Marseile suggestions pls!

Kristen, I'm just curious as to why you chose to stay in Marseille when there are so many beautiful towns, villages and regions nearby? We spent a day there in 1998 and for me that was plenty. What is drawing you there for such a long time?

The port area and the drive around it is nice. Can not think of that much more there to be honest. Spent two nights there several years ago...no desire to return to be honest.

work for me, not for the rest of the family

Could you stay in a charming town nearby, rather than in Marseille?

Ah, now I understand. First question, do you have a copy of Rick's Provence 2011? (It's available through the Travel Store link above or possibly the major US bookstores. I highly recommend it.) Second question when you're working will the adult with the boys have a car or will he/she need to rely on tour companies? Do you have a map of Provence?
A good site to help you determine distances and approximate time duration is viamichelin.com--realizing that michelin doesn't include stops for snacks or touring.

It can be a fascinating city. We spent six months close by and I drove into Marseilles two or three times a week. Your boys will like the archaeology museum with the remains of 2000+ year old boats. There's a museum of popular traditions, several important religious sites, including the remains of a Greek temple. In the crypt of the Saint Victor church are carvings representing the Celtic practice of cutting off enemies' heads and keeping them stacked one on top of another. They are in the oldest part of the crypt (probably was a Celtic site originally, then Christianized). The bakery across the street is famous for its orange flavored "navette" cookies. There is a religious practice between the church and cookies, but I don't know the story See Le Corbusier's cite radieuse. Eat olive bread, raisin nut bread, pastry sprinkled with orange water, go into North African food and pastry shops. Try the North African food sold for walk away and have a real cous-cous meal in a restaurant. Eat a merguez-frit sandwich where they pile the fries on top of the merguez in the baguette. For quality restaurants, check viamichelin. Here's an English link to the official tourist website: http://www.marseille-tourisme.com/en/in-marseille/

Introduce them to The Count of Monte Cristo (Young Readers book or the film with James Caviezel), then take a boat tour to the Chateau d'If.

Dont stay anywhere near the train station. One of the few places i have been in Europe where I felt very uncomfortable and unsafe. I did not see much in the town to get me back. I agree with the suggesttion to stay in a nicer village within commuting distance. maybe a place with a beach for the boys

Perfect idea to go for a boat ride to the Chateau d'If. They can also walk/hike along the calanques, the rocky coastline.