Marseille Travel Guide

Marseille is a city full of art and culture and has many wonders to share with you. With its 26 centuries of history, it combines tradition and modernity. The city is deeply marked by its past and is constantly digging up the remains of all the cities that have been built on top of each other over the centuries. It takes the visitor on a journey that begins with its Greek and Roman origins and leads us past the medieval religious foundations, the 16th Century fortifications, the rich homes of the 17th and 18th Centuries and the many prestigious buildings erected in the 19th Century and right up to modern times and the great architectural achievements of the 21st Century. The city has a wealth of monuments, places of interest and museums to visit.

Tradition:

Marseille is true to its traditions ans love of merrymaking Over the centuries Marseille has preserved its traditiions and unique lifestyle. Marseille invites you to take a walk down the legendary Canebière, to stroll around the Old Harbour with its fish market and take a ride on the famous ferry-boat. As the capital of soap-making and the home of the world-famous santons (Christmas crib figures representing well-known figures in Provencal life). Marseille holds festivals all year round, such as the boat-shaped biscuits known as navettes eaten at Candlemas, the Carnival, the Garlic fair, the feast of Saint-Eloi, waterjousting at l'Estaque, the Kite-flying Festival and the Santon fair. Real lovers of popular tradition will be enthralled by the Musée du Terroir Marseillais de Château-Gombert (Marseille Museum of Folk Culture) at Château-Gombert.

Gastronomy:

Everyone knows the inhabitants of Marseille appreciate the simple things of life. It's true that nature has been extremely kind to them. In the first place, the natural environment: an ideal climate, right next to the sea with aromatic riches close at hand… They know how to blend the flavours of the land and the sea and in this way promote the products of their region. The basic cooking ingredients are simple, consisting of fresh produce (tomatoes, courgettes, aubergines, sweet peppers, fennel, etc.), and a wide variety of fish. Their whole art is expressed by the way they blend all these ingredients with aromatic herbs and spices: garlic, thyme, rosemary, savoury, basil, chives, etc. ... not forgetting olive oil of course! You will discover the not-to-be-missed "bouillabaisse" (fish soup), aïoli (Provencal garlic mayonnaise), pieds et paquets (pig's trotters), tapenade (olive dip), pistou (pesto) soup and lots of other dishes. The Christmas period is also a good time to share in ancestral culinary traditions, such as the "gros souper" and the traditional "13 desserts" and later on the "navettes" (boat-shaped biscuits) at Candlemas.

Outdoors:

Since the dawn of its history Marseille has always looked outward to the Mediterranean to which it owes the myth of its own founding: the love between a Ligurian princess and a Phocean sailor.As France's chief port, sea trade has played an important part in the life of Marseille for centuries.With its 57 kms coastline, Marseille is also a great favourite with watersports men and women. But it is not only divers, wind-surfers and sailors who flock to the city; its sun-drenched beaches also attract ordinary holidaymakers who seek nothing more energetic than a paddle. The coast-road is dotted with follies overlooking magical sites such as the Vallon des Auffes, and has magnificent views over the islands dotted around the Bay of Marseille. The 20-kilometre long Calanques massif is a nature-lover's paradise. The wild beauty of these countless creeks and inlets draws hikers from all over the world.

Source : Marseille-tourisme.com