Once the crime-infested backdrop to The French Connection, Marseille
has become the essence of the Mediterranean. FM is caught French kissing.
Blame it on culture. In a good
way, of course. As it prepares for taking its turn as European Capital of
Culture in 2013, Marseille has been transformed from a crime-infested
stereotype to a princely place to stay.
And it is all down to a
rediscovery of the city's unique beauty spots. Walk down the legendary Panier
district of the Canebière, breathe in the atmosphere at the Old Harbour and its
fish market, and see how the Vieille Charité, built as a poorhouse in the 17th
century, has been richly transformed into a cinema, café and museum.
Marseille is a city that has been
shaped by the Mediterranean. And it is the sea that highlights Marseille's best
features, from the islands moored around the Bay of Marseille to the calanques, those beautiful rocky inlets
along the coast that will court you and make you fall in love with the city.
Stay
The Hôtel Le Corbusier is an
architect's dream come true. And not just any architect, but the great Le
Corbusier. And not just any dream either, but the Cité radieuse of Marseille.
Set in an exceptional location, the hotel opened is doors in 1952, and since
then, has been immaculately preserved. Stay here to recharge your sense of
beauty and magic.
Nearer to the city centre is the
New Hotel of Marseille - Le Pharo. A few minutes away from the Vieux Port, the
hotel's views all come with a phew.
Eat
It may not go down well with
Parisian chefs, but Le Petit Nice, situated in a beautiful boutique hotel in
Marseilles, has three Michelin stars. The chef, Gérald Passédat, is the third
generation of his family in the hotel's kitchen: his grandfather earned the
first Michelin star, his father the second, and Passédat the third.
If you want less sophisticated and
more traditional fare, a walk down the Vieux Port should do it. Chez Fonfon,
especially, does a scarpetta-inducing
bouillabaisse.
See
A 20-minute ferry ride away, the
Ile D'If rises out of the sea like a threat. And a threat it was - built in the
16th century, this is where France's undesirables were imprisoned, including
the Count of Monte Cristo himself.
The calanques are another of Marseille's wonders. Looking like emerald
fingers stretching between sea and cliffs, the calanques are not just a
beautiful sight to behold, but are also one of nature's wonders - barren at
first sight, a closer look will reveal that the calanques are home to some 900
species of plants, including rare, protected and endemic ones.
Shop
If you are doing any shopping in
Marseille, it must involve food. The city has hundreds of speciality shops
selling honey, tapenades, and golden olive oil. Others are temples to lavender
- splash out on anything that owes its existence to the purple flower,
including soap, bath gels and perfume. L'embarras du choix.
Culture
With its 26 centuries of history,
Marseille can boast an unparalleled artistic and cultural heritage. It is, in
fact, an architectural lasagne, starting from its Greek and Roman origins through
to medieval times, on to grand 18th century edifices and right up to modern
architectural achievements. Tuck in.
