Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
and proffers distant views of the Med from its balcony. Architecture buffs can book a
guided tour
of a private apartment at the tourist office.
ART GALLERIES & MUSEUMS
Marseille's galleries and museums have flourished in recent years. In addition to the many make-overs of local insti-
tutions like La Friche La Belle de Mai (
Click here
)
, Palais de Longchamp (
Click here
)
and Musée Cantini (
Click
here
)
, spectacular new facilities have been built for MuCem (
Click here
) and
Fonds Régional d'Art Contempo-
rain
(FRAC; 04 91 91 27 55;
www.fracpaca.org
; 20 bd de Dunkerque; Joliette)
. The outstanding arts or-
ganization
Marseille Expos
(
www.marseilleexpos.com
)
distributes an excellent map of hot galleries plus sponsors
the festival
Printemps de l'Art Contemporain
each May. Their website lists what's on.
ALONG THE COAST
Mesmerising views of another Marseille unfold along
corniche Président John F
Kennedy
, the coastal road that cruises south to small, beach-volleyball-busy
Plage des
Further south, the vast
Prado beaches
, are marked by Jules Cantini's 1903 marble rep-
lica of Michelangelo's
David
. The beaches, all gold sand, were created from backfill from
the excavations for Marseille's metro. They have a world-renowned
skate park
. Nearby
lies expansive Parc Borély.
Promenade Georges Pompidou continues south to
Cap Croisette
, from where the beau-
tiful
calanques
can be reached on foot. Hipster beach-club addresses are:
La Baie des
Singes
(The Bay of Monkeys; 04 91 73 68 87;
www.la-baie-des-singes.fr
; mains
€22-26; lunch & dinner Apr-Oct)
, with comfy deckchairs overlooking Île Maïre and
accessible by boat or on foot along a 500m path between rocks from the Cap Croisette car
park; and
La Maronnaise
( 04 91 73 98 58; rte de la Maronnaise; Wed-Sat May-
early Sep)
, where 30- and 40-somethings dine, lounge in the sun and dance beneath stars.
To head down the coast, take bus 83 from the Vieux Port. At av du Prado switch to bus
19 to continue further.
La Navette Maritime Vieux Port-Pointe Rouge
(
www.rtm.fr
;
€2.50, good for 1½ hrs on all public transport; hourly Mar-15 Sep)
runs boats
between Vieux Port and Pointe Rouge, just to the south of the Prado beaches.
