Why Marseille?
Marseille has one of the largest ports of the Mediterranean sea.
Marseille is one of the Mediterranean’s major seaports and the second largest city in France, it is located on the Gulf of Lion, west of the French Riviera. Marseille is also the oldest of the large French cities, Marseille was founded as Massalia (Massilia) by Greek mariners from Phocaea in Asia Minor about 600 BC. Archaeological finds exhibited in the Museum of Antiquities in the 18th-century Château Borély suggest that Phoenicians had settled there even earlier.
Marseille is known for many things but primarily for its unique culture and cuisine, including the garlic- and saffron-flavoured fish stew called bouillabaisse. Marseille, France, is also the birthplace of that iconic soap, Savon de Marseille. Since the Middle Ages, the Marseille soap has been made from olive oil without colors or preservatives. The authentic Savon de Marseille are made using centuries old methods. Marseille is a city you will love to visit when you are in France.
PLACES
My favorite places to visit in Marseille
Palais Longchamp
The Palais Longchamp is a monument in the 4th arrondissement of Marseille, France. It houses the Musée des beaux-arts and Muséum d'histoire naturelle de Marseille. The surrounding Longchamp Park is listed by the French Ministry of Culture as one of the Notable Gardens of France. From each side of the water reservoir, an open colonnade leads to two museums which face a cascade on the city side, and a large garden on the park side. The site location was a central point for the European Capital of Culture title awarded to Marseille in 2013. The ‘Palais Longchamp’ hosted a zoo from 1855 to 1987, the Big Zoo of Marseille, which was also the first provincial zoo in France.
Address:
Bd Jard. Zoologique, 13004 Marseille, France
What I like about Palais Longchamp
The gardens are beautiful with massive waterfalls you can sit outside and listen to the waterfalls. Both museums are massive and showcase paintings, sculptures, and drawings from the 17th and 18th century. You could spend your whole day browsing throughout both museums.
Basilique Notre Dame de la Garde
The Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde – translated as Our Lady of the Guard was built in the 1850s on the foundation of Marseille's ancient fortress. The Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde, known to local citizens as la Bonne Mère, it's a Catholic basilica in Marseille, France, and the city's best-known symbol. This monument of Marseille is located on the highest hill near the Old Port, at an altitude of 150 meters. The bell tower of Notre Dame de la Garde reaches a height of 41 metres. The golden statue of Mary dominating the basilica is 11.20 metres long and weighs nearly 9,796 kg! It was made by the Christofle company and needs to be gilded with 500 grams of gold every quarter century. Its construction required more than 40 years of work. The site of a popular Assumption Day pilgrimage, it is the most visited site in Marseille.
Address:
Rue Fort du Sanctuaire, 13006 Marseille, France
What I like about The Basilique Notre Dame de la Garde
The Basilique Notre Dame de la Garde is a beautiful, peaceful basilica enriched with history and breathtaking views of the city.
Le Four Des Navettes
Le Four Des Navettes is the oldest bakery in Marseille, they have been in business since 1781. Three families have continued the legacy and tradition of this bakery from generation to generation. They continue to carry the history of the town throughout Le Four des Navettes. They are very well known for their specialty breads, pastries (Shuttle Buses which is an orange blossom-infused baguettes, Oil Pumps which is a delicately brioche, lightly sweetened and flavored with olive oil and orange blossom, and Gibassier which is a soft crunchy pastry with thin layer of sugar).
Address:
136 Rue Sainte, 13007 Marseille, France
What I like about the bakery
Its family owned and operated. All of their baked breads, pastries are made daily with fresh ingredients. My favorite pastry or cookie is the Almond Macarons it’s worth the visit.
Gallery
My photos from Marseille
