Marseille
- Kari
- Aug 9, 2019
- 11 min read
Adventures are made by the people you meet, the food you eat, the things you see, and the moments that touch your heart.
May 5, 2019
Happy Cino De Mayo! (From Germany)
I cannot believe we have been here in Germany for a month. Life moves so quickly. I feel so blessed to be here. Everyday we are surrounded by beautiful storks circling our home and rolling green hills. We are so blessed!
I have felt moments of sadness, missing friends, family, and the comfort of home, but I find as I am grateful and close to my Savior I feel comfort and peace.
So I have to tell you a funny story.
Ryan and I have an APO address since we are now here with the Airforce in Germany. Ryan picked up some mail at our APO and there was a medium-sized package in his name. He takes it back to his office with some of his new fellow coworkers (who are social workers). He's only known them for maybe 2 to 3 weeks tops at this point. Full of excitement, he announced how he had been waiting for all of this great educational material for cu's that he had ordered. His coworkers were curious to see what he had ordered.
Imagine Ryan's (and their) surprise when Ryan broke open the box to find a bunch of lingerie. (I had ordered some sports bras and lotions from Victoria's)
His coworkers just laughed, "some educational materials, eh? Well, we didn't see anything..."
May 15, 2019
I have so many adventures to tell you from the last few days. Traveling and the journey of life are both full of surprises, exceeded expectations, disappointments, lulls, and blessings. Thursday night, May 9th, we drove to Stuttgart after dropping off Gracie at the petsitter's house. (Scary to leave our fur baby with new people for the first time! Especially because she gets nervous)
We stayed at my cousin's place to catch an early flight out of Stuttgart on RyanAir to Marseille the next morning. In the morning we got up, and after some stressful driving around in the dark trying to find the valet service to park our car at the airport and almost missing our flight.... we made it! We flew to Marseille and had a blast!
We successfully navigated the trains to get to the city center from the airport.
That's when I made my first unfortunate discovery.
You know how when you travel you're likely to forget your toothpaste, or a charger, or leave your deodorant behind? Well I somehow managed to forget to pack any clothes.
Yeah, tell me how that one happens.
I was wondering why my backpack felt so light...
I had laid out all my clothes on a shelf at home next to my backpack to pack up just before we left for the airport, but somehow missed putting them into my bag. So, I had the clothes on my back, a raincoat and a pair of pajamas to wear for 3 days. Needless to say, we spent a little time the first day trying to find me at least 1 extra shirt to wear so that I wouldn't be so stinky, and I washed my clothes in the sinks at our Airbnbs. #travelmishaps
We stayed in an Airbnb with the most eclectic French woman. She was quite the character I must say. When we first met her she took us into her "zoo" of a home. Quite literally a zoo.
She had 2 itty bitty chihuahua dogs named Paris and Saša. She then took us into her living room, which was VERY gorgeously French with soooo many plants and lounge chaises. She introduced us to Napolean--her Macaw bird. She told us he was 17 years old and would likely live to be 85 years old! She also had a cat named Charly and a tortu (turtle). She talked and talked and talked. My French definitely came in handy!
Her place was a bit dirty with animal poop and urine... which made me nervous about the potential condition of our Airbnb room, but then her hospitality and funny character settled me and made me excited to get out and see Marseille. (The room turned out fine btw)
Our first stop was to walk down to Vieux Port, where we went to the market. All along the boardwalk were these little stands that the market crafters had set up. There were fabulous smelling soaps (Marseille is famous for them). Many, many, many fresh flowers, knick knacks, food, spices, cookies, clothing, wooden carvings, artwork, scarves, bags, etc. We strolled a bit and it was a lot of fun to be out in the sunshine on the boardwalk.
There were also fishermen along the port all selling their day's catch. I loved seeing all the people in the market buying the fresh seafood. I wanted to know what they were buying, who they were cooking for, and how they would cook it.
Our second stop as the L'office de Tourisme to get a map and a city pass to ride the metro. We then took a ferry to the Château d'If. This is one of the sites we were most excited to see in Marseille. Ryan and I are HUGE Count of Monte Cristo fans, so to go see where the movie was filmed and visit the prison was alluring for us. Granted, our Aribnb host wasn't so pleased when we told her we had come to France to see a prison. She was appalled that we weren't headed to Calanques for the beaches.
It was so lovely (and windy!) to be on the sea. There's something reviving about being near the water. We also met some lovely Spaniard women on our boat who chatted it up with Ryan (since he speaks Spanish) all about the Count of Monte Cristo and how excited they were to come as well.
At one point we looked over at our ferry driver and he was driving the boat with his feet and watching a movie on his phone... well, I guess there's not much you could accidentally hit on open ocean.
The island and prison were formidable. We saw the cell of the Man in the Iron Mask and several other prison cells. It felt like a gloomy, dark, and hopeless place. I would not want to have been a prisoner in the Château d'If.
