Old Port of Marseille

About the Old Port

The Old Port is Marseille's natural harbour, a deep inlet the ancient Greeks called Lacydon. Around 600 BC Greeks from Phocaea sailed in and set up a trading post, and so began Marseille, one of France's oldest cities. Until the 19th century all the city's maritime life happened here, until big ships moved to new docks further north.

Today the port is Marseille's great meeting place. In 2013, when Marseille was European Capital of Culture, the quays were cleared of cars and turned into a huge pedestrian square. The city's main street, the Canebière, runs right down to the water; its name comes from the hemp, chanvre, grown at the end of the port in the Middle Ages for ships' ropes.

What to see

• The fish market — the morning catch on the Quai des Belges.
• The ferry — a short hop across the harbour.
• The quays — yachts, cafés and views of the basilica.
• Saint-Victor Abbey — on the hill south of the port.
• The town hall — on the north quay.
• The boat quay — for the Château d'If, islands and Calanques.

The fish market and ferry

Every morning on the Quai des Belges fishermen lay out their catch on tables: sea bream, bass, octopus and fish for bouillabaisse, everything caught in the bay overnight. Locals and restaurant chefs buy here, while visitors come simply to watch and take photos.

A little ferry crosses the harbour, one of the shortest sea routes in the world: just a few minutes from one quay to the other. Locals use it every day, and for visitors it's a fun way to see the port from the water.

Around the port

On the north side are the town hall and the narrow lanes of Le Panier, the oldest quarter, with colourful houses, workshops and street art. Further on, at the harbour mouth, stand the modern MuCEM museum and old forts linked to the city by footbridges.

On the south side, on the hill, is the Abbey of Saint-Victor, one of the oldest places of Christian worship in France, with Notre-Dame de la Garde above it. The port features in Dumas's The Count of Monte Cristo and in Marcel Pagnol's trilogy Marius, Fanny and César, and the Bar de la Marine on the quay appears in the film Love Actually.

Boats and trips by sea

Boats leave the Old Port's quays for the island of the Château d'If, the Frioul islands with their beaches, and the coves of the Calanques. Tickets are sold at kiosks on the quay; in summer take the first morning sailings, and on windy days the timetable may change.

The port is easy to walk all the way round, about three kilometres along the quays. Another option is the tourist train, which leaves from here for the basilica and Le Panier.

Tips for your visit

An hour or two is enough for a walk round the port. A good order: the fish market in the morning, the ferry across, then up to Saint-Victor and the basilica, and dinner at a quayside café in the evening.

The Old Port is the starting point for the Château d'If and the Frioul islands, and you can walk up from here to Notre-Dame de la Garde.

Watch your belongings in the crowds on the quays and at the boat kiosks. The squares are flat and wide, easy with a pushchair.

Places in Marseille: compare and choose

Places in Marseille rated by YesGo. Click a column header to sort.

Nearby and on the way

44

Marseille Cathedral

Marseille, France

40 min · Free · 13 min walk

Yes — add to my route: Marseille Cathedral

37

Cosquer Cave

Marseille, France

1 h 45 min · Timed ticket · 15 min walk

Yes — add to my route: Cosquer Cave

50

Notre-Dame de la Garde

Marseille, France

1 h · Free · 21 min walk

Yes — add to my route: Notre-Dame de la Garde

How to do it right

• Fish market in the morning.
• Ride the ferry across.
• Take the first boats.
• Keep your bag close.

Questions