Marseille - capital of culture for 2013
 

I have often seen people saying that one should avoid Marseille when going to the south of France. I disagree completely, because the 2nd city of France is also one of the most interesting, and I think it shouldn't be missed. This year it is one of the designated European capitals of culture, so it has put a lot of effort into some renovations and also the creation of a completely new and fascinating museum, the MuCEM (Musée des Cultures de l'Europe et de la Méditerranée), which can be seen for its architecture alone if you have little interest in museums.

I just spent a few days in Marseille and made this report about it: http://tinyurl.com/mrscapital

I enjoyed your report enormously, having spent three months in an a wonderful faded art deco apartment on the Canebiere in the early 1970's. Across from us was the Hotel De Noailles and a tabacs called La Lune featuring a neon sign of a masked moon. Marseille WAS gritty then to a young untravelled me, especially the area of Le Panier, more like North Africa than France. Having little money, I overdosed on ratatouille and have never liked it since.

Thanks so much for this!

I can't walk well, maybe 750 m before I have to stop so these photos which follow your explorations are perfect for me. I admit to having had a jaundiced view of Marseille but want to get back (last time was 1974) to see the new museum.

JulieVikM who posts on here mentioned thousands of lavender plants were to be brought in--did you see those?

Marseille looks like a very interesting, vibrant city. Hope to get there someday.

So happy to hear about the new version of Pagnol's wonderful Marseille trilogy, although I love the old films and always fear remakes won't be as good.

And, how about posting a link to your report from Aigues-Mortes. It doesn't seem to be high on the list of places to visit when touring the area, but we found it impressive and well worth a stop.

Thanks again for your great reports.

The new films have been well reviewed because they do not try to update the story. They retell the story without any new twists and just show a new interpretation of the situation with fresh new actors.

Marseille has always unjustly received a lot of bad press, particularly in France. It is the city in France with the most murders, but it is exclusively among drug dealers in the northern arrondissements. This makes people think that the whole city is questionable, and that is not at all the case.

I´ve been in Marseille last month. I love it.
Beautiful and lovely as the capital of the culture 2013.

I've compiled a diary of events for Marseille-Provence 2013 (in fact, the MP2013 jamboree extends way across Southern Provence, including Arles and Aix, though Marseille is the main centre of activities). http://www.marseille-provence.info/m...ence-2013.html

The new museums and extraordinary events (e.g. 3,000 sheep and hundreds of horses and cattle coursing through the centre of the city!) have, indeed, created a new atmosphere of civic pride and self-confidence. BTW the lavender field was here on the Old Port just for a week in late June.

Fabulous! Thanks for a great report - particularly moved by the images from MuCEM regarding fleeing refugees and the dangers they have no choice but to face. A message for us in Australia that I have linked to!

Thanks for the report, k, especially for taking us to the new museum. I admit I've only been through Marseille, on the way to somewhere else, but it clearly warrants a real visit.

I love the self-portrait! Way cool.