Food and Dining in Marseille

There is no shortage of good restaurants in Marseille. From traditional Provencal to more exotic cuisine, everyone will find something to their liking in the Phocean city. Local specialties include the world famous bouillabaisse (fish stew) of course, but also pied et paquets, ratatouille, soupe au pistou, aioli and so on. it is worth noting that many restaurants are closed on Sundays, and sometimes in August too. Call beforehand to avoid disappointment.

The restaurants below have been divided into five different categories
(Gourmet, Business, Trendy, Moderate and Personal Recommendations) and four pricing categories:
$$$$ (over Pound Sterling 50)
$$$ (Pound Sterling 25 to Pound Sterling 50)
$$ (Pound Sterling 10 to Pound Sterling 25)
$ (under Pound Sterling 10)
The prices above are for an average three-course meal for one person and for a bottle of house wine or cheapest equivalent; they do not include VAT or service charge, unless stated otherwise.

Gourmet

L’Epuisette

An idyllic setting at the entrance to the Vallon des Auffes, affording fantastic views of the Big Blue and the islands (especially beautiful at sunset), is only one of the draws at this upmarket restaurant. First and foremost, L’Epuisette, with chef Guillaume Sourrieu at the helm, has established a reputation for excellence in the kitchen, and the seafood and fish dishes here are some of the best in the city. Add to this impeccable service, and you most definitely are onto a winner.

Vallon des Auffes, 7e
Tel: (04) 91 52 17 82.
Website: www.l-epuisette.com
Price: $$$$

La Ferme

La Ferme (The Farm) is one of the best restaurants in Marseille. Chef Raymond Borso combines uncommon flavors to create some unique, sometimes intriguing, but always delicious dishes with a strong Provencal accent. His boldness is rewarded by the loyalty diners show by returning again and again. The cosy setting is perfect for a romantic evening. Reservations recommended.

Le Miramar

This is simply one of the best culinary experiences to have in Marseille. Since the mid-1960s, aficionados of bouillabaisse have been flocking to Le Miramar for a taste of the flavorful fish soup, Marseille’s world famous culinary specialty. Believe it or not, bouillabaisse (a good one never comes cheap, because of the sheer number of fish needed to make it) was once a rough-and-tumble recipe devised by fishermen as a way of using the least desirable portion of their catch. This is the place to try it. You won’t regret it.

Le Petit Nice

The restaurant in the hotel of the same name on the Corniche was established in 1917. Since then, three generations of chefs have ensured its well deserved reputation as one of the city’s best tables. Le Petit Nice boasts two Michelin-stars, and this is reflected in the prices. However, a beautiful location with breathtaking views over the bay, professional service and delicious, sophisticated local cuisine combine to make this venue perfect for a special occasion.

Business

Chez Fonfon

Nestled in the Vallon des Auffes, a picturesque small calanque (creek) tucked away underneath the Corniche, is one of the legendary restaurants of Marseille. The area is still home to fishermen and their families, so of course the focus of Chez Fonfon is very much on seafood dishes. One of the best places in town to try the famous Bouillabaisse.

Les Arcenaulx

Located in grand surroundings in Louis XiV’s arsenal, this restaurant (part of a complex that also houses two bookstores and a shop) specializes in traditional local dishes such as pieds et paquets and daube. Several reception rooms are also available. Closed on Sunday.

Restaurant La Mer

ideal for a business meal, with great views of the sea right outside the restaurant, La Mer serves typical Provençal cuisine, with special emphasis on fish and seafood, in modern surroundings.

Trendy

L’indigo Cafe

Right by the sea at the very ‘happening’ Escale Borely, this trendy restaurant (one can sit outside in summer) offers Tex Mex fare in authentic looking surroundings. Choose between fajitas, tacos, chili con carne, quesadillas, and even a Mexican pizza, and wash the lot down with a good selection of Mexican beers (of course) and wines from Latin America.

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Shopping in Marseille

The main shopping streets (the rue Paradis, rue Saint Ferreol and rue de Rome) run off the Canebière, just to the north of the Office du Tourisme. The Center Bourse, just behind the Old Port, has a shopping mall above the underground car park.

There are several markets in Marseille. One not to miss is the fish market (daily 0730-1230) on the quai des Belges, on the Vieux Port, a real spectacle as local fishermen compete with one another to sell their catches to passers-by. For something completely different, try ‘les Puces’ (the flea market), a cross between a north African bazaar and a car boot sale (and a few antiques thrown in for good measure), one of the liveliest places to find yourself on Saturday or Sunday morning. 130 chemin de la Madrague Ville, 15e , Tues-Sat 0800-1200 and 1400-1800, Sun 0830-1300.

