Those who have been to both Lyon and Marseille…Which did you like the best? I have four days to stay in one or the other. Im also staying in Paris and Nice for a week each. Thanks for any input.
Posted by
Florida (previously California)
3702 posts
I have been to Lyon 4 times with my last visit being in July 2013 and my first at the beginning of 2013 and Marseille 3 times with one of those times being in the 1980s and the last 2 being in June 2013 and August 2014. I like both a lot but I do not like one better than the other. They are not really comparable to me. Marseille has a population of just under 900,000 and s a port city with a large multi-cultural population. It can be very cool and the views out over the sea and port are amazing -- the view from Notre Dame de la Garde is absolutely breathtaking. Plenty of great trips can be done with Marseille as a base and there is a lot to be done in Marseille itself. Be warned though driving in Marseille, which we did during our last two trips is tough (tougher than Paris IMO) and traffic is horrible. Marseille almost feels a little like New York City to me with a sort of buzz of energy. Lyon is almost half the size of Marseille and feels a lot less hectic. The food in Lyon is terrific and totally different from Marseille -- IMO, much heavier in general. The city itself feels smaller (as it is) and cleaner. The Roman ruins, the Basilica Fourviere, the views out over the confluence of the rivers are just a few of Lyon's treats. Ultimately, I would not be able to say which one I like better. That being said, I just asked my husband who was with me on all 4 trips to Lyon and 2 of the trips to Marseille and he said hands down Lyon because its cleaner and calmer and he does not like seafood.
Posted by
US Pacific Northwest
10344 posts
Lyon, smaller and better restaurants. Do a day trip to Beaune, and maybe Dijon if you have the time.
Posted by
New York, NY, USA
11294 posts
They're quite different. I loved Lyon (my favorite city in France outside of Paris); Rick's France book has a good chapter on it. There's quite a variety of sights, from the Roman museum to the Resistance museum to the Lumiere museum of photography and cinema.
Here's a recent thread about Lyon, including the nearby city of Vienne and its Roman sights: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/france/two-weeks-in-lyon
I also liked Marseille, but it's not for everyone, and four days there would be a long time. I also found almost no English spoken in Marseille; others report different experiences, but my French improved markedly in the two days I was there.
So, I vote for Lyon.