Marseille
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Marseille is the second largest city in France and the largest in Provence Alpes-Côte d'Azur. CouchSearch finds more than 1000 active members in the city (2009, september, 1st).
THIS PAGE IS ALSO AVAILABLE IN FRENCH (Marseille2)
Click on the blue words to see more informations.
Contents |
GENERAL INFORMATION
Marseilles with more than 1 million inhabitants is a city impossible to miss in France. It bathes in the sun more than 280 days per year and has a magnificent panoramic view of the Mediterranean Sea.
Of the many sights to be visited - the famous basilica of "Notre Dame de la Garde" which looks over the people of Marseilles and her visitors. But the “Bonne Mère” is not the only highlight spot of Marseilles....
The 'Vieux Port" (antique Port) where you can walk around and install yourself in one of the many terraces, cafés, bars or restaurants and visit the famous fish market (“my fresh fish is still moving !“).
From the oldest neighbourhood in Marseilles “Le Panier”(which translated means basket) to the Docks of the Joliette while passing by “Belle-de-Mai” and Estaque, you will discover an urban paradise swarming with sunny discoveries.
For the amateurs of idleness, cicadas, “pastaga”, “petanque” will be on your agenda as you discover the specialities of Marseilles and its people.
And, of course so many other places are to be discovered like the beaches along the coast, the creeks “les Calanques” authentic natural paradises and the beautiful parks and museums of Marseilles.
What more to say ? ...
Come to discover this city,
a truly diverse cultural and social universe …
striving since more than 2600 years ago with her arms
open towards the sea,
and the world.
Tourist information :
CS ACTIVITES IN MARSEILLE
You can reach the couchsurfers of Marseille on the CS group You could see that regular meetings and small local meet-ups take place a few times a week (drink - cinema - theatre - concert - excursion and various events).
Every thursday, the couchsurfing people of Marseilles meet at the bar called "le petit nice", on the area "La Plaine" downtown. This will be our local headquarters for the end of 2009 until the spring 2010. So come and join us ! Meetings every thursday as of 8.30pm with potluck happy hour for everyone!!
NEXT MEETING / EVENTS IN NOVEMBER :
- friday, 13th : LUCKY MEETING (Monthly meeting of the group)
LAST MEETINGS / EVENTS :
- Visit/picnic in Carry le Rouet : august, 28th
Comments from ... a CS member from Marseille : "....
- Barbecue Party under the mimosa : august, 25th
- Fête du Panier june, 19th to 21th
Comments from Atoh, a CS member from Marseille :"It was a pleasure meeting up with such an amazing people...indeed food is a unifying factor:-)). Hats off to the organisers..."
- Soirée bleue in the street : sunday, June, 28th
Comments from Thomas, funny CS member from Marseille :"Pues, que poumchi-poumchi del domingo!!!"
Comments from Fanny, the organizer :" eh bien, comme prévu nous nous fîmes péter le bide! 12 morfales se sont jetés sur brochettes de crudités, tapenades hongro-hollandaises, muffins salés, frometon, divines tajines, tiramisu aux fruits rouges et rocky road, le tout arrosé de vin et bières allemandes.. miam miam c'était bon!!
- Monthly meeting of the group on a boat called "goèlette" may, 29th
Comments from Erick, a CS member from Sweden :"Thank you all that attended, it was very nice indeed! Cool boat, intresting people, good wine and the sun setting in the mediterranian... That's as good as any evening gets! :)"
EMERGENCY COUCHES plus Hostels/Hotels and Camping websites
For an emergency, post in the [Emergency couch search group]
If you couldn't find a couch with CS: here is a list of Hostels and Hotels.
