This easy walking tour combines beautiful facades along the streets with panoramic views and grand monuments. The route is suitable for strollers.
* The itinerary begins on the Canebière, a mythical and historic artery, lined with majestic facades, which in its heyday was home to grand hotels and the most beautiful cafés in Marseille. At number 9 is the Palais de la Bourse, the chamber of commerce and industry. Rue Beauvau leads to the Opera House. It was partially destroyed by fire in 1919, hence its Art Deco facade. At the back of the building.
* Turn right onto rue Francis Davso which leads to the Cours Estienne d'Orves. A real city within the city, the Arcenaulx were the former warehouses of the arsenal of the royal galleys at the time of Louis XIV. Today, this Italian-style square is an attractive district with its cafés, restaurants and artists' galleries.
* Parallel to this is the Rue Sainte, which leads to the Abbaye Saint-Victor, join it. Stop at the Four des Navettes, the oldest bakery in Marseille (1781) where you can taste the navettes, a dry orange blossom cookie typical of Marseille and very popular with gourmets. To the right of the Bertie Albrecht square, enjoy the panoramic view of the Old Port and the old city.
* Then head for Fort Saint-Nicolas (17th century), the work of the Chevalier de Clerville. During the construction of the Palais du Pharo, the fort was cut in two, in order to create an access road and that is why today, Fort Saint-Nicolas is composed of Fort d'Entrecasteaux for the upper part and Fort Ganteaume for the lower part.
* When you arrive in front of the gates of the Palais du Pharo, cross the public garden which offers other magnificent views of Marseille.
* Turn right onto rue Francis Davso which leads to the Cours Estienne d'Orves. A real city within the city, the Arcenaulx were the former warehouses of the arsenal of the royal galleys at the time of Louis XIV. Today, this Italian-style square is an attractive district with its cafés, restaurants and artists' galleries.
* Parallel to this is the Rue Sainte, which leads to the Abbaye Saint-Victor, join it. Stop at the Four des Navettes, the oldest bakery in Marseille (1781) where you can taste the navettes, a dry orange blossom cookie typical of Marseille and very popular with gourmets. To the right of the Bertie Albrecht square, enjoy the panoramic view of the Old Port and the old city.
* Then head for Fort Saint-Nicolas (17th century), the work of the Chevalier de Clerville. During the construction of the Palais du Pharo, the fort was cut in two, in order to create an access road and that is why today, Fort Saint-Nicolas is composed of Fort d'Entrecasteaux for the upper part and Fort Ganteaume for the lower part.
* When you arrive in front of the gates of the Palais du Pharo, cross the public garden which offers other magnificent views of Marseille.
Accepted customers
- Level green – easy
Environment
- Close to pleasure port
- Panoramic view
- Sea view
- Town location
- Beach within 300 m
- Waterside
- Coastal
- In the historic centre
Points of interest
Points of interest
1Palais de la Bourse
The first building to be erected under the Second Empire, from 1852 to 1854, it launched the great wave of public building construction in Marseille. Inaugurated by Napoleon III in 1860, the Palais de la Bourse houses the Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Step inside to admire the grand marble hall and elegant colonnade.
2Marseille Opera
Built in the 18th century, the Opera House was partially destroyed by fire in 1919, giving rise to the magnificent Art Deco façade designed by architect Gaston Castel. It is a place where the memory of the great performers whose voices still resonate as the founders of the Marseilles opera house's operatic reputation.
3Cours Estienne d'Orves
In front of you is a square called the Cours Estienne d'Orves. Once a veritable city within a city, it was the site of the Arcenaulx, which confirmed the hold of Louis XIV's royal power over Marseille from 1666 to 1780. This long Italian-style square was converted into one of the most attractive areas of the city centre, with its cafés, restaurants and artists' galleries set up in the former warehouses of the arsenal of the royal galleys.
4Abbaye Saint Victor
The Abbey of Saint-Victor, named after the Christian martyr, was founded in the 5th century by Jean Cassien. It gained considerable importance at the turn of the first millennium, spreading its influence throughout Provence and beyond. The 13th-century crypt forms an underground church housing a black Madonna who is ritually brought up for the Candlemas procession on February 2.
5"Target" street-art work
The giant target is the work of artist Jean-Baptiste Sauvage and was painted during the summer of 2020. The main idea is to combine the flow and speed of the rhythms of city dwellers in a space that is part of the carénage interchange. Here, via a tunnel that runs under the Old Port, motorists can quickly link the two banks of the basin.
6Palais du Pharo
The Palais du Pharo, built at the request of Napoleon III for his wife, Empress Eugénie, now houses an international convention centre. Its garden offers a magnificent view of the entrance to the Vieux-Port, the Mucem and Marseille harbour.
