MarseilleMarseille is a port city of France and the capital of the Bouches-du-Rhône department. Marseille is not only the first port city of France on the Mediterranean coast with year-round blue sea and sunshine, but also a major commercial center of France, with an area second only to Paris.
Marseille is located about 700 km southeast of Paris. The distance may seem far, but if you choose to take the express train from Paris, it will only take you 3 hours to get there.
This port city is surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the west, the mountains (Calanques) to the south, and the blue coastline to the north, which was captured in the paintings of the painter Paul Cézanne, a son of this land. As one of the oldest cities in Europe, founded 2,600 years ago, Marseille possesses ancient and beautiful architectural works, and also appears in the French national anthem, La Marseillaise, composed by engineer officer Rouget de Lisle in 1792.
In particular, Marseille is one of the first places where Vietnamese people lived in France because initially the main means of transportation to this country was by boat. Therefore, Marseille has clear Vietnamese imprints, typically the Truc Lam Pagoda, built in 1987 and the Vietnamese Assembly Hall on Joliette Street, where overseas Vietnamese often gather.
Coming to Marseille, tourists cannot miss visiting the most famous tourist attractions of this city such as:
Le Panier old town
When traveling to Marseille, you must visit the old town Le Panier. The old town Le Panier with its narrow streets and ancient buildings will definitely help you have more wonderful memories when traveling to Marseille.
Notre Dame de la Garde Cathedral
Notre Dame de la Garde (Our Lady of Protection) is the most prominent and beautiful church in Marseille, built on a hilltop 162 m above sea level. To reach Notre Dame de la Garde, visitors must climb 170 steps, from which they can see the whole beautiful city of Marseille. The church with its ancient architecture is a symbol of the city along with the statue of the Virgin Mary holding the baby Jesus called Bonne Mère, considered a sacred statue, protecting the residents here, especially the fishermen drifting at sea.
Vieux Port ancient harbor
Marseille is a port city, so you cannot miss visiting the ancient port of Vieux Port. For the people of Marseille, Vieux Port is a long-standing pride, always bustling with tourists. Vieux Port was established 2,600 years ago and was a place where many ships and merchants from all over gathered to exchange and trade.
Nowadays, although Vieux Port is no longer bustling with trading activities, it has become an attractive tourist destination, always bustling with foreign tourists as well as sailboats, fishing boats... bobbing on the clear blue water. You can see a Vieux Port with many unique and strange colors, or you can choose for yourself a special experience by renting a boat, admiring the beautiful scenery and enjoying delicious seafood.
Calanques and beaches
If you want to see the clear blue color of the sea, enjoy the feeling of freshness and health, then go to Calanques Bay. This is a bay that attracts many tourists in Marseille because of its irresistible beauty. Marseille is the largest port city in France, so there are many beautiful bays here. Calanques has the color of the Mediterranean sea with white cliffs surrounding it. Just add a little yellow color of sunlight, Calanques Bay will reflect the sparkling rays of sunlight, creating a poetic space. Moreover, occasionally there will be a few canoes gliding on the sea surface, creating long white streaks that make Calanques Bay even more splendid.
Being a coastal city, tourists of course cannot miss the ports, beaches, coves… The beaches in Marseille are always bustling with people coming and going, sunbathing, and playing in the Mediterranean waters. It can be said that nature has favored this commercial port too much.
Palais Longchamps Water Castle
In the 19th century, Marseille suffered from a severe water shortage, so a monument to the water was built here. That is the Palais Longchamps water castle. This water castle has a semicircular shape with many rows of magnificent stone columns. Inside is a large fountain with meticulous sculptures, beautiful and impressive decorations.
More information
Trip:There are many airlines operating flights from Vietnam to Marseille such as Vietnam Airline, Air France, Qatar Airways, Jetstar Asia...
Time:Marseille is a tourist city with a typical Mediterranean climate, the sunny season occupies most of the year, the average temperature is around 15.9oC. The rainy season starts from October to December, summer falls between June and September. Winter is the coldest season, lasting from December to February. Tourists should choose to visit Marseille in spring, summer or autumn.
Vehicle:The tourist city of Marseille has a fairly convenient transportation system, including 2 metro lines, 2 tram lines and 74 bus lines. You can buy bus/metro tickets at cafes, metro stations, or on the bus. You can buy multi-journey tickets (carte libertés) for 6.30 € (5 trips) or 12.60 € (10 trips) if you have to travel a lot.
The metro closes at 10:30pm on weekdays and runs until 12:30am on Fridays, Saturdays and Sunday evenings. The tram system runs until 12:30am all week. And most buses don't run after 9pm.
After 9pm you can travel by taxi or use the popular car sharing app in Europe, BlaBlaCar, to save money.
Accommodation:Most hotels in Marseille are a bit expensive, with prices around 50 EUR for a double room in a hotel and around 18-25 EUR for a bed in a dorm room in a hostel.
Cuisine:You should try the famous seafood soup Bouillabaisse of Marseille, Navette de Marseille biscuits shaped like a boat, Aioli sauce similar to mayonnaise, emulsion, this is a famous dish of Marseille in particular and Provence in general. In addition, tasting the alcoholic beverage Pasti with the main ingredient of anise and spices also gives visitors a unique culinary experience.