- There are 2 official hostels in Marseilles (Auberges de Jeunesse, http://www.fuaj.org) :
- Bonneveine impasse du Docteur Bonfils Tel: +33 491 17 63 30
- Bois-Luzy Château de Bois Luzy - allée des Primevères Tel: +33 491 49 06 18
- Two unofficial hostels:
- Vertigo Hostel 42 rue des petites Maries (next to the train station) Tel: +33 491 91 07 11
- London Connection Hostel 45 Rue Flegier (downtown) Tel: +33 672 80 13 52
- And we know three nice Bed & Breakfast :
- Cigale et Fourmi 19-21 rue Boudier, (in the Mazarges district) Tel: +33 491 400 512
- Maison du petit canard 48, impasse Sainte-Françoise (in the district of "le Panier") Tel: +33 491 91 40 31 or +33 617 80 45 43
- Chez Marie 17 place Alexandre Labadie (downtown) Tel: +33 663 456 018
Plus a great little hotel, with the perfect location (right above the water):
- Hôtel Le Richelieu 52 promenade Corniche John Kennedy next to the catalans beach) Tel: +33 491 31 01 92
- Camping websites
There are no camping places in Marseilles. There are a couple nearby.
And for all the area, you can have a look at the HPA Guide for Provence.
- Then, for (regular) cheap hotels, have a look at :
http://www.hostelbookers.com hostels hostels in the world
TRANSPORTATION
WELCOME TO MARSEILLES !
By plane :
The International Airport of Marseille-Provence is located at 25 kms from Marseilles city center. shuttles are avalaible on a regular basis (25 min. one single trip - 8.50€/voucher) from 4:30 AM to 11:30PM every day.
A new train station opened in January 2009, it's called Vitrolles-Aéroport and it is next (and not at) the airport. There are free buses to take you to the station. The trip to Marseille-Saint Charles takes 20 minutes. It is cheaper than the bus but less regular. On another hand, trains (from there) go to Montpellier (in 1.30 hour) ... so no need to Marseille to carry on straight to the West of France. Check out the time tables on the SNCF web site.
Taxis costs around 40€ and it is a 20 min. trip to downtown Marseilles (without any traffic jam).
Frequent daily flights are available to Paris and other European major cities such as Madrid - London - Munich - Eindoven - Stockholm... from the MP2 terminal !
By train :
The Train Station Marseille - St Charles is at the inner center of Marseilles. To Paris by TGV (high speed train) : 3h15 / Lyon : 1h40 / Nice : 2h20 It is recommanded to buy online IDTGV or Prem's tickets (see SNCF bookings)
To go to other parts of Southern France other train network is also available :
TER (Express Regional Train) in the *PACA Region (and most of the regional LER (Express Regional Line). *Provence, the Alps, & the French riviera TER en PACA Since 14th of december 2008 a new line with the TER : Aix-en-Provence, Simiane, Gardanne, Pertuis... TER Marseille - Aix
By bus : You have some bus companies like Eurolines which can get you to Marseilles easily.
How to move around downtown : map of Marseille
by bus/subway/tramway : 1.50€/hour with the local transport company Régie des Transports de Marseille-RTM
by bicycle : (for rent : payment only by bank card) le velo
TIPS
Free Internet/Wifi Access
Here are some places where you can get some Internet/Wifi connexion:
- HYPER COPY - Adress: 15, rue du Théâtre Français - Tel: 04.95.08.24.03
- CYBER BUG'S CAFE - Adress: 80 cours Julien - Tel: 04.96.12.53.43
- CYBER CAFOUCH - Adress: 36 place Jean Jaurès - Tel: 04.91.
- INFO CAFE - Adress: 1 quai de Rive Neuve - Tel: 04.91.
- CYBER HORS LIMITES - Adress: 35 rue de la paix - Tel: 04.91.33.15.50
- CYBER MAGIC CAFE - Adress: 20 rue du Docteur Escat - Tel: 04.91.13.75.76
- CYBERCAFE DM - Adress: 12 rue Saitn Savournin - Tel: 04.91.42.31.44
- CYBER CONCEPT - Adress: 16 rue Julia - Tel: 04.91.78.08.78
- NETFIGHTERS - Adress: 8 rue du bosquet - Tel: 04.91.
- CYBERQUEST - Adress: 36 cours Lieutaud - Tel: 04.91.54.06.81
Nice and Cheap Places to Eat :
Nightlife :
Plenty of bars, and music bars around La Plaine (Place Jean Jaures) and Le Cours Julien. There are many places with Live Music: L'Intermédiaire, Dan Racing, ...