After some time at the prison we caught the ferry back to Marseille and grabbed some lunch and gelato (of course). We wandered Le Panier ("the bakset") which is a neighborhood first settled by the Greeks in 600 BC and later became a working neighborhood for immigrants in Marseille. There are charming, narrow streets with pastel-colored shutters and steep staircases for wandering and wanderlust.
Next stop was the Cathedrale La Major, which was an astonishing Baroque cathedral. Sooo mesmerizing. We also enjoyed the Vieille Charité from the outside as it happened to be closed for an event while we were there.
MUCEM (Musée des civilisations de l'Europe et de la Méditerranée) was our next stop.
The coolest part of the museum is the bridge!
We took a nap on top of the roof next to the sea and enjoyed the breeze.
Cost: Marseille city pass will get you into this museum or you can pay €9.50 per adult. Entry is free for 18 years and younger on the 1st Sunday of every month.
Where: 7 promenade Robert Laffont, although there are various entry points to Mucem. Hours: Open daily, but check the website for season specific opening and closing times.
Aside: a few weeks after returning from Marseille I heard a German song on the radio that had Black M singing in his typical French style. What? French and German pop songs?
I was so pleased and wanted to immediately look up the music video. Imagine my surprise when I pulled up the video and saw that it was all shot in Marseille at several of the places I had just been a few weeks prior!
After some rest, we continued our walking up to Notre Dame de la Garde (another elaborate baroque cathedral). This is a lookout point to see over all of Marseille. I recommend taking the tourist train or the bus up, as it is quite a steep climb to get up the hill.
Cost: Free (but this is still a working place of worship so please be aware and respectful)
Hours: Open daily from 7 a.m. - 7.00 p.m. (October to March), and until 8 p.m. in summer months. Last entry is 45 minutes prior to the closing time.
Good to Know: The tourist train runs people up here (expect long queues for the ride back in summer), as does the number 60 public bus, whilst there is ample free parking spaces available if you have your own vehicle. The Marseille city pass includes the tourist train. However, if you want a proper pilgrimage, then you can do the steep 30 minute walk up the hill.
I find it surprising and mysterious how these GIANT cathedrals were constructed before modern technology and the level of craftsmanship they exhibit. I love being able to be here in Europe and see so many old, beautiful, historic places.
We returned to our Airbnb which was basically a tidy closet with a shower and a bed (but hey, for one night and $40 it was satisfactory). There was a toilet down the hall for our use.
The bed was comfy and I slept well...except for a mosquito that apparently flew in the window and decided to devour me in the middle of the night. I counted 37-ish mosquito bites in the morning...ugh. I kept discovering more and more mosquito bites throughout the next day.
And yes, I did find and murder the mosquito in the our room in the morning.
In the morning we went to a Boulangerie and Patisserie down the street from our Airbnb that smelled amazing! It tasted just as good as it smelled. Ryan tried his first croque monsieur and we munched on delicious French pastries for breakfast.
We headed over to Cours Julien to take in the street art and graffiti it's famous for.
(This was one of my favorite parts of Marseille). This part of Marseille is a work of art. It's creative and alive. Every inch of wall and shop front is covered in street art that is really, really good. Off of this street you'll find restaurants, a community buzz, weekly street markets, live music, and a captivating ambiance.
Tip: don't leave without walking down Les Escaliers du Cours Julien (the staircase) to the bridge by the entrace to the Notre dame du Mont metro. The stairs are an awesome spot for photos and surprises.
Note: some of the streets around this area can feel a bit rough and ready, so use your common sense and be aware of your surroundings in this area. I wouldn't recommend traveling here alone.
Marseille has a reputation of not being a very safe city, but that reputation has been changing over the past 20-30 years as officials have been making efforts to increase employment, tourisme, and clean up the city. Just like New York, there's a few places to avoid, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't go visit and you can be safe.
Avoid these areas with maps:
The northern districts, the 3rd, 9th, 11th and the 13th through 16th arrondissements, Bellevue and Felix Pyat.
Most of the main tourist attractions are in the 1st, 4th, 6th and 7th arrondissements, so you likely won't even get close to the less-safe areas.
To stop into a legit soap making factory visit Savonnerie Marseillaise de la Licorne (34 Cours Julien) or La Grande Savonnerie (36 Grand Rue). They continue to make soaps in the traditional way at these shops. I also found the soaps here to be cheaper than the ones being sold at the Vieux Port. (I found the soaps to be even cheaper but same quality in Aix-en-Provence)
Marseille isn't the cleanest city, but it's full of gorgeous architecture, variety, and surprises at every corner. It's a city that feels lived in a buzzing with life.
And, of course, we ate some kebab and pommes frites avec la mayonaise.
Then, our time in Marseille drew to a close and we headed to the train station to head off on our next adventure to Aix-en-Provence.