Popular items to bring back home include soap (the famous ’savon de Marseille’); santons, or carved wooden or clay crèche figurines (in December, you will be able to buy some at the marche aux santons on the Canebiere. Otherwise, the Ateliers Marcel Carbonel, 47 rue Neuve-Ste-Catherine, 7e, offers the widest choice in town); Pastis (Marseille’s tipple, famous the world over); garlic (a key ingredient in Provencal cooking) and Provencal fabric and pottery. Last but not least some navettes, delicious orange-zest flavored biscuits whose shape is supposed to represent the small boats on which ‘les Saintes’ came over to the Provence coast. The only place to buy them is at Le Four des Navettes, 136 rue Sainte, 7e.

Shops are open 0800-1200 and 1400-1900, although some remain open at lunchtime. Most shops are closed on Sunday. VAT stands at 17.5%.

Activites in Marseille

Music: The Opera de Marseille, 2 rue Moliere, 1e is the main venue for classical music and opera. Big rock and pop concerts take place at Le Dome, 48, Avenue de Saint-Just, 4e, or at the Palais des Sports, 81 rue Raymond Teisseire, 9e, sometimes also at the Stade Velodrome, Boulevard Michelet, 8e, one of the venues for the 1998 World Cup. Le Moulin, 47 boulevard Perrin, 13e is a popular small venue hosting big names.

Lots of theaters, such as the Theatre Toursky (see below) and churches also have recitals and gigs. La Friche la Belle de Mai, 41 rue Jobin , a former squat in a disused factory complex, has become a thriving alternative cultural center featuring concerts of all kinds, exhibition, theater etc. it is well worth checking out too. So is Dock des Suds, 12 rue Urbain V , a very ‘in’ venue which hosts a variety of events throughout the year.

Theater: The Theatre National de la Criee, 30 quai de Rive Neuve, 7e is the main theater in Marseille, showcasing a wide variety of productions, but there are plenty of other theaters throughout the city, including La Minoterie, 9-11 rue d’Ozier, 2e; Theatre Toursky, 16 passage Leo Ferre, 3e ; Theatre Off, 9 rue Nau, 6e ; Theatre du Merlan, avenue Raimu BP 153, 14e and Theatre du Gymnase, 4 rue du Theater Francais . Small local theaters like La Baleine qui dit ‘vagues’, 48 rue Barbaroux, 1e and the Chocolat Theatre, 59 cours Julien also put on interesting plays, some for children.

Dance: The Ballet National de Marseille performs at the Opera de Marseille.

Film: Cinemas in the center of town include UGC Capitole, 134, La Canebière, 1e ; Pathe Madeleine, 36, avenue Foch, 4e ; Cinema Le Prado, 36, avenue du Prado , 6e , Le Chambord, 283, avenue du Prado, 8e and Le Cesar, 4, place Castellane, 6e , all showcasing mainstream movies. For arthouse cinemas, try Les Varietes, 37, rue Vincent Scotto, 1e and Le Mirroir, a real gem in the Vieille Charite ), which showcases little known movies from around the world.

Too many movies have been shot in Marseille over the years to list them all here. Two of the most famous are, maybe not surprisingly, gangster movies: Borsalino (1970), with Alain Delon and Jean Paul Belmondo, two of the most famous French actors ever, and The French Connection (1971), with Gene Hackman. Both brought the city some fame, if not exactly the kind it needed to help its reputation.

The movies that really put Marseille on the map, though (at least for the French) is the famous Marcel Pagnol’s trilogy, La Trilogie Marseillaise, which includes Marius, Fanny and Cesar (all shot in the 1930s). So did Marius et Jeannette (1997). Acclaimed director Bertrand Blier shot two of his movies in Marseille, Trop Belle Pour Toi (1989), a comedy starring Gerard Depardieu, Carole Bouquet and Josiane Balasko, followed a few years later by 1,2,3 Soleil, with Anouk Grinberg and Marcello Mastroiani. More recently, The Chateau d’if has been the setting for many a movie inspired by Alexandre Dumas’s The Count of Monte Cristo novel, including The Man in the iron Mask, starring Leonardo di Caprio (1998), and The Count of Monte Cristo (2002), with Jim Caviezel and Guy Pearce.

Literary Notes: Marcel Pagnol’s famous trilogy, Cesar, Marius and Fanny, which takes place on the quays of the Vieux Port, is a nostalgic portrayal of a friendly, colorful city, in keeping with descriptions of the city by other Provencal authors such as Frederic Mistral or Alphonse Daudet. But others, such as Alexandre Dumas, Prosper Merimee or Emile Zola (in Les Mysteres de Marseille, written in the 1860s), were fascinated by the violence and the mystery surrounding the Provencal capital, and the picture they paint of it is not such a rosy one. For them, Marseille was very much the gate to the East it was for Albert Camus. Also worth mentioning are the creative mysticism of Jean Giono and the current trend which uses this melting pot the Phocean city is as a background for ‘roman noir’, as exemplified by Patrick Cauvin and Jean Claude izzo.

