|
 Vibrant, bustling Marseille is France’s second city, and its largest port. With its long, proudly independent history it is home to many imposing monuments, from medieval churches to royal fortresses and imperial palaces. You can get there in just over three hours from Paris by high speed train.
-
Passing through? Head down to the Old Port, the historic centre of Marseille and home to many of its finest restaurants serving traditional Marseillaise fare. Admire the two imposing fortresses of St Jean and St Nicholas, built between the 15th and 17th centuries, as much to curb the city’s fiery spirit as to protect it from invaders.
-
Staying a while? Take time out to visit Notre Dame de la Garde, the city’s massive 19th-century Romanesque-Byzantine basilica, topped with a huge gilt Madonna and child who look out over the Mediterranean and protect the sailors in the port below.
-
The inside track... Part of France, yet somehow apart: what’s true of Marseille is true of its unique gastronomy. Try the famous bouillabaisse at one of the city’s many cafés, perhaps washed down with a swift pastis.
For more about Marseille, go to:
|
|