Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
MARSEILLE
The oldest city in France was founded 2,600 years ago by Greek settlers
from Asia Minor, and it has barely seen a quiet moment since. Open-hearted
and tumultuous, it is backed by chalk hills and flanked by white cliffs, with
its face to the sea. The sea is Marseille's
raison d'être
, making it a trading
hub and entry point for immigrants. As a result, Marseille is a collection of
urban villages, from the
souk
-like market areas to tiny fishing settlements.
But all the inhabitants are
Marseillais
: loud, rebellious and volatile. This is
the home of French music, football and
bouillabaisse
, the most flavoursome
fish dish in the world. Picaresque and picturesque, it's a place in which to
feel alive.
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1. VIEUX PORT
Commercial sea traffic might have moved round the corner to newer docks in the
19th century, but the old port remains the heart of city life. Bobbing with pleasure
boats and fringed with restaurants, it's where the
Marseillais
gather for festivities
and to buy fish at the market. The occupying Germans attempted to subdue the city
by blowing up the port's north side in 1943, but Marseille's indomitable nature won
the day.
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2. NOTRE-DAME-DE-LA-GARDE
This Romanesque-Byzantine church is the symbol of Marseille. Perched on the city's
highest hill and topped by a great, gold statue of the Virgin, it can be seen from every-
where in the city and is itself all-seeing: the views from the church are spectacular.
Built in the 1850s and restored in the early 2000s, the vaulted crypt is carved out of
the rock while the sanctuary is rich with mosaics and marble.
Rue Forte du Sanc-
tuaire • Open 7am-6:30pm daily (7:30pm Jun-Sep) • Free
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