The District around Vieux Port in Marseille

Fort St-Jean and Vieux Port
(a photo by Dominique Pipet)

The Vieux Port is the most central district of Marseille, situated around the picturesque old port of the city. The eastern end of the quarter is a popular lounging place for both locals and tourists alike. It offers a variety of pleasant cafés where you can drink your afternoon coffee or tea while observing the every day city life and the fishermen selling their catch directly from the boats at the adjacent quai des Belges. The northern end of the area, where begins the oldest part of the city - La Panier, has even more attractive cafés and restaurants. Here the terraces enjoy more sun light and the streets are cleaner. There are variety of excellent seafood restaurants in the pedestrian zone between cours d'Estienne-d'Orves and the southern quay. They are very popular venues among the local people too and make the quarter of the Old Port lively in the evenings too.

View from St-Nicolas Fortress
(a photo by Koukat)

The two picturesque fortresses guarding the ancient port are among the main attractions of the district. The northern one is called Fort St-Jean. It dates back to the medieval time when Marseille was flourishing as a sovereign republic. The fortress is opened for visitors only on any special occasions, such as hosting exhibitions or any other events. The impressive tower of the fort Tour Carre du Roy Rene has been restored and renovated to accommodate a new national museum of the European civilization in the Mediterranean region. The 17th century enlargement of Fort St-Jean and the building of a new fortress St-Nicolas on the southern side of Vieux Port were commissioned by King Louis XIV to control the city which had already lost its sovereignty. A royal army was sent into the two fortresses and in the city council were appointed people trusted by the king. One of the best panoramic views of the Vieux Port reveals from the Palace du Pharo, perched on the cape beyond St-Nicolas Fortress. For a view with a wider angle you can also climb the hill south of the port, topped by the enchanting church of Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde. The monument is one of the major city landmarks, built in the time of the Second Empire. It can be reached by bus line 60 or the tourist train from the Old Port. The church tower is covered by a gorgeous dome, adorned by a monumental golden statue of the Virgin, which shining is visible even from the ships at open sea. Inside Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde you can see interesting models of ships, hanging from the rafters, as well as some interesting frescoes.

The oldest Christian temple of Marseille is the Basilique St-Victor, situated a short distance inland from the St-Nicolas Fortress and overlooking the Basin de Carenage. It was constructed as a part of a 5th-century monastery complex over the grave of most honorable local martyrs. The church had been enlarged and reconstructed in the following centuries to become a real fortress outside the city walls of Marseille. Some of the stone walls of the fortification have width of more than 3 m. You can not find any conventional beauty in the exterior of the church but inside you will definitely feel the austere power of the temple. The crypt is also very interesting, keeping the sarcophagus with the remains of St. Maurice.