Marseille Tourist Attractions

Sightseeing Overview

Marseille’s history has always been closely linked to the sea, and likewise many of its sights, from the obvious starting point of the Vieux Port, Marseille’s old port, to Notre Dame de la Garde (the church offering protection to sailors and fishermen) high on the hill overlooking the city, have some kind of connection to it. La Corniche and Les Plages (the beaches) near the Prado are popular, and for a bit of history and culture a walk through le Panier area (the oldest
part of town) and a visit to the Vieille Charite are a must. if the sun gets too much, there are several museums worth checking out, and the beautiful Abbaye St Victor too.

The tourist office has a good selection of leaflets in English covering the major places of interest in Marseille and the surrounding areas, as well as maps. There is another, smaller tourist office just opposite La Vieille Charite, in Le Panier district.

Passes

The Marseille City Pass includes free transportation (including a tiny sightseeing train and boat trip to the Chateau d’if), free entry to 14 museums and free guided tours. it is available for one or two days. Passes can be purchased from the tourist office or participating outlets. For more information, call (04) 91 13 89 00/17 or visit www.mairie-marseille.fr/decouvre/discover/visite.htm

Key Attractions:

Vieux Port (Old Port)

The Vieux Port, whose 3,000 boats are guarded by Fort St Nicholas and Fort St Jean at the entrance of the harbor, is the heart of Marseille. On the quai de Rive Neuve, check out La Criee (Marseille’s most famous theater, built in 1909 on the site of the old fish auction rooms, hence its name) and the Place Thiars, a lively square dotted with dozens of restaurants and bars, the ideal place to meet up for an al fresco evening during the balmy summer months. Then cross the harbor on an old wodden ferry, the oldest of its kind in France (the trip takes just over a couple of minutes) to the other side, quai du Port, to take a peek at the impressive 17th century Hotel de Ville (town hall). Walk back up towards the quai des Belges (this is where the famous fish market takes place in the morning) from where you will have the best view of the Canebière, the most famous street in the city, and the subject of a popular song.

Notre Dame de la Garde

The landmark Romanesque-Byzantine church, towering on the highest point of the city, was built in the 19th century. Affectionately called the Bonne Mere (good mother), the church is topped by a 9m (30-feet) gilded statue of the Virgin, who is said to offer protection to fishermen out at sea (hence all the small ship models offerings hanging in the nave). The site also affords magnificient views of the city spread out at its feet, and of the bay, with the Frioul archipelago in the distance.

Le Panier and the Vieille Charite

The maze of narrow streets found in the Quartier du Panier, the oldest part of the city, lead to the Vieille Charite, a pretty set of buildings dating back to the 17th century, originally designed to take in vagrants and orphans (hence the name). Today the complex is an art center, with two museums (the Mediterranean Archaeology Museum and the Museum of African, Oceanian and Amerindian Art), several art galleries, a cafe, a restaurant, and a bookshop. There is also an arthouse cinema, Le Mirroir, showing productions not on show anywhere else in town. The chapel, built by Pierre Puget, is in the French baroque style.
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History of Marseille

Ancient

Marseille was founded in 600 B.C.E. by Greeks from Phocaea as a trading port under the name ?assa??a (Massalia; see also List of traditional Greek place names). Facing an opposing alliance of the Etruscans, Carthage and the Celts, the Greek colony allied itself with the expanding Roman Republic for protection. Under this arrangement the city maintained its independence until the rise of Julius Caesar, when it joined the losing side in civil war, and lost its independence. it was the site of a siege and naval battle. During the Roman times, it was called Massilia.

Home port of Pytheas.

Modern

in 1934 Alexander i of Yugoslavia arrived at the port to meet with the French foreign minister Louis Barthou. He was assassinated there by Vlada Georgieff.

Introducation of Marseille

Marseille (English alternative spelling Marseilles) (pronounced /ma?s?j/ in standard French, /m?x’s?j?/ in local Marseilles accent) (Provençal: Marsiho or Marselha, both pronounced /ma?’sij?/) is the second largest city in France and the third metropolitan area, with 1,516,340 inhabitants at the 1999 census. Located in the former province of Provence and on the Mediterranean Sea, it is France’s largest commercial port and the largest in the Mediterranean.

Marseille is the capital of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region, as well as the prefecture (capital) of the Bouches-du-Rhône departement. France’s second bigggest city is also the country’s oldest. Founded by the Phoceans 600 years BC (the city was then known as Phocee) then developed by the Romans (Massilia) as a trading post, before developing between the 15th and 19th centuries around the commercial port and the local industry, soap (the famous ’savon de Marseille’).

The getaway to Africa and a crossroad for many ships in the Mediterranean, Marseille has always been a cultural melting pot (Alexandre Dumas famously called it ‘the meeting place of the entire world’). Not always without its problems, the influx of immigrants has nonetheless made the city richer, not least culturally, and today Marseille is a vibrant city enjoying a new breath of life.

The city that gave France its national anthem is no longer ashamed of its past but has become proud of its individuality. Marseille, which was once notorious for its crime rate and rough edges, has cleaned up its act over the past 10 years (with a significant amount of public money invested in the process) and it looks better than it has in decades. But it has lost none of its flavor and unique character. (more…)