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 

The post Marseille Guide – Part 3 appeared first on Pardon Your French.

Read along for the delicious details…

Do: The Old Port, in the morning.

“Le Vieux Port” is Marseille’s birthplace (where the Greek settlers landed in the year 600) and is undoubtedty the city’s most famous hang-out spot for locals and tourists alike. The southern and northern quays host a spread of lively bars and cafes (some tourist-traps, some surprisingly not). The beautiful Baroque-style City Hall on the northern quay is a must-see (especially if you are a fan of Netflix’s TV Series Marseille).

But I think The Old Port’s greatest appeal is squeezed in its center, and in the early morning, when fishermen come back from their night of fishing and spread their fresh catches on market stalls for locals and chefs to buy. Most of The Old Port’s fisherman do what we call in French  « la petite pêche». This means they only go to sea for a few hours, on small boats and fish on a smaller scale. Their artisanal practice is a far stretch from the behemoth of fishing industries generated just a few miles away at Marseille’s commercial port – the biggest French port. Still, these artisanal fishermen are icons in the city, and attract plenty of fish lovers every single morning. This ritual at the Old Port is a 100% Marseille experience, and a true feast for the eyes (although not so much for your nose) – something you definitely do not want to miss.

Do: Notre Dame de La Garde

Notre Dame de La Garde is Marseille’s iconic Catholic Basilica and its most visited site. You’ll feel like a tourist among tourists, but you just can’t visit Marseille without making your way up to Notre Dame de La Garde. Perched at the top of the city’s highest natural point (at 149m/489ft), the edifice is regarded as the protectoress of the city, hence its endearing nickname Bonne Mere (“good mother”) given by the locals. The contrasted-stone architecture is beautiful and I really appreciated the mosaic works inside, as well.

If you plan on climbing to the top of the Basilica’s hill by foot, from the city’s center, be prepared for a work-out! But I guarantee you, you will feel it’s worth every drip of sweat once you catch a glimpse of the breath-taking city panorama from atop. And don’t forget to look South too, for a glimpse of the Velodrome Stadium and the  Castellane, St -Giniez, St-Marguerite and Roucas Blanc districts.

Do : Cours Julien

The Cours Julien is a fun bohemian quarter, famous for its colorful and abundant street art. It has a cool edgy side to it, and you’ll want to get lost in its streets with your head up to admire all the graffiti-painted walls. You’ll find lots of quirky independent stores, tattoo parlors, bookstores, ethnic restaurants, one of Marseille’s only craft breweries and lively markets on the main square. The Cours Julien has a very “real” vibe. In my opinion, it is not the pretties district in Marseilles (kind of rough on the edges, to be honest),  but I can definitely see why for students and young crowds, it is Marseilles’ trendiest neighborhood.

Eat: La Cantine de Nour

Three steps away from the striking Palais Longtchamps, this relaxed Egyptian cantine had to be one of our favourite food finds during our trip! Nested on the ground floor of an Egyptian Cultural Center, La Cantine de Nour offers an authentic Egyptian menu from a bustling open kitchen. The décor features plump cushions, colorful rugs and mosaic-tiled floors. The atmosphere is welcoming and relaxed and the food is simply amazing (and a great value). We shared plates of Egyptian mezzes and a perfectly grilled fish, served with scrumptious kesra (Egyptian sesame flat bread) and all-you-can-drink tea.

To me, La Cantine de Nour is such a great example of Marseille’s abundance of outstanding North African food and talented cooks. Next time in I’m Marseilles, I am definitely going back to this gem!

Do: La Friche de la Belle de Mai

“La Friche” (literaly “The Wasteland” in French) is a former tobacco factory near the St Charles train station, in the Belle de Mai district (famous for being home of the Plus Belle La Vie studios, France’s biggest TV soap opera). The tobacco factory emptied decades ago and the youth slowly invaded the place using it as a skate park, basketball playground and graffiti wonderland. The idea made its way to the Town of Marseille’s officials… who decided to invest money into the project in the 90s. They secured, structured, glamourized the area and turned it into a cultural complex with art studios, a legit skate park, family and community gardens, a café, a restaurant and even a nursery. Walking into La Friche is unsettling, puzzling, yet exciting all at once. A kind of Los Angeles-hip-meets-Detroit-grunge-meets-Marseilles-projects.

Though, exploring the polished art gallery, the hipster cafe and family-filled skate park, I couldn’t help but wonder about the authenticity of the place… Was it a genuine plan to offer a place for artistic expression and playground to the city kids? Or rather a sleek communication strategy from the Town of Marseille, always suffering from a smeared image? Still, the Friche, I think, serves its civic purpose, and no matter what opinion you’ll make of it, it surely is a place like no other in France, and is worth a visit.

Eat : Le Bistro des Dames

From Lunch through Dinner time, la Place aux Huiles is a much-frequented esplanade just a few metres away from the Old Port. As we were searching for a dinner spot in the midst of all the buzzling patios, we opted for Le Bistro des Dames. And maybe because it’s set on one of Marseille’s busiest night-life spots, but we expected the food to be good, yet nothing extraordinary… Oh how we were wrong! The food was outstanding! We started with a board of local cheeses and a plate of razor clams, garnished with parsley butter. For the mains, we enjoyed some scrumptious homemade vegetable pasta (I know vegetable pasta doesn’t sound like much, but these were insane), along with the best Sole Meunière I have ever had in my life (huge props to the chef on this one!). For dessert, a deconstructed rhubard pie made for a perfect ending to this perfect dinner.

Marseille Guide – Part 3, coming soon…

The post Marseille Guide – Part 2 appeared first on Pardon Your French.