Marseille in Provence, Tourist Attractions

Heritage & Artists Trail, Sailing Trips & Vieux Port

Jul 20, 2009

The vibrant city of Marseille has plenty of tourist attractions from the most picturesque harbour in Provence to heritage trails and sailing trips to the islands.

Founded by the Greeks in 600BC, Marseille is the oldest city in France, covering an area nearly twice the size of Paris on a west facing bay. Stretching 30 km around, it's sheltered by the hills of Provence and a string of scenic islands.

The Church of Our Lady looks down on the scene from the hilltop, 154 metres above the harbour. To the people of Marseille, this is the Good Mother protecting their city, to visitors it’s the most fabulous viewpoint and a must-see in Marseille. The land train goes almost all the way to the top and it’s on the open top bus Grand Tour.

Marseille has 14 marinas and a cruise terminal but the Vieux Port, or Old Harbour, is the true heart of the city. Here fishermen land their daily catch and twice a week, a flower market sets the quay ablaze with colours and scents. There are lots of outdoor restaurants and the old ferry still chugs across the harbour.

Two majestic forts guard the port entrance, close to the Phare promontory and its spectacular panorama across the water. Over 3000 boats can be moored in season, making this Europe’s top yachting venue. On a balmy Mediterranean evening, the old harbour finds a new lease of life as buskers and African peddlers gather along the waterfront and crowds linger until late on the café terrace.

Marseille Heritage & Artists Trail

Marseille is a city on the move with more museums and galleries than one could see in a week and cultural events year round. From the Tourist Office, a red trail painted on the pavement leads visitors to the main heritage sites in the old town. Among them is the Old Charity, with an unusual oval dome, where the poor were once rounded up and offered a modicum of care.

They say that Marseille, the second city in France, is made up of 111 villages. That may be boasting a little but just minutes from the Vieux Port are delightful village like areas with pastel coloured houses and traditional shops. Most attractive are Les Accoules, St Jean and Le Panier. The pretty district of L’Estaque boasts a painters’ trail in the footsteps of Cézanne and Braque and quiet lanes lined with art galleries and colourful easels.

A great way to spend a day is to take a boat trip to the nearby islands. Just 20 minutes offshore, the Frioul islands are a haven for rare plants and seabirds. On one of them is the Château d’If flanked by massive towers, once used as a jail and the scene for Dumas famous novel, the Count of Monte Cristo.

Equally enjoyable is the sailing trip around the Calanques, the beautiful turquoise inlets of the sea, indenting the coast towards Cassis and La Ciotat. Some can be accessed by road, others only on foot but the best views of coves and rocks are from the sea. The most stunning is the Calanque d’En Vau, enclosed by towering limestone cliffs.

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