I decided to take a quick 3-day break to Marseille last week for some R&R with some sun.

Thanks to the TGV, the super fast train in France, Marseille is only 3 hours away. I arrived at 12:30PM on Monday, to crisp, sunny dry weather. Located in southwest France on the Mediteranean, Marseille, a port city, is the second largest in France, with a population of a 1,500,000 people.

I headed to the old port –Vieux Port, the center of town where all the boats are moored. The view was much like a clichéd postcard with hundreds of fishing boats, sail boats, and ferries crowding the port. Hungry to have some bouillabaisse in its native city, I had lunch al fresco at Le Fetiche restaurant. The 3-course menu at 17 euros was a good value and the bouillabaisse was tangy, thick and the seafood was ultra fresh.


Basilique Notre Dame de la Garde

I took the way too touristy tram my friend recommended around the city but it was a good way to see the city at a slow pace. The final stop is Notre Dame de La Garde at the highest point of the steep and hilly city. Even though the church was infested with tourists with noisy, crying children, I don’t know what was more beautiful, the church or the magnificent vistas overlooking the city.

Tuesday morning I found a café overlooking the small city beach near my hotel. It was a cool, fresh morning and the beach was buzzing with a volley ball game, Tai chi classes and beach guards in skimpy bathing suits attending to their duties.

I relaxed the rest of the day like a lazy slug at the rooftop pool at my hotel. Getting restless by late afternoon, I went to the Panier, which is the oldest neighborhood in Marseilles. The hilly, narrow streets were empty and it was hard to get a feel for the area because most stores and restaurants were closed for vacances. The worn out buildings had colorful paint chipped doors and many had cartoon-like paintings on them. I found a few art galleries with interesting, local crafts, paintings and sculptures.


Le Panier

Dinner was at a quirky restaurant called La Karbonade and I sat outside overlooking the port. The restaurant presented its appetizers and desserts in a most clever and original way, serving them in small Mason jars. I had a yummy chilled Brandade (mashed potatoes & salted cod) with a layer of tomato sauce and for dessert Tiramisu topped with raspberry sauce.

La Karbonade

I met a delightful and interesting friend of a friend of mine, Mireille for a long lunch on Wednesday. She lived in St. Julien, which is a young, hip area with many cafes, stores and galleries, much like the East Village in New York. The grungy streets were vibrant with very detailed spray painted graffiti covering many of the walls. We lunched at a place that was a clothing boutique, record store, café, and hair cutting salon all in one.

St. Julien Graffiti

Mireille told me to walk down the rue D’aubagne to see the North African and mid-east food shops. I discovered Univers Alimentaire at #34, an amazing emporium of spices, nuts, dried fruit, grains, cooking tagines and anything Middle Eastern you could think of. I perused and smelled my way through the overflowing barrels and vats of spectacular and rich colored exotic foods. I stocked up on almonds and cashews, as they were only 8 euros a kilo. Diabate, a smiling African man was most helpful.


Diabate from Univers Alimentaire

Even though I covered a lot in 3 days, I think there is a lot of undiscovered Marseille left for me to see and I will return.

Addresses

Le Fetiche
7 rue de la Paix
04 91 54 00 98

La Karbonade
42 Quai de Rive neue
04 91 55 02 27

Univers Alimentaire
34 rue D’aubagne

View more photos of Marseille on the right sidebar under Photo Albums

I am pleased as punch to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I will personally be leading. The Eye Prefer Paris Tour
includes many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes & food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks, and much more.

I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.

Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com

 

Comments

[Mélanie]

So bad I couldn't show you My Marseille but I can see that you enjoyed it pretty much .
I think my tour would not have been that good.
You seem to be a real traveller who wants to know everything about a town .
I like your photo of "Univers alimentaire" I hope to meet you some day in Marseille or in Paris

[Darlene - San Francisco]

Loved your pieces and photos of Marseille. Never thought I'd want to visit this town as always heard it was gritty but you've changed my mind. Look forward to your postings as you have a great eye!