After a few months hiatus, I’ve finally completed the third and final part of my Marseille Guide, following our stay in this beautiful city, just last year. After exploring the “cliché” of Marseille on the first day, and the not-so-cliché on the second day, our third day took us to the outskirts of town. We started our itinerary from the Old Port (all by foot) and made our way to the Plage des Catalans early in the morning…
Do : La Plage des Catalans
La Plage des Catalans is a well-known site in Marseilles where locals congregate as soon as the sun rises. It is only a short walk from the center (the Old Port) to reach the beach; which will make you envious about the quality of life the locals enjoy (living in a vibrant city, while always a few minutes away from a swim in the Mediterranean). If you go during the day, you might have a hard time finding a spot for your beach towel, but if you arrive early enough in the morning like we did, you’ll be able to enjoy the serenity of the site.
Do: La Corniche
From La Plage des Catalans, we strolled south along the iconic Marseille’s “Corniche”, a scenic sea-side roadway stretching along the Mediterranean and offering great views of the Iles du Friouls. Along the way, we meandered along villas and hotels before reaching the picturesque Vallon des Auffes.
Do : Le Vallon des Auffes
Nestled between two walls of pastel houses, the Vallon des Auffes is a semi-rugged, semi-charming fisherman’s haven in a creek, inhabited by fisher’s cabins and boats – some of them still in use. If one word were to define it, I’d choose: picturesque. The Vallon stricks with its colorfulness and peaceful atmosphere (or at least, when we visited late morning) and seems such a far way from the hustle and bustle of the big city. The Vallon is also well-known for hosting dining gems, including restaurant Chez Fonfon, that’s said to offer the best Bouillabaise in Marseilles. Sadly we didn’t get a chance to taste it (but that’s for another time I am sure). Instead, we simply turned out heads right, and entered the neighboring building of Chez Jeannot …
Eat : Chez Jeannot
Snuggled in the middle of the postcard like scenery that is The Vallon des Auffes, Chez Jeannot is an establishment in Marseilles, known for making the absolute best pizza. Naturally, we had to try it for ourselves. We sat on the terrace outside, and ordered a plate of sliced tomatoes topped with a creamy burrata and a simple tomato pizza with black olives and anchovies . Now, if you are wondering… Yes, the pizza was absolutely delicious, but it was the burrata plate that turned this lunch into one of the best food experiences of our lives. It was the most lavish, creamiest, luscious burrata we had ever enjoyed. I am still to this day beating myself up for not asking our server where they sourced it.
Eat : Bistro L’Horloge
After this once-in-a-lifetime meal, we made our way back to the Old Port of Marseille (35-40 minutes walk). To finish off our last day in Marseille with a kick, we booked a table at L’Horloge, lured by the dazzling reviews we found of this bistro online, and also because it is ideally located on the buzzing Cours Honore D’Estienne D’Orves, also knows as “Place aux Huiles”. We started our meal on the busy patio, with a glass of rose and a plate of panisses (chickpea flour fries, the typical pre-dinner snack in Marseille), and then devoured a plate of grilled octopus and another of gnocchi – both equaly delicious. The cuisine was simple but generous, in a lively atmosphere. A perfect ending to our trip.
And that’s the wrap on my 3-day guide to Marseille, which I hope enticed your curiosity of visiting the city. Closing this guide with a short and sweet conclusion on why Marseille is a gem that you should absolutely experience will be difficult, but I’ll try.
There’s a lot being said about Marseille (especially in France) – some of it good, some of it bad (pretty bad). But I think this is part of the magic about Marseille.
I have never visited a city so culturally diverse and vibrant, yet so French. So beautiful and pleasing to the eye, yet so unharmonious. So welcoming and warm, yet so noisy and complex.
I had spent most of my life imagining Marseille with some anxiety. But today, I have the most positive outlook on Marseille and find its beauty in its humanity and respect. The city’s myriads of faces, identities, cultures and religions appear to have a striking mutual respect for one another (or at least the foundations for it, which is already more than most other French cities.)
Marseille is a city of contrasts and contradictions, nurtured by a fierce pride. Where the good and the bad co-exist, and need each other to make Marseille what it is today. A real place, with real people.
You might also like:
- Marseille Guide – Part 1
- Marseille Guide – Part 2
- A Day in Lille, Capital of French Flanders
- A Day at Mont Saint Michel
