11 Places in Marseille Locals Don't Want You to Know About

There are lots of hidden places in Marseille where the locals hang out. Here’s eleven of them, which the locals would rather you didn’t know about.
Parc Borély
Park
Pointe Rouge
Restaurant
All the way east along the coastal road from Marseille’s Old Port (“le vieux port“) you’ll find a little stretch of sand called Pointe Rouge. It’s a cute locals beach, where teenagers hang out with their friends or kids play on the sand, while their parents sip wine at the local restaurant tables. Get the bus to stop Pointe Rouge.
Rooftop Bar at La Friche
Bar, Cafe, Restaurant
La Friche is an old tobacco factory that’s now used to host a range of cultural and economic activities. A number of startups have their offices here and there’s a great restaurant, skate park and bookshop/coffee shop. It can get busy with locals, so they probably wouldn’t want to add to the queue for the bar, but one of the best things is the rooftop bar in the summer, with DJs and a sunset view that’s almost unrivalled in Marseille.
La Friche, 41 Rue Jobin, Marseille, France +33 (0)4 95 04 95 95

La Friche, Marseille | © Pierre Jean Durieu/Shutterstock
Côte Bleu
Everyone heads out of Marseille along the Còte D’Azur to discover the French Riviera or into the Luberon to see inland Provence. But the Côte Bleu is in the other direction (west from Marseille, towards the Camargues) and an absolute gem. Take the train that winds high up around the coastal cliffs and stop at any one of the lovely small seaside villages.
Sentier Pédestre de l'Huveaune
The Sentier Pédestre de l’Huveaune is a riverside passage (along the small river Huveaune) that leads to the Parc Borély and the seafront from the centre of town. It’s great for a walk, a run or even on your bike.
Sentier Pédestre de l’Huveaune, Marseille, France
Palais Longchamp
Museum
In the 19th century, Marseille was suffering from a huge water shortage and a cholera outbreak. The council began a ten-year engineering feat to bring water in via a series of complex aqueducts and tunnels from the nearby Durance River. The Palais Longchamp was built in the place where the water comes into Marseille, to celebrate all the hard work. It’s architecturally admired and never seems very busy. You’ll find the Museum of Fine Arts on one side and the Museum of Natural History on the other.
Les Goudes

As you head eastwards along the coast from Marseille, just before you reach the Calanques national park, you’ll get to Les Goudes. It’s a little fishing village that’s difficult to get to because of traffic congestion (take the 19B bus or a car) but it’s worth the journey. Head to one of the local bars and watch the sunset, with your feet in the water.

Les Goudes, Marseille | © dubassy/Shutterstock
Ensuès-la-Redonne
Restaurant
Just a few minutes outside of Marseille on the Côte Bleu, you’ll find the little port of Ensuès-la-Redonne. There isn’t a big beach but it’s picture perfect (rocky, not sandy) with a waterside restaurant or two. They hold a lot of seafood and fish festivals here that are packed full of locals trying the first catch of the season.
Ensuès-la-Redonne, Marseille, France
The Crazy Zoo
Park, Zoo
Twenty-five years ago, there used to be a real zoo in the grounds of the park next to Palais Longchamp. It was recently brought back as a “crazy zoo” with animal statues locked up inside the old animal cages. It’s a locals park where you’ll find families with small kids taking rides on the real horses around the grounds or couples asleep in self-hung hammocks.
Parc Longchamp, Marseille, France

The new “zoo” in Marseille | © E Rémoleux
Vallon des Auffes
Restaurant
The Vallon des Auffes (featured image) is a small cove along the main coastal road, the Corniche Kennedy. It was settled by Italian fishermen in the 18th century and still retains a traditional vibe. It’s a small place, a great place to swim (off the rocks) or picnic and it boasts a great family-run pizza restaurant and two of Marseille’s best restaurants (one of which has a Michelin star). A great place to find the local fish stew, bouillabaisse.
Volcanic Iceland Epic Trip
meet our Local Insider
Hanna

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A GUIDE?
2 years.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT YOUR JOB?
It's the personal contact, the personal experiences. I love meeting people from all over the world... I really like getting to know everyone and feeling like I'm traveling with a group of friends.
WHAT DESTINATION IS ON YOUR TRAVEL BUCKET-LIST?
I have so many places on my list, but I would really lobe to go to Africa. I consider myself an “adventure girl” and Africa feels like the ULTIMATE adventure!


Every CULTURE TRIP Small-group adventure is led by a Local Insider just like Hanna.


KEEN TO EXPLORE THE WORLD?
Connect with like-minded people on our premium trips curated by local insiders and with care for the world
Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.
Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.
Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.
Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.
We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.