Discover the Many Flavors of Marseille

Travel Writers
Sat, 31 Jan 2026 21:00:00 -0800
Lifestyle

By Georgeanne Brennan

From my room at the Grand Hotel Beauvau overlooking Marseille's Vieux Port, it was easy to imagine ancient Roman merchant ships coming into the docks and unloading amphoras of olive oil and wine, crates of ceramics, and boxes of gold and jewels. These ancient docks are today incorporated into the museum complex of the Musee des Civilisations de l'Europe et de la Mediterranee, which includes the 12th century Fort Saint Jean. The complex was a short walk from my hotel along the esplanade bordering the port.

Marseille, named European City of Culture in 2013 and now part of the designated Valley of Gastronomy, is above all a Mediterranean city, built to face outward to the sea, its back to the hills, and MUCEM does a brilliant job of showcasing the Mediterranean world, both past and present. Footbridges link the museum, built on the water, to the fort and the docks. In the other direction a footbridge leads to Le Panier, one of the oldest settlements in France, whose twisting cobbled streets, now lined with eclectic shops and cafes, lead to the heights of Butte de Moulins, Windmill Hill, overlooking the port.
Updated: Sun Feb 01, 2026

By Georgeanne Brennan

From my room at the Grand Hotel Beauvau overlooking Marseille's Vieux Port, it was easy to imagine ancient Roman merchant ships coming into the docks and unloading amphoras of olive oil and wine, crates of ceramics, and boxes of gold and jewels. These ancient docks are today incorporated into the museum complex of the Musee des Civilisations de l'Europe et de la Mediterranee, which includes the 12th century Fort Saint Jean. The complex was a short walk from my hotel along the esplanade bordering the port.

Marseille, named European City of Culture in 2013 and now part of the designated Valley of Gastronomy, is above all a Mediterranean city, built to face outward to the sea, its back to the hills, and MUCEM does a brilliant job of showcasing the Mediterranean world, both past and present. Footbridges link the museum, built on the water, to the fort and the docks. In the other direction a footbridge leads to Le Panier, one of the oldest settlements in France, whose twisting cobbled streets, now lined with eclectic shops and cafes, lead to the heights of Butte de Moulins, Windmill Hill, overlooking the port.

Beyond MUCEM, the tower of the Chateau d'If, built on the small island of If and made famous by Alexandre Dumas' story of "The Count of Monte Cristo," looms at the mouth of the harbor. All along the esplanade there are signs offering an assortment of cruises, and I opted for Les Barquettes, choosing one around the chateau that was glorious. We were only a few passengers on a brilliantly sunny day. We sipped local rose wine and snacked on olives and cheese while we sailed past the Chateau d'If to circle other small islands, passing fishing boats and the occasional yacht before returning shortly before sunset.

That gave me just enough time to have a seaside aperitif before going to Chez Madie les Galinettes to sample what I had been told was one of the most authentic bouillabaisse to be found in the city. It's situated on the waterfront, about a 15-minute walk from my hotel. The terrace, where I chose to sit, was set with white tablecloths that sparkled in the twilight, enhanced by strings of soft lights. First, I ordered an appetizer of Panisse, a Marseille special made with chickpea flour. A basket of thick, French-fry-like batons arrived, crispy and hot, along with a small bowl of aioli. It was perfect with the white wine from neighboring Cassis that I had ordered.

The bouillabaisse that followed did not disappoint. Served in two courses, as it should be, first the unctuous, saffron-infused fish broth, or soup, topped with a garlic crouton slathered with spicy rouille, a red pepper spread, followed by fish and shellfish, more broth, croutons and rouille. I loved eating it seaside, watching the stars emerge over the port.

Every city deserves a shopping spree, and Marseille is no exception. After breakfast in a sunny square just behind the hotel, I took a short walk to La Canebiere, Marseille's answer to the Champs Elysees, to the Maison Empereur. It is the oldest hardware store in Marseille, founded in 1827. Today it goes beyond hardware to home goods of all kinds and comprises several buildings, the upstairs, downstairs and ground level spaces filled with French-made goods.

There are the kitchen section, the gardening section, nails, hammers and everything for construction. It has been in the same family since the beginning, and I had the pleasure of meeting the matriarch, Mme. Laurence Renaux-Empereur, who still comes in almost every day, and her son, Martin Gues-Empereur, who is taking the helm of the business.

I had a mission, however. I was determined to come home with a hinged terrine mold specifically for making Terrine en Croute, appetizer-size pate in a crust. When I asked a friendly staffer if they had one, I was taken thorough the labyrinth to the kitchen section and shown three different models. I chose an elegant stainless-steel one, but it was hard to walk away from all the other shapes and sizes, not to mention the tablecloths, napkins, gratin dishes and so much more.

With my mold tucked into my bag, along with some fish-motif cocktail napkins, two tea towels and a ceramic olive dish, I walked back to the seafront for a last glass of rose and a crispy seafood salad, watching the gulls dive and swoop in the harbor.

A tip for visiting Marseille: Plan to walk or take taxis or Ubers rather than drive. Many of the streets in the area of the Vieux Port and the Panier are pedestrian zones or one-way streets. If you drive into the city, there is an excellent and easily accessible parking garage at MUCEM. From the airport the Vieux Port is about a 30-minute trip by taxi or Uber and a 10-minute ride from the main train station, the Gare St. Charles.

WHEN YOU GO

Grand Hotel Beauvau: mgallery.accor.com

Musee des Civilisations de l'Europe et de la Mediterranee: mucem.org

Chez Madie les Galinettes: restaurantchezmadielesgalinettes.eatbu.com

Les Barquettes: lesbarquettes.com

Maison Empereur: empereur.fr/en

Les Barquettes offers cruises around Chateau D'If, made famous by Alexandre Dumas in "The Count of Monte Cristo," in Marseille, France. Photo courtesy of Georgeanne Brennan.

A cafe in the Le Panier in Marseille celebrates the French tradition of eating alfresco. Photo courtesy of Georgeanne Brennan.

Madi les Galinettes in Marseille, France, is famous for its bouillabaisse, served traditionally in two courses, broth first. Photo courtesy of Georgeanne Brennan.

Georgeanne Brennan is a freelance writer. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.