Escape to the maritime city of Marseille
I’m getting a lot better at this spontaneous travel thing. When I found out four days ago that I had two days off from my waitressing gig in a row, I decided to take advantage of it and scheduled a getaway to Marseille.
While Marseille is France’s second-largest city, it’s mostly known for being dirty and dangerous. Still, I wanted to try authentic bouillabaisse and needed a break from the superficial façade of Nice. I hopped on the ever-faithful (and consistently late) SNCF and for a mere 30 Euros, I was off to the oldest city in France, founded by the Greeks in 600 BC.
The result? I discovered that the 2013 European Capital of Culture is dirty, but pretty harmless. And I realized that authentic bouillabaisse isn’t possible on a waitress’s budget, although absolutely delicious North African food is. If you decide you want to check out this rebellious port city, here are my must-sees:
For the best panoramic view of the city, climb up to Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde. While you can cheat and take one of those awful tourist trains or open-air buses (sorry, but I’ll always prefer exploring a neighborhood by foot), the hike through graffiti-stained walls and never-ending stairs gives you a taste of the real Marseille. The city’s nautical past (and present) is clear in this basilica: sailboats hang from the ceiling, anchors are incorporated into the décor, and there’s a special blessing for fishermen lost at sea. For someone who’s two feet will always been firmly planted on land, the view is unbeatable.
Le Panier is the oldest neighborhood in the city, a mix of rejuvenation and dilapidation. The traditional first stop for immigrants fresh off the boats, it’s been a focus of many urban renewal efforts. While the narrow winding streets and brightly-colored shutters are often picturesque, you can’t ignore the burned-out cars, anti-authority graffiti and trash crowding your feet.
Rue Longue-des-Capucins and Rue d’Aubagne is where you’ll find the North African beat of the city. This multicultural market street is lively and full of couscous, Egyptian flat bread and chickpeas. If you’re on a budget, head away from the overpriced food at the port and indulge in African specialties on the cheap.
Craving fresh fish? Look no further than the Marché Aux Poissons. Some of the creatures are still swimming in water tanks and you can see the merchants’ tiny boats behind them. However, I’m a bit doubtful about the whole “caught-it-this-morning” line since I watched a refrigerated truck pull up and empty fish into one of the stalls. Either way, it’s still fun to look at all the different kinds of sea creatures.
Need to feel the sea breeze in your hair? Take the boat out to Chateau d’If, an island fortress at the mouth of the port that was built as a deterrent to potential invaders. It worked so well that it never saw combat and eventually became a prison, with its prime advantage similar to that of Alcatraz: it’s awfully tough to escape. It was also the setting for The Count of Monte Cristo by Dumas. It’s worth the 10 Euro round-trip boat ride (and additional 5 Euro entry fee) to see Marseille from another angle—and to escape the constant bustle of the city.
More than anything, I just enjoyed wandering around the city. La Canobière isn’t exactly beautiful anymore, but you can still see traces of its former grandeur in the 19th-century buildings that line it. And while the port doesn’t come close to Antibes for yacht-watching, it’s still fun to look at the crazy amount of fishing boats.
It was nice to feel like I was in a real city, instead of a tourist attraction—although I can’t lie, I’m happy to be back to my clean streets and beach, stones and all.