Also quite a lot of bars and tiny clubs around Le Vieux Port (mainly on Quai de Rive Neuve side). And of course, the world famous "Trolley Bus": a club under the arcade of an old boat warehouse.
Further away from the centre, there are the restaurants and bars of L'Escale Borrely (on the beach and next to the Prado). You will find a few places to dance too: Sports Beach, La Voile, L'Hippodrome (across the street). This area is a bit more upmarket and up-nose (dress smart to get in).
Also a tiny bit further south along the sea, there are the bars of La Vieille Chapelle and even further the restaurants of La Pointe Rouge ... where you can eat on the sand ! !
WHAT TO DO AND SEE
Free maps of the town are available in the Tourism Office
TO SEE DOWN TOWN :
- Vieux Port, on the City Hall side and Quai de Rive Neuve
- Panier district
- Vieille Charité
- City Hall
- Canebière
- Cathedrals
- Abbey of Saint Victor and le " Four des Navettes "
- forts St Nicolas & St Jean
- Palais du Pharo
- Palais de la Bourse
- Opéra
- Cours Belsunce and cours Saint Louis
- Rue de la République
- Palais Longchamp
NEAR BY
- Stade Velodrome,football informations
- Cité Radieuse (of the architect Le Corbusier)
- Docks
- Estaque
If you wish to discover nature wonders and landscapes :
- creeks (les Calanques)
- islands near Marseilles
- beaches
- Château d'If and Frioul islands information about islands
WHAT TO DO
A great number of activities are proposed such as theatre plays, operas, exhibitions in various museums, conferences, concerts, etc. Marseille will be «European Capital of Culture» in 2013, a few projects are in the making.
In the mean time, here are the "Classics":
Web Sites about the Culture in Marseilles: - The City Hall website - Espace Culture - Newspaper Libération Agenda
For the amateurs of sports, Marseilles and its surroundings offer a great variety of landscapes (sea, hills, mountains, countrysides).
- SPORTS EVENTS
the bowl international skatepark
Activités proposées par l'office du tourisme
- HIKING
- BICYCLING in MARSEILLES
All in French:
The Bicycles available in the streets
Vélos en Ville - Collectif Marseillais (Marseilles organisation for cycling)
Vélo Utile (another organisation for cycling)
OTHER INFORMATIONS :
Marseille on wikitravel Official roommate finder service for Marseille
NEIGHBOURHOODS
Around Marseilles :
- provencal towns : Aix en Provence, Arles, Avignon, Toulon, Nimes, Aubagne...
- typical cities or villages : Cassis, Gémenos, le Castellet, Allauch, les Pennes Mirabau...
You may also follow the coast, by feet, (many footpaths), by car or by boat...
- in the countryside of Saint-Rémy de Provence and The Alpilles :
It's the traditional back-country, the land of famous writers such as Alphonse Daudet and Frederic Mistral. Near places are to visit such as the trendy Saint-Rémy de provence and les Baux de Provence, Fontvieille, Maussane, Eygalières, Tarascon, etc...
- in the countryside of Arles, Camargues and Crau : places surrounded by rivers, swamps and plains. Nature is wild there and in the area fauna is exceptional : birds watching, bulls, horses, sheeps... In the area, there is the city of Arles, classified as the world heritage of humanity by the worldwide organization UNESCO. In the city there are strong prints of traditions from Provence and from Camargues.
- in the country of Martigues and the Blue Coast (summer touristic places) : the maritime coast is very important and are fulfilled with harbours and beaches.
INTERESTING WEBSITES
- Visit Provence: infos about the area,
- ObturateurCentral: Pictures as of from a webcam,
- Marseille Information Center (Office du Tourisme),
- Jobs in the Area
IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
- Police Station and pound : telephone number : 17
- Health Urgency : telephone number : 15 or 115
- Hopitals
- Fireman Station : telephone number : 18 or 112
- Embassy
- Emergency Doctor
- mistreated childhood : telephone number : 119
LOCAL MEDIA MENTIONS
