
The “sole” purpose is a bit harsh MaryPat, but horses for courses I suppose.
Marseille gets a bad rap in France and internationally (it is sometimes nicknamed the “Naples of France”, or likened to Naples at any rate) but the atmospheric and picturesque neighbourhoods (“quartiers villages”) of Le Panier, Belsunce, Nouailles are well worth seeing IMO (all in hypercentral Marseille), and quite unique in France really.
As are the Vieux-Port and the Corniche Kennedy area (7th arrondissement) and a few other places.
Noailles and Belsunce can be a little sketchy after dark but no probs in theory at daytime (but do keep your wits about you, best to keep mobile phones/wallets/purses hidden and not in back pockets, but that goes for everywhere, same in the English city where I live part of the year). There really is need to worry about the worst areas, i.e the infamous “quartiers nords”, just like you wouldn’t worry about the worst areas in Greater Paris or the notorious Chicago hoods (Englewood, West Garfield Park etc.) as you’d never rock up there by chance.
https://www.marseilletourisme.fr/fr/que-voir/patrimoine-culture/quartiers/corniche-jfk/
see here too:
https://www.marseille-tourisme.com/decouvrez-marseille/incontournables/
The municipality really has spruced up hypercentral Marseille in the last 20 years and beefed up security as the city has become much more touristic than pre-2000 (CCTV, municipal police etc.). Of course, lots remain to do, the 3rd arrondissement (admin district, like in Paris and Lyon) in the centre is one of France’s poorest neighbourhoods - if not the poorest, but it depends on the metrics used (the "star" politician and hard Left J-L Mélenchon was the local MP there until recently, between 2017 and 2022. Rumour has it that he was never there in Marseille during the five years of the legislature...).
The Porte d’Aix area, 1 km from the Vieux Port, isn’t brilliant either but that’s in the process of being transformed, at long last.
Posted by
Paris, France
16 posts
A part from the Calanques or the delightful Cassis, one place in Marseille/the Marseille area that is rarely mentioned but deffo worth a (short) day’s visit IMO, especially if you’re into art, is the small coastal town of L’Estaque.
L’Estaque is an artist’s colony situated north of the city centre (in the 16th arrondissement) that was made famous by Cézanne.
The two best ways to get there from central Marseille, say the Vieux Port area, is by boat, by the RTM maritime shuttle (€10 return), scroll down to see maps, fares, timetables etc.:
It's my favourite option here, but the lovely Train Bleu goes there too (there are buses too), and it’s a cracking train that hugs the coastline.
L’Estaque is the first train stop on this spectacular Train de la Côte Bleue line north of Marseille to Miramas: 18 viaducts, tunnels, creeks etc. great views (line hugs the north-west coastline of Marseille for about 10 miles).
The boat goes past great landmarks (MuCEM, Pharo etc.), there’s an old quaint village and a large marina and several beaches.
It’s a bit of an artists’ colony as I wrote, with close associations with famous painters who used to live and/or paint there. Cézanne especially, but also Renoir, Braque and the Fauvistes, who had a brief stint there before skedaddling for Collioures (Dufy, Derain...). Plenty of lovely seafood eateries, bars, markets etc. Its’ a very relaxing neighbourhood.
There is an artistic trail, two in fact, one short and one large, called “Petit/Grand Chemin des Peintres”. There are arty walking tours too in L’Estaque (in French only I think, not sure). Check on Trip Advisor or ask Tourist Office when you get there. L’Estaque isn’t massively touristic but pretty busy, popular with locals. The local tourist office joint will have all the updated info, there might be tours in English.
There are Calanques (so, fjord-like inlets carved into the white limestone) there too, on this side of Marseille I mean (called the Calanques de la Côte Bleue), not as dramatic as those south of Marseille (between Marseille and Cassis, the ones which attract 3 million visitors a year, so popular they've had to limit access as the ecosystem is fragile it's a national park). The calanques north of Marseille are far less touristic but still very quaint, lots of lovely villages (like Niolon), gorgeous scenery especially by train.
Posted by
Paris, France
16 posts
The “sole” purpose is harsh MaryPat, but horses for courses.
Marseille gets a bad rap in France and internationally (it is sometimes nicknamed the “Naples of France”) but the very atmospheric and picturesque (and unique) neighbourhoods (“quartiers villages”) of Le Panier, Belsunce and Noailles are well worth seeing (all in hypercentral Marseille). Like with any touristic city, there are organised tours, ask the local tourist office or check the Internet.
Noailles and Belsunce can be a little sketchy after dark but no probs in theory at daytime. I, and relatives of mine, have been to Marseille many times and nothing unpleasant has ever happened to us. But do keep your wits about you of course, best to keep mobile phones/wallets/purses hidden and not in full view in pockets, as you would in any city I suppose. There really is no need to worry about the worst areas, the infamous “Quartiers Nords” with their notorious drug-infested cités (deprived estates), just like you wouldn’t worry about the worst areas of Greater Paris or the notorious Chicago hoods (Englewood, West Garfield Park etc.) as the likelihood of rocking up there by chance are close to nil.
The beautiful Vieux-Port and the Corniche Kennedy area (7th arrondissement) are great areas to visit too.
The local “petit train touristic” is great and fun, takes in the Corniche and older parts of the city. There are different “circuits” on offer (routes). Goes to Le Panier, to “La Bonne Mère” (famous nickname of the basilica) and other places.
Check out these two sites:
https://petit-train-marseille.com/en/home/
https://www.marseilletourisme.fr/fr/decouvrir/infos-pratiques/transports/petit-train/
And also these ones:
https://www.marseilletourisme.fr/fr/que-voir/patrimoine-culture/quartiers/corniche-jfk/
https://www.marseille-tourisme.com/decouvrez-marseille/incontournables/
The municipality really has spruced up hypercentral Marseille in the last twenty years and beefed up security as the city has become much more touristic than pre-2000, lots of tourists & visitors, plenty of cruise ships and so on (extensive CCTV network – it now France’s most CCTVed city, after Nice – https://technopolice.fr/blog/la-videosurveillance-a-marseille/, extra police nationale staff have been recruited, the municipality has created a 500-strong municipal police force etc.).
Lots remain to do of course. Centrally, the 3rd arrondissement (district, Marseille has them, as does Lyon) is one of France’s poorest areas, if not the poorest but it all depends on the metrics used (“star politician” and firebrand hard-Left Jean-Luc Mélenchon was the MP for central Marseille from 2017 to May 2022. Local rumour has it that he was never there…).
The Porte d’Aix area, 1 km from the Vieux Port, isn’t brilliant either but that’s in the process of being transformed, at long last.
Posted by
OP
Cincinnati, OH, USA
768 posts
Thanks to all who responded; lots of great suggestions.
Jon