Oldest French City, New Trends
Marseille is an earthy mix of Arab cool and no little smattering of ancient splendour. This gritty, gloriously real city has a rich cultural heritage and is where Bouillabaisse, that typically French fish stew originated, starting life as humble fodder for fishermen’s families. The bustling outdoor fish market at the Quai des Belges at the Old Port is something of a visitor attraction and part of Marseille folklore. While in town, wander through the narrow alleyways, their teetering houses with ice-cream coloured shutters interspersed with a bright crop of bars and quirky shops, then cut a dash to Prado beach with its string of restaurants, not too far from the town centre. Don’t miss the dramatic Calanques, the fjord-like inlets which indent the white limestone cliffs to the south. Take a boat to Château d’If. This fortress was the setting for part of Alexander Dumas’s novel TheCountof MonteCristo and where the main character was imprisoned. Most of the key shopping streets lie south of La Canebière while the new-ish Terrasses du Port British-built shopping centre has a glut of shops of all kinds – almost 200 in fact, on five floors.