Room with a view: Marseille’s Magnificent Vieux Port

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At the end of April, we traveled via TGV south from Paris to the Mediterranean town,  Marseille. The second largest and oldest city in France, Marseille has experienced a dramatic rebirth from a rather banal port city to a vibrant, cultural mecca in line with any of Europe’s major cosmopolitan cities.

Room with a view of Vieux Port and Notre Dame de la Garde

I was curious to see Marseille again as it had been a very long time. Twenty years ago I wanted to faire un stage thus spent the summer as an intern at a French business after graduating from university. I honestly do not have many fond memories of my time there. I loved the region of Provence surrounding Marseille yet found the city to be dirty, uninspiring and relatively bland. After hearing so much fanfare about Marseille and what a magnificent city it has become, I decided to give it another whirl and I was not the slightest bit disappointed in what I found.

In Marseille, I found a pell mell of culture and electricity that other cities would die to have just a sliver of. In a nutshell, Marseille had come to life with a pizzazz and heartbeat that pulsates the city like a radiant shower of gold.

The lovely sailboats of the Vieux Port.

As soon as we arrived at our hotel along the famous Vieux Port, I was shocked at how much this city had changed. Its vibrancy and beauty were a delightful surprise as was the cultural mix of inhabitants coming from Africa, the Middle East and other parts of the world. Named as the European Capital of Culture for 2013, Marseille is bound to become one of the hottest, most sought after travel locations of the year and it is a reward that is definitely deserved.

Marseille: European Capital of Culture 2013

Marseille’s crown jewel, the Notre Dame de la Garde lies up above the city.
Looking to the heart of the Vieux Port which is lined with open air restaurants and fisherman’s boats.
Accordion player along Vieux Port.
Grad a drink with a view of the Vieux Port at one of the many open-aired balcony bars.
Lovely southern French architecture and charm.
Zooming in for a view at Notre Dame de la Garde.

Gorgeous red-tiled rooftops of Marseille.

Our hotel, the Residence du Vieux Port was the perfect place to base ourselves for our stay in Marseille. Strategically located along the Vieux Port, we were walking distance to restaurants, nightlife and shopping along La Canebière, the historic street in the old quarter of Marseille leading to the Vieux Port. But the best part of all about our hotel was the view off the balcony.

The Vieux Port of Marseille is lined with restaurants offering plenty of delicious fare.

I thought these mirrors were pretty cool.

Some of the best moments and memories of our trip happened on the balcony off our hotel room drinking icy cold Cotes de Provence as the sun set behind the Notre Dame de la Garde casting hues of pinks, golds and oranges across the port. It was a room with a splendid view. One you’d see on a cover of Conde Nast. It was grand.

C’est magnifique!

Vieux Port at Sunset.

Having a cassis at one of Marseille’s lovely bars.

As the sun tucked away behind the Notre Dame de la Garde and all became engulfed in darkness, the boats became awash in blue lights and it was utterly gorgeous.

If you go…

Marseille is an easy hop, skip and a jump from Paris. You can either take a short flight or for a more scenic view, the TGV will get you there in less than four hours. Marseille is the perfect launching off pad for jaunts into lovely Provence, Cassis and all the grand cities alongside the Côte d’Azur. 

To see my TripAdvisor review of the Residence du Vieux Port, click here.

Stay tuned….For visits into Cassis and the perched villages of Luberon in Provence.

23 thoughts on “Room with a view: Marseille’s Magnificent Vieux Port”

  1. Oh, Nicole, what an incredible view from your balcony! Now I have another place I want to visit! Thanks so much for sharing these amazing photos.

    I’m trying to get back to blogging now that we are settled in Ecuador. We love our new home! Sorry to have missed so many of your posts recently! I’ve missed them!

    Hugs,
    Kathy

    Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Hi Kathy! So good to hear from you! I am glad you are getting settled and look forward to hearing about all your adventures in Ecuador!

      Reply ↓
  2. adinparadise – I enjoy writing about anything and everything. It keeps me out of mischief. I love to travel and am fortunate enough to be able to do so quite frequently.
    adinparadise on said:

    This looks like such an amazing place to visit, Nicole. Thanks for sharing your beautiful photos. 🙂

    Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Yes it is beautiful! I love the South of France. It really is special.

      Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Thanks! It is a beautiful place. I love France! 🙂

      Reply ↓
  4. Lauren @ Peaks and Passports – I’m Lauren, a 28-year-old living in the mountain paradise that is the Vail Valley. I’m a firm believer in being a tourist in your own town and seizing every opportunity to explore new places. I hope to become your go-to for insight on the best my hometown has to offer and an outlet to escape somewhere beautiful while sitting at your computer. Please join me on my adventures at home and abroad!
    Lauren @ Peaks and Passports on said:

    What a gorgeous view from your balcony! It must have been tough to ever leave and explore the city. Thanks for a wonderful dose of armchair travel 🙂

    Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      You’re welcome! So glad you enjoyed. It was also very special as it was a trip with my mother and sister so we truly enjoyed our time together, drinking wine on that balcony! 🙂

      Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Thanks Amy! I was so amazed at how much a place can change in 20 years. Really truly incredible.

      Reply ↓
  6. restlessjo – Hi! I’m Jo! Johanna when I’m feeling posh, Jan to my Dad, and Joasiu to my Polish family. A bit of a mix-up, that’s me. The one constant, however, is my restless nature. I love to travel and to explore our world. It doesn’t have to be the big wide world. I can be ridiculously happy not too far from home, so long as I’m seeking new horizons. Of course I have a wish list, and it was to help me fulfil my dreams that I started to write travel guides for a venture called Simonseeks. I’d always kept a travel diary, and it was hugely satisfying to share my experiences and to make new friends who shared my passion for travel. Alas, Simonseeks hit a few troubles, but I still find myself writing about my travels. I’ve become addicted. I’d love to share them, and to make more friends. So, it has to be a blog- right? Or do I mean- write?
    restlessjo on said:

    Oh, darn! Another gorgeous city! Thanks for sharing, Nicole. Now, where’s my beret? 🙂

    Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      He He…another place for you to go jo! 🙂

      Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Thank you!

      Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Me too! Mom and I had some cold Cote de Provence last night here but it wasn’t the same. Missing that good old view!

      Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      So glad you enjoyed! 🙂

      Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Yes, it was spectacular! 🙂

      Reply ↓

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