Marseille -Best places in the south of France.
Marseille is one of the best places to visit in the south of France. The capital of Provence (and pastis!) has an interesting cultural center, beautiful monuments and 300 days of sunshine.
Marseille is far from the other towns and villages that are perfect for postcards in Provence. However, with 2,600 years of history, undeniable heritage and exceptional cuisine, no one will blame you if you decide to spend a little time in the city.
The History of Marseille for centuries
The history of Marseille is complex, made up of power, trade and opportunity. With Julius Caesar’s victory over the city, Arles was captured. Trade continued on the other side of the Rhône but Marseille took its revenge 10 centuries later with the arrival of the Franks.
Roman buildings built in the Phocaean city bear witness to this. However, it was in the 19th century that Marseille experienced a second golden age and became a strong commercial center in the Mediterranean again. Since then, the city has always been good. The unique sunshine of the city may not be in vain and its history has not ended.
Marseille is on the rise. Due to its cultural presence in various topics such as hip-hop, architecture and the environment, the city has supported plans to the point of becoming the European capital of culture in 2013. In almost less than 10 million visitors, the success is unprecedented.
Since then, all eyes have turned to this unique city where new places are growing, such as MuCEM, Friche Belle de Mai or Terrasses du Port. Impertinent but happy, new but interested in its culture, cosmopolitan and Provencal, land and sea… Marseille now has all the characteristics of a great city.
Facts About Marseille
Marseille is the oldest city in France and was founded more than 2,600 years ago
This is probably one of the most interesting things in the history of Marseille.
Originally called Massalia, Marseille was founded by Greek sailors in the 7th century BC. This means that Paris, at the time called Lutetia, was just laying its first stone, while Marseille was already a developing and famous city.
Marseille is the second largest city in France
Although the first French city that comes to mind is Paris, Marseille is huge in its own right and is a must stop on any trip through France. As a city, it is the second largest in the country, with more than 860,000 inhabitants, which is still far from the 2,100,000 Parisians.
Chateau d’If is a famous castle on the coast of Marseille, commissioned by King Francis I.
You can get familiar with the Château d’If, a stone castle on the Île d’If, a small island off the coast of Marseille. It used to be a prison, but was ordered by King Francis I to defend the coast, although it was never attacked.
Marseille has been the water capital of the world since 1996.
Marseille is not the capital of France, but it is the capital of the world… water. The headquarters of the World Water Council sits in the Mediterranean city. Their mission is to “accumulate critical water issues at all levels”
Best Things to do in Marseille
Visit to Calanques National Park
The area south and east of Marseille has a lot of beautiful natural scenery.
Calanques are large white cliffs that reach high and descend to the sea. You can see these amazing wonders from land or sea.
If you are going to travel, you will need a spirit of fear, as the GR 98 from Marseille to Cassis takes about 11 hours and takes you through a tough country. In fact, the appearance makes the effort.
There are also small boats that leave from the old port, and guided kayaking tours.
Go to Corniche
Along the coast for several kilometers from the Old Port, La Corniche is a long terrace on the Mediterranean coast, on the beach and in a small, unusual neighborhood.
You can drive it, but it pays to walk for the sea air and the unique view of the island of Frioul and the tower of the Chateau d’If and the bay. One of the most interesting sites is the Vallon des Auffes, a traditional port in a steep harbor, surrounded by old, ruined buildings rising from the sea below the harbor and – support the road.
Visit Museum of Marseille
It can be difficult to understand the 26-century history of Marseille, but the top art museum near the Old Port will help. Due to the length of the interest, it is the most important urban museum in France.
For historians, that means half a day spent examining amphoras, ceramics, architectural fragments, remains of ancient ships, mosaics, sarcophagi and more. In this pile of artefacts from ancient Greece to the 20th century, maps and models are added showing Marseille in all aspects of its history, and the building is part of an archaeological site including the ramparts , port house and necropolis.
Go to Velodrome Stadium
Even before the magnificent renovation in preparation for Euro 2016, the Olympique de Marseille stadium is one of the cathedrals of football in the world. Today, it is the largest football stadium in the country, with a capacity of 67,000, and in the end it is protected from the unforgiving Mistral by a spectacular roof.
Although iconic, the Stade Vélodrome is not always appreciated by the city or the fans of OM, and you will learn everything about this history in one hour of visit, visiting the dressing room , an illustration of the planet and going sideways.
City Radieuse
Built between 1947 and 1952, this solid building was the first of Swiss architect Le Corbusier’s Unite d’Habitation, a design that would be repeated throughout Europe in the post-war period.
The idea is to transport the buildings, streets and amenities of the city into an 18-story building block. More than a thousand people still live here, but a tour will take you to one of the original restored buildings and up to the top of the tower where you can see the city.
Like all buildings by Le Corbusier, it is now protected as a UNESCO site
