Nightlife in Marseilles

Marseilles has a dynamic live music and club scene. Check out Sortir, every Wednesday in La Provence (website: www.laprovence-presse.fr), the local daily paper, for listings. Also worth buying is l’Officiel des Loisirs, out every Wednesday too. Otherwise Vox Mag is a free fortnightly publication with listings, available from La Fnac, Virgin and many venues.

The best areas for nightlife in Marseilles are the Vieux Port and Place Thiars, and the Escale Borely, a relatively new waterfront development south of the town center (a 20 minute ride on the bus no 83), right by the sea. Also worth checking out is Le Cours Julien, a square lined with cafes and restaurants in the La Plaine area.

Bars: Many bars in Marseilles are also ‘glaciers’ (ice cream parlours). In fact, going out for an ice-cream is almost as popular as going out for a drink, at least in the hot summer months. For an aperitif head for the Bar de la Marine, 15 quai de Rive Neuve, 7e, made famous by local author Marcel Pagnol. Le Suffren, quai des Belges, 6e, is one of the many other bars overlooking the Vieux Port, perfect for people watching and especially pleasant at sunset. Le Cafe de la Plage, Escale Borely, avenue Pierre Mendes, 8e, is a swanky cocktail bar facing the sea near the Prado beaches, popular with a hip young surfer crowd.

Le Manureva, 1 avenue de la Pointe-Rouge, 8e, is an ultra trendy bar in the chic part of town (it’s decorated like a luxury yacht inside), ideal for a pre-club drink or two. Homesick visitors can try the Red Lion, 231 avenue Pierre de Mendes France, 8e for some draught beer, English speaking staff and some fish and chips. MP Bar, 10 rue Beauveau, 1e is the most popular of Marseilles’ gay bars, open from early evening until sunrise. Bars a vin (wine bars) are popular at the moment. Try Le Bistrot a Vin, 17 rue Sainte, 1e.

Casino: There are no casinos in Marseilles.

Clubs: Le Trolleybus, 22-24, quai de Rive Neuve, 7e has been going strong for years and is still one of the most popular clubs in Marseilles, with techno, house, hip-hop, jazz, and salsa, depending on the day of the week. The Cafe de la Plage, Escale Borely, avenue Mendès-France, 8e, is where all the trendy young things strut their stuff… it offers dancing and karaoke with popular music selections. The New Cancan (3 rue Senac, 1e) is the city’s largest gay-friendly club, while Le Millenium, route de Cassis, 9e, is one of the biggest clubs in town, and plays mainly house music. La Maronaise, Anse Croisettes, Les Goudes, 8e, is frequented by some of Marseilles’ beau monde (including well-known soccer players and television personalities) who come here to enjoy the amazing view and the impressive seawater pool (open Apr-Oct only). Entry to some nightclubs very much depends on the whim of the bouncers on the day, but dressing the part helps, so make an effort.

Live Music: check out Espace Julien, 39 cours Julien, 6e , for everything from French music to jazz to hip hop and local talent; Dock des Suds, 12, rue Urbain V, 2e for world music, and Friche Belle de Mai, 23 rue Guibal, 3e . Pele-Mele, 8 place aux Huiles 1e, is a many-faceted bar/disco/cafe that occasionally hosts live music. The Cite de la Musique (Auditorium), 4 rue Bernard du Bois, 1e (also Bastide de la Magalone, 245 bis, boulevard Michelet) is the home of several local music associations and features concerts of all kinds, from jazz to baroque music. La Cave a Jazz, rue Bernard-du-Bois, 1e, is, as its name indicates, the place to go for jazz music.