Marseille Things to Do

At the roundabout on Prado Beach, where Avenue du Prado and Promenade Georges Pompidou meet, stands an imposing statue around 5m tall. It is a copy of Michelangelo's famous "David" in Carrara marble, and was presented to the ci... more

In 1908, Marseilles' town council launched a project for architects to design a monumental stairway outside the station, the contract being awarded to architects Serres and Arnal. The construction of the staircase which dominat... more

Standing at the southern entrance to the Vieux-Port on the north bank, Fort Saint-Jean was built to protect the old town. Dating back to the end of the 12th Century, it is named after the religious order of Saint-Jean-de-Jerusa... more

Set in the 11th arrondissement to the south-east of Marseilles, La Treille is a small, picturesque village home to some 300 inhabitants known as Treillans. It was made famous by the playwright, poet, story-teller and film-maker... more

In centuries gone by, it was in the square of Pavillon Daviel (the former Law Courts), that the guillotine awaited its victims. The building was constructed by the Gérard brothers between 1743 and 1747, using pink stone from th... more

Situated on Promenade Kennedy, this immense ship's propeller made of bronze was erected in 1971, in memory of those repatriated from North Africa. It was created by Marseillaise sculptor César to mark the exodus of the early 19... more

The Hôtel de la Préfecture stands tall amid Rue Saint-Férréol, not far from the city centre and just steps away from the U.S. Consulate. An imposing building (7200 m2), it was modeled on the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence. Under t... more

Countess Pastré bequeathed this magnificent 19th century country house to the city along with 120 hectares of wooded parkland, located between La Pointe-Rouge and the Rolland caves, extending up to the Marseilleveyre hills. The... more

Enter this picturesque courtyard and former fruit and vegetable market, now converted into a beautiful garden. On the strike of noon, the sun-drenched terraces quickly fill up, revealing a pedestrian zone in the heart of the ci... more

The Parc Chanot covers 17 hectares (42 acres) of land with landscaped greenery, pleasant paths, ample parking, and constant events. It is situated only five minutes from Mediterranean beaches and the calanques, geological forma... more