Old Marseille
Marseille, France's second
city, has a difficult reputation, and is often avoided by travelers, but
it is an exciting, colorful place, with a long history. It is thoroughly
cosmopolitan in its mix of peoples and cultures and finally, after
decades of decay, it is undergoing something of a revival – old buildings
are being restored and the TGV train link with Paris has made the city
much more accessible to weekenders.
The area around the old port of Marseille is the true heart of the place,
and Le Panier, the old town, lies to its north. The boulevard La
Canebiere runs north-east from the port and around it is the colorful
Maghrebi quarter, full of markets selling exotic vegetables, colorful
African fabrics and pungent eastern spices.
Two fortresses stand guard over the harbor entrance, but the basilica of
Notre-Dame de la Garde standing high above the city to the south of the
port, is probably its best known landmark. The vast statue of the Madonna
and Child, covered with gold leaf, that stands on top of the basilica
tower can be seen far out to sea.
Le Panier is the oldest part of town, a rabbit warren of narrow streets
and stone stairways but it suffered some serious damage during World War
II when the Nazis used dynamite to clear the area of undesirables such as
Jews and resistance fighters. Luckily, after the war, archaeologists
discovered a Roman warehouse here, which has now been turned into a
museum. At the top of Le Panier is the beautifully restored Hospice de la
Vieille Charite, a seventeenth-century workhouse with a stunning Baroque
chapel and pink stone arcades. The hospice is now home to two museums,
and art exhibitions and concerts are held in the chapel.
When you are there, visit the
Maghrebi quarter and enjoy the sensory experience of colorful stalls
selling spices. Make sure you do not miss to try the famous bouillabaisse
