Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
6. LES CALANQUES
Within 15 minutes' drive of Marseille's centre, you are out of the city and into a dif-
ferent world. Here white rocks plunge into the blue sea and the road snakes into in-
lets
(calanques)
of great beauty, and small settlements. This is where the
Marseil-
lais
spend their weekends, eating, drinking and keeping rich developers out. After
the “village” of Les Goudes, the road peters out and access to other, even more pic-
turesque creeks (towards Cassis) is by foot or boat (for further details see
Calanque
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7. PRADO BEACHES
Around the corniche from the Vieux Port and past the tiny, picturesque fishing port
of Vallon des Auffes stretch Marseille's resolutely modern beaches. They were re-
claimed from the sea with earth excavated during the construction of the city's metro
system. Now they run round to the start of the
calanques
. On summer days, they
throb with every conceivable beach sporting activity; at night, the Escale Borély
beach area offers some of the town's trendiest nightspots.
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8. FORT ST-NICHOLAS
On the south side of the Vieux Port is Marseille's fort, built in 1680 by Louis XIV to
impose authority on the truculent city - its cannons pointed inland. Star-shaped and
built on two levels in pink-tinged limestone, it stares across at the much older St Jean
fort. Now split in two by the 19th-century port-side boulevard, St-Nicholas remains
one of the city's most imposing buildings.
Blvd Charles Livron
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9. CHATEAU D'IF
This offshore island fortress was built in the 16th century to protect the city's port
and was turned into a prison in 1634. Among its inmates were the real Comte de Mi-
rabeau, and the fictional Count of Monte Cristo, the antihero of
Alexander Dumas'
novel of the same name. The fortress is accessible by ferry from the Vieux Port.
Open Apr-Aug: 9:30am-6:30pm daily; Sep-Mar: 9am-5:30pm Tue-Sun • Adm
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