Marseille is the oldest town in France, so when you walk along by the Vieux Port, you are following in the footsteps of Greek fishermen, shopkeepers, sailors and traders who established their colony in 600 BC.  They, and the Romans who arrived later have left traces that emerge so often …

Contributor blog post by Aixcentric: Did you know that Marseille has France’s oldest quincaillerie, or hardware shop? It really is a must-visit if you are interested in traditional Provencal life. Take the magnificent big hand-graters for instance – just the sort of gadget used in café kitchens many years ago for …

Contributor blog post by Ashley Tinker: Do you know about the sardine that blocked the port of Marseille? As I was perusing local postcards at a local flea market in Provence, I came across a curious image. The postcard depicts an enormous sardine blocking the port of Marseille. The seller, taking …

Contributor blog post by Aixcentric: Visitors to Marseille will soon be able to whisk from the Vieux Port up to Notre Dame de la Garde by cable car in just six minutes. The contract has been won by Systra, part of SNCF who will start work in October. It’s expected that …

Contributor blog post by Aixcentric: Just announced, an exhibition of the work of Ai Weiwei, opening at MuCEM on June 20th in Marseille. Having seen his show at the Royal Academy in London last year, I expect it will be stimulating and baffling…but unmissable.  According to MuCEM, they will be adding …

Contributor blog post by Barefoot Blogger: A recent weekend in Marseille turned my perception of the city inside out. Now I can’t wait to return. I’ll admit, a weekend in Marseille was not at the top of my travel list. Even though it’s less than two hours away from Uzés. It’s …

Contributor blog post by Barefoot Blogger: Marseille wasn’t high on my list of places to visit. A weekend spent there to celebrate the birthday of a dear friend from Uzès totally changed my mind. On top of being an incredibly beautiful city with lovely, welcoming people, Marseille is for foodies like …

Contributor blog post by Barefoot Blogger: After my first true visit to Marseille, I can’t say enough good things about the city. While I’m composing my thoughts for a post on the long weekend, I want to share some highlights: the doors and windows of Marseille. Marseille, the second largest city …

Contributor blog post by Ashley Tinker: Most French people like sauce and herb flavouring, but not much spice. Many expats move to lovely small towns in Provence and after a couple months being spoiled with ratatouille, slow cooked lamb, bouillabaisse and all other French Mediterranean delicacies, they start asking where is …

Contributor blog post by Aixcentric: Peter Mayle once wrote that Chez Etienne was his favourite Marseille restaurant for lunch and it seems he is not alone. As the locals say, ‘Il faut absolument passer, un fois, dans sa vie, chez Etienne’. Even Gault & Millau call it a ‘veritable institution’. Mayle …