Walks in Marseille in winter

All year long, the walls of the oldest district of Marseille dress up different  colours and different shapes. Sometimes abstract, sometimes realistic, and from time to  time surprising. At this time of the year, the alleys are emptying. We can take more time  to stop by and stare at the artworks which can be seen from all of us.

From the promenade Louis Brauquier, you can admire the entrance of the Vieux-Port and also its boats to Frioul or the Calanques. Walkers, fishermen, joggers : the people of Marseille enjoy to relax by the sea, which is a  kind of habit in the Phocean city. When mucem is opened, take a step-up to the jardin des Migrations and climb the promontory of the cavalier de la rade. From here, the panorama of the palais du Pharo, the Abbaye Saint Victor and Bonne Mère is worth the diversions.

In Marseille, the sun  shines all year  long (yes , I promise you!) so why  not taking advantage of  it then? And even  if the  weather is not  so good, it is very nice to  walk on the’ corniche’ with a panoramic view on the bay of  Marseille and its Frioul islands. You  will come across a lot of cyclists and joggers who might make you want to start exercising again, the ( supposedly) longest bench in the world is located here ( 3km) so you can sunbathe from all sides !

It is very well known, in the summer, the  village of Les goudes is ‘cafi de monde” ( provençal phrase for “packed with people”). In the  winter time, tranquility comes back and it is  even nicer to  walk there. The gentle lights of the sun rise offer breathtaking landscapes to the photographers  and walkers. It is in this precise moment that the sentence ‘le bout du monde’ ( on the  other side of the  world) takes on its full meaning.

Their reputation has been made. Hiking in the calanques in the winter is an asset, and anyone from Marseille will tell you : that’s the best time to enjoy them ! Some of them are easier than others however all of them require good hiking shoes, water even in the middle of january !  Indeed, it won’t be the perfect time to swim in the sea but  who needs that when you can stare at the crystalline turquoise sea.

You probably heard its name once in your lifetime ( if not more!) or read on of its autobiographic novel. Immerse yourself in differents  places where he grew up and the  naturals landcape that inspied him. The Garlaban as we named it here, own  many hiking trails. Most  of them offers a beautiful view on Marseille and its surrounding hills.