We felt like this was a great purchase for our short time in Marseille. If you're going to go to at least 1-2 museums, visit the Château d'If, and plan on riding the metro around, then this pass will likely save you money. You can buy it at the tourist office and it will get you into several museums, on the metro, and allow you to take the ferry to the Château d'If.
(much easier to buy the pass at the tourist office rather than trying to buy it online)
You can buy passes for 24hrs (27 €), 48hrs (37€) , or 72hrs (43€).
We bought the 24hr pass and it was great for us. With the pass you gain access to:
Free Access to Museums (closed on Mondays)
• Museum of African, Oceanic, American-Indian Art • Museum of Mediterranean Archaeology • Marine Museum • “Cantini” Museum • Roman Docks Museum • Natural History Museum • Museum of Popular (Arts and Traditions of Marseille) • Decorative arts and fashion Museum – Borely • History Museum • MAC (Contemporary Art) • MuCEM (Closed on Tuesdays) • Museum of Fine Arts – Palais Longchamp
Public Transportation Network
• Free access to the metro, bus and tramway (closed on 1st May)
• Tourist train to Notre-Dame de la Garde or The old Town : le Panier
Free
• Free soap sample from “Les savons de Saint Victor”
• Free tasting at Four des navettes, Navettes des Accoules, Cure gourmande and La Maison du Pastis
• A lollipop at “La cure gourmande”
• Free entry and skate rental for the ice rink of the “Palais Omnisports”
• “Le Panier des créateurs” gift available for orders over EUR 10
• A little gift offered by “La Maison de la Boule Bleue”
Discounts • 10% discount at the Tourist Office shop, Galeries Lafayette, Occitane, le Comptoir du Panier, boutique Durance, Marseille en Vacances, la Grande Savonnerie, Fragonard, Made in Mediterranée, au Printemps Terrasses du Port, “Torréfaction Noailles”, candy shop Dromel Ainé, “Escale Marine”, JF Rey Marseille / Les Lunetiers Davso (Designer from Marseille), La Cure Gourmande, La Savonnerie Marseillaise, les Toiles du Large et McArthurGlen designer outlet Provence, La Compagnie de Provence • Discount on the visit of the Orange Velodrome and at the OM shops (Canebiere and Orange Velodrome) • Discount tickets for the Festival of Marseille in July, the Jazz Festival, the National Theater La Criée, the Theater “Le Gymnase”, Theater “Nono”, Station Alexandre, The Opera of Marseille, The “Mémorial La Marseillaise”, The Buzine Castle, the Silo (music, shows), “FRAC”, the Ferris Wheel, the “Quai du Rire”, the Raimu museum (Marignane), Fiesta des Suds and the National Ballet of Marseille • 10% discount on boat excursions with “Compagnies Maritimes Calanques”, on Tuk-Tuk, strolls, and Provence Tours, Raskas Kayak, Trolib, Exit Game, Locked Time , EasyMove and E-bike • 5% discount on the Museum of Popular Arts and Traditions shop • 15% discount on the services provided by EVTT Provence • 15% discount on the Marcel Pagnol shop (except art and object collection) and 5% discount on its books (15 rue caisserie 13002) • 15% discount at the ice-cream shop EGO 73, cours julien 13006 Marseille • €25 instead of €28 for a session at SENSAS • Discount at Les Calissons du Roy René • Discount at the Soap Museum "le Musama"
Other important tips:
- If you have more than 10 people the city pass requires you to make a group reseration. email bgiraud@marseille-tourisme.com
- No public transport on May 1st.
- Museums are closed on Mondays and the 25th & 26th of December
- Château d'If is closed Mondays from September through March.
- Memorial of the death camps is temporarily closed (2019)
- Pass time starts counting down from the first usage (not from the time you buy it). It will get activated the first time you use it to enter a museum or ride public transport.
- Attractions may be visited only once with the pass for the duration of the pass.
Here's some advice on taking the train from Marseille to Aix-en-Provence
Step 1: Make your way to the Marseille train station (Gare de Saint-Charles).
Step 2: Purchase ticket to Aix-en-Provence from the Ticket Kiosk. Cost is just over €6.50 per person. You will be required to enter the date/time of departure when purchasing. Because this information is pre-printed on the ticket, there’s no need to validate your ticket before boarding your train. Note: If you purchased an open ticket (one without a specified travel date) you will need to validate your ticket by stamping it in the ticket validation machine (usually located at the entrance to platforms).
Step 3: Check the platform information board to find which platform (designated by letter) services trains going to Aix-en-Provence or Sisteron; this is the train that stops in Aix-en-Provence.
Step 4: Make your way to your designated platform (Destination: Sisteron or Aix-en-Provence).
Step 5: Check the information board on the platform to verify that this train stops in Aix-en-Provence.
Step 6: Board the train, take a seat, and enjoy the ride. Travel time is ~35 minutes.
Step 7: Exit the train at Gare D’Aix-en-Provence.
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