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Vallon des Auffes, Marseille
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MarseilleTravel Guide

France4 stories

France's oldest and most Mediterranean city spreads from its ancient Vieux-Port to white limestone calanques — brash, multicultural, and full of quiet corners for those who look.

Is Marseille right for you?

When to come

Late spring and early autumn

Around 31°C by day in July, 12°C in January — recorded at the local weather station.

What it costs

It depends where you stand. There is a cheap version and an expensive one — the guides below say which is which.

What we've planned, and who for

We have a full day here planned hour by hour. Longer stays are covered by subject rather than by route.

Marseille is inDeepest in Europe
When to go
January: around 12 degrees by day, 4 at night, 47 millimetres of rain, some rain.
February: around 13 degrees by day, 4 at night, 30 millimetres of rain, some rain.
March: around 16 degrees by day, 7 at night, 30 millimetres of rain, some rain.
April: around 19 degrees by day, 9 at night, 52 millimetres of rain, some rain.
May: around 24 degrees by day, 13 at night, 38 millimetres of rain, some rain. We recommend this month.
June: around 28 degrees by day, 17 at night, 28 millimetres of rain, dry. We recommend this month.
July: around 31 degrees by day, 20 at night, 11 millimetres of rain, dry and hot.
August: around 31 degrees by day, 19 at night, 26 millimetres of rain, dry and hot.
September: around 26 degrees by day, 16 at night, 82 millimetres of rain, wet. We recommend this month.
October: around 21 degrees by day, 13 at night, 73 millimetres of rain, some rain. We recommend this month.
November: around 16 degrees by day, 8 at night, 76 millimetres of rain, some rain.
December: around 12 degrees by day, 4 at night, 41 millimetres of rain, some rain.
Cold to hot, by dayDry to wetWhen we would go

Late spring and early autumn

Average daily highs, recorded at Marseille-Marignane (Marseille Provence Airport), 36 m, 1991-2020 normals.

Where this comes from

Meteo France (via en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marseille)

Budget level

Mixed

Typical cost profile for visitors

Combine it with
  • Nice160 km

    a short hop — comfortable overland · both good in May, June, September

  • Turin, Italy270 km

    a short hop — comfortable overland · both good in May, June, September · a different price level (mid)

  • Lyon280 km

    a short hop — comfortable overland · both good in May, June, September · a different price level (mid)

  • Geneva, Switzerland330 km

    a short hop — comfortable overland · both good in May, June, September · a different price level (luxury)

Plan itWhere to stay in Marseillead · Booking.comTours and tickets
On the map

Finding Marseille

Open in Google Maps Larger map
The stories

Reading Marseille

The Basilica of Notre-Dame de la Garde on its hilltop in Marseille at golden hour, its striped bell tower topped by the gilded statue of the Madonna, with rooftops and a mast below
01
The List

Marseille for Culture Lovers: Eight Places That Hold the City's Memory

A concrete lattice on the water, a gilded Madonna over the rooftops, a Le Corbusier housing block on a boulevard. The cultural Marseille worth building a trip around.

France · 2 min
The MuCEM in Marseille from above, its dark filigree concrete lattice standing on a bare quay over green Mediterranean water, walkers strung along the footbridge and the breakwater and hills of the Cote Bleue beyond.
02
Itineraries

First Light to Last Call: A Full Day in Marseille

The quayside fish market at dawn, ochre lanes by mid-morning, an island fortress after lunch and pastis at dusk. Marseille compressed into one very good day.

France · 2 min
A weathered shopfront in Le Panier, Marseille: pale blue wooden shutters under a mint-green board hand-painted BAZAR DU PANIER, set into a wall of yellow and ochre render with vine leaves spilling down one side.
03
Stays

Marseille: The Districts to Book, and the Ones to Skip

The Vieux-Port is the easy answer, Le Panier the romantic one, and the streets behind the station the mistake. An honest map of where to sleep in Marseille.

France · 2 min
Sailboats moored in Marseille's Vieux-Port at golden hour, with the hilltop basilica of Notre-Dame de la Garde rising above the city
04
Hidden Gems

Marseille Beyond the Vieux-Port: The Quieter Side

A tiny fishing harbour, a painters' shoreline, a street-art hill — where Marseille slows down once you step past the postcard.

France · 2 min
In pictures

Marseille, framed

A steep stone stairway climbing between ochre and cream shuttered houses in Le Panier, Marseille's old quarter, with potted plants and vines along the walls
Photo: Andrei koscina / Unsplash
The limestone coast at Marseille from the air, white buildings crowding to the edge above turquoise water
Photo: Martin Baron / Unsplash
The Vallon des Auffes at Marseille, its small harbour tucked under the road bridge that crosses the inlet
Photo: Martin Baron / Unsplash
Vallon des Auffes, Marseille
Photo: Martin Baron / Unsplash
Our picks

What we'd do in Marseille

See and do

Where to stay

Before you go

Practical essentials for France

Money

Euro (EUR)

Language

French; English is spoken in tourist settings in Paris, Nice and the larger cities.

Power

Type C/E, 230V 50Hz

Getting around

SNCF's TGV connects the cities, and each has its own local network — in Paris that is the Navigo Easy card and the Ile-de-France Mobilites app for metro, RER and bus.

Tipping

Service is included by law, so tipping is optional - round up or leave a couple of euros for good service.

Tap water

Tap water is safe to drink.

Driving

Right-hand side; an EU licence is enough, and other visitors should carry an International Driving Permit with their national licence.

Emergency

112; also 15 ambulance, 17 police, 18 fire

Country-level guidance, checked against official sources. Currency, fares and entry rules change — confirm anything time-critical before you travel.

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