Whilst every effort is made to ensure accuracy, please confirm event/venue details in advance.
COUNTRY CODE:
Dial +33 for France
FROM THE AIRPORT
Car Hire :
Take advantage of the special easyJet inflight rates. Visit the Europcar desk on arrival or call +33 (0)8 2500 3080. Open from 7am-midnight Monday-Friday and 8am-midnight at the weekend.
Airport Transfer :
Pre-book your door-to-door transfer with easyJet’s transfer partner, Holiday Taxis—from home to the airport and the airport to city or resort. Just log on to easyjet.holidaytaxis.com.
Taxi :
Fares to the centre cost about €38.
Bus :
A shuttle bus leaves for to Marseille's Gare St Charles every 20 minutes from 6.10am until the last flight has landed. Tickets: €8.50.
(28 Rue Fayolle, 4th. Tel. 04 9149 7038) Unpretentious, friendly Vietnamese eatery, known for its tasty dishes—especially the chicken caramel—extensive menu and fast service.
(6 Place Daviel, 2nd. Tel. 04 9190 4026) Former wine-maker Renaud Pierlot advises diners on the perfect wines to accompany their meal at his restaurant serving simple, yet quality, cuisine.
(4 Rue Capazza, 4th. Tel. 04 9134 0008) One of the city's finest Japanese eateries, known for perfectly cooked rice, generous slices of raw fish, marinated brochettes and beautifully prepared fresh sushi.
(Corniche JF Kennedy, 7th. Tel. 04 9159 2592) Chef Gérald Passédat's wonderful seafood restaurant is Marseille's first to earn three Michelin stars—and one of only 26 French restaurants to be awarded the nation's most prestigious gastronomic prize.
(40 Rue des Trois Rois, 6th. Tel. 04 9148 9748) Located near the funky Cours Ju, the Cubaiila Café exudes plenty of Latin warmth and a festive atmosphere. Live bands play regularly.
(24 Quai Rive Neuve, 1st. Tel. 04 9154 3045) Centrally located nightclub at the Vieux Port, catering to all musical tastes, thanks to its three vaulted rooms. Pop-rock rules in the first; lounge, house and electro in the second; and soul, funk, R 'n' B in the third.
On the ground
Shop
Near La Canbière, the Rue de la Tour is the city's cutting-edge fashion street, home to creative milliner Manon Martin (Tel. 04 9155 6095) and wild accessory shop La Sardine à Paillettes (Glittering Sardine) (Tel. 06 1831 4604).
Insider Tip
There’s nothing like dipping into a good book when you’re on holiday. Both the FNAC (Centre Bourse. Tel. 04 9135 6540) and Virgin Megastore (75 Rue St Ferréol) sell books in English.
Key Area
Rue Paradis, running parallel to Rue de Rome, is the city's swankiest shopping street, lined with boutiques selling luxury goods, designer clothing, jewellery and art.
This month
The Renault Formula One Roadshow zooms into town on 17-18 May, when streets are closed for a race in which world champion Fernando Alonso is expected to compete.
Day Tripping
Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer
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On the fringes of the Camargue marshland, Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer (about 90 minutes west of Marseille) is a picturesque coastal town with a wild west flavour. Don't miss the huge Roma festival on 24 May, when an excitable crowd carries a statue of their patron saint Sarah into the sea.
No way!
One of Marseille’s most enduring mysteries has taken a new twist with recent revelations by a German fighter pilot, Horst Rippert, that he shot down French author Antoine de Saint Exupéry in 1944. Although an identity bracelet and wreckage from the aircraft were discovered off the coastline, his body was been found.
