Panoramic view of Marseille
A for Architecture
Neuralgic center of culture in this 2013, Marseilles it has renovated existing museums and has also opened new cultural spaces. the event manager, Jean Francois Chougnet , points out the five new buildings that have changed the face of the city.
1.**MuCEM ** Will open this spring and is an extension of the Museum of Mediterranean Civilizations . It is a concrete cube designed by Rudy Ricciotti . Its long promenade will be open to the public (esplanade St-Jean) .
2.**VILLA MÉDITERRANÉE** Next to the MuCEM , will host conferences on the local culture. Stefano Boeri he designed this complex as a huge letter C. Its lower section is under water (esplanade St-Jean) .
3. J1 In the port, this hangar , made up of galleries, a restaurant with views and a large area dedicated to events, was conceived as a temporary space which we hope will become permanent (pl. de la Joliette) .
Four. ** TOUR-PANORAMA, FRICHE LA BELLE DE MAI ** Shaped like a parallelepiped, what used to be a artists squat today it is a cooperative of creators. Different avant-garde shows (41 rue Jobin) .
5. ** FRAC ** (Fonds Régional d'Art Contemporain) Designed by Kengo Kuma , its collection includes pieces by established and promising artists such as Raphaël Zarka either Katinka Bock (1 place Francis Chirat).
Villa-Mediterranée: center of local culture
B for Bouillabaisse
Once upon a time there was a poor fisherman's stew –cooked by their wives with the unsold leftovers from the day's catch– today it has become a coveted local specialty.
** Chez Fonfon :** the old school. in a kind of Fisher's town in the middle of the metropolis, the chef Denis White uses locally caught fish stock (scorpion fish, San Pedro fish, conger eel, weaver fish, blond fish) and potatoes as a base, and adds croutons (fried breadcrumbs) and the well-known garlic rouille sauce. Her secret from him? Tasty fresh fish and a long time: more or less about two hours of cooking (bouillabaisse: €45) .
** Le Petit Nice :** nouveau. The only Michelin star chef in all of Provence, Gerald Passedat , serves three deconstructed dishes that he claims are like dive into the mediterranean : "You meet carpaccio of shellfish collected in natural pools (clams, mussels) . You dive a little deeper into a broth based on five fish with a touch of saffron . And you end the descent with two impressive slow-cooked fish. A very natural route, like diving" (about €163).
Bouillabaisse at Chez Fonfon
C for Calanques
Three quarters of the new Calanques National Park is urban. But the park is much more than that: proof of this are its dramatic white limestone fjords . How to explore them:
Boat. The best way to see the cliffs is from the port. Compagnies Maritimes Calanques et Château offers routes in which the picnic becomes a sport (tel. +33 4 91 33 03 29; €27) and the Bleu Evasion catamarans have snorkeling equipment (€48) .
Walking. The route GR 98 crosses the park (restricted access in summer and fall) . The most accessible coves are Sugiton (from Aix-Marseille University) or Cassis (from Port-Miou) .
To the table. in the creek of sormiou, Le Lunch it is known for its grilled fish (tel. +33 4 91 25 05 37; from €40; opens in March and closes in October) ; Le Château de Sormiou , for the spectacular views from its terrace (Route du Feu de la calanque de Sormiou; tel. +33 4 91 25 08 69; from €43; from March to October) .
Las Calanques: hardly accessible by car
H for Hotels
There is a type of room for each type of nostalgia , whether your taste is related to Louis XV or modernism.
Year of construction: 1753. InterContinental Marseille-Hotel Dieu. In April, this hotel, as archaic as it is splendid, will reopen its 194 rooms (72 with views of the port) now without artifice or ornaments (HD: from €267).
Year of construction: 1816. Grand Hôtel Beauvau Marseille Vieux Port. Everyone from Chopin a cocktail , have stayed here. Renovated in a style Napoleon III , its Provencal fabrics and its antique desks stand out. Most of the rooms have views of the Vieux-Port (HD: around €113).
Year of construction: 1952. Hotel Le Corbusier. The rooms have been spruced up to retain the clever design of Le Corbusier . The restaurant has an excellent young chef and designer Pray Ito has opened a gallery on the terrace (from €70).
Year of construction: 2012. Mama Shelter Marseille. Designed on a tight budget, it features a liquor bar, DJ, football and comfortable rooms, all close to the lively Cours Julien (HD: from €49).
Mama Shelter Marseille: very original
S for Souvenir
Classic. They say that the typical and elongated navettes biscuits , spiced with orange blossom, from Four des Navettes resemble the ship that, according to legend, brought Maria Magdalena to nearby Stes-Maries-de-la-Mer. They are still made in the original oven from 1781 , date on which the bakery opened (metal box of 12: €17) .
Current. Grab an elegant coat or a pair of Marseille-style floral print trousers at Sessùn. A brand designed in Marseille by Emma Francois –who has made several lines for the firm Madewell–, whose vintage ribbon collars are a must (6 rue Sainte).
V for Old Port
melting pot of cultures, in the old Port the city arose 2,600 years ago. Today, sailboats and shipyards share space with bars and theaters. Norman Foster Y Michel Devigne they changed its face with large esplanades and walks and cafes with terraces. Do not miss:
Quai des Belges: where boats unload fish for the morning market and depart for sea excursions.
La Canebiere: it's the grand boulevard leading out of the port and through the city, and Marseille's answer to the Champs-Elysées (albeit a bit more shabby). ** La Samaritaine :** Enjoy tea in this 1910 café (from €8). ** Une Table Au Sud ** : try your creative bouillabaisse Composed of a tasty mixture of mascarpone, potato cream and Parmesan with slices of San Pedro fish (menu from €22). ** The Caravelle ** : sneak up to the balcony of this cocktail bar in the bellevue hotel for the best mojitos in town. Live jazz on Wednesdays and Fridays.
Le Panier: the oldest neighborhood in the city is a labyrinth of houses with multicolored facades, old shops and small squares full of Marseille artists.
The Maison DiAmantée: this 16th century mansion is instantly recognizable by the diamond shapes on its façade (rue de la Prision) .
** La Maison du Pastis :** You will find 75 varieties of pastis (typical anise) in this shop. They'll let you try a couple of them before you buy.
** Le Bar de la Marine :** This 1930s sailors' haunt today hosts a lively and eclectic crowd in its old zinc bar, one of the scenes from the movie Love Actually was shot here.
The Trolleybus: Marseille's first nightspot is a labyrinth of spaces: whiskey bar, dance floors and even petanque in a former naval arsenal.
** Théâtre National de Marseille-La Criée :** Once a fish market, today it is one of the most innovative theaters in France.
** Rowing Club de Marseille :** Nest of gourmet experts –open to non-members– (from €20).
This report has been published in number 61 of Conde Nast Traveler.
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