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13, Rue du Panier, Marseille, 13002, France
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Basilique Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde (Marseille, Franc
The Opera House
Le port de Marseille
TGV.
My husband and I will have a short stay (3 days) in Marseille next month. Any suggestions for "must see's"? Are the beaches nice? What about a day trip to Aix-en-Provence, would that be worth it? We are staying near the old port, any suggestions of good, inexpensive restaurants?
As most of Marseilles was destroyed during WW2 it is a fairly modern city, however the Notre Dame de la Garde - the cathedral for Marseille, is a must see perched on the hill overlooking everything. Around the old port there are a number of outdoor/indoor restaurants that serve bouillabaisse (fish stew) and although expensive it is worth the effort and cost. You could have a read of my Marseilles page for opinions etc.
Possible day trip would be Avignon - about an hour by train. 700 year old popes palace (Avignon was "The Vatican" for nearly 100 years) and the famous bridge across the Rhone - both palace and bridge world heritage listed.
Cafe de la Paix and Buffalo Grill were the restaurants we enjoyed, plus our hotel breakfast! We had one horrible experience trying to get lunch on Sunday - check my Marseille pages.
Notre Dame de la Garde is a "must".
We enjoyed our 2 nights/ 3 days, but it was April so not beach season!
Aix is supposed to be nice, but I've never been. If we'd had an extra day, we'd have tried Nice or Aix. Aix is closer, but i think you can get the TGV to Nice (so fast, but expensive unless booked in advance).
Avignon is on the TGV line as well, but I think the station is a bit outside the town. Presumably there are taxis, but I don't know.
Aix, Avignon (Palace of the Popes), Arles (Vincent van Gogh), Orange (much Roman remains), Nimes (Roman arena) are all very nice to visit.
Pont du Gard is astounding (3-storey Roman bridge) but I reckon you'll need a car.
Marseille is a working port, you might like the early fish market (but be there well before 9 am!).
Restaurants in France are generally not difficult to choose with a low-ish budget. Buffalo Grill is a chain, is that not always along motorways? Probably I don't know because I never look at them. Rule of thumb: look where the French eat, where it's busy. That's where you go.
The station where TGV arrives is 5 km from the center of Avignon. The normal station is 1 km from the center. You might like to consider a local train (TER instead of TGV).
Built in the 5th century by Jean Cassien on the burialplace de Saint-Victor, a Roman martyr who died in the 3rd century. After having been destroyed several times, the abbey was fortified in the 14th century by Pope Urban V. Candlemas Day 2 February.
Marseille is great but lacks beaches.
You must take a drive to Les Calanques de Cassis, some of the most beautiful rocky bays with the bluest water. Make it a day activity. Isolated, nice water and people.
The parking is odd (also watch for car burglars), the hike can take you 30-45 minutes to the first calanques, and 45-60 minutes to the second, with steep slopes in an arid setting (bring lunch and water).
Marseille and food equals fish and bouillabaisse, it's a well known fact. I had some ok food at some places down near the Old Port, but not very often and I don't remember the names. One place that stands out, even though I never ate there, is Le Wagon, mainly because this bar/restaurant is built like an old train, in fact you have to walk through a real locomotive doorway to get in...
This ornate Neo-Byzantine church is locates atop the signal hill of La Garde, the highest natural point in Marseille, being a 162 m. At the top Our lady handles baby. Local inhabitants refer to Our lady as la bonne mère (the good mother). Truly she looks like good mother who care for all inhabitants of Marseille.
Basilica now is renovated and walls, floor and roof is decorated by mosaic. Looks really beautiful.
This is Marseilleýs oldest church, despite it is not the best known one. It is just a short way on foot from Fort St-Nicolas.
This Basilica was built on the site of the fifth century monastery that also served as a burial ground for several Christian martyrs. The church later changed its look, because, being undefended by cityýs walls, it had to be fortified and enlarged in order to be able to withstand a siege. Thatýs precisely what was done in 10th, 11th, and 12th centuries.
You can still tell that it was regarded more like a military fortress than like a place of worship. With walls (in some points, it has to be granted!) measuring 3 meters in width, that is not al all surprising.
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Q: looking for a apartment in Marseille "Please if anyone can advise me about short rent apartment in Marseille? Which is tha best area to stay?"
A: "no experience with apartments there, but use this site for my bookings in Europe www.homelidays.com apart rentals by owner hope it helps"
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