7 places to make a gastronomic visit to Marseille

Marseille, erected at the gates of France, embodies the city of Provence par excellence. Today we offer you to discover the best of the phocean city. Discover the seven places to make a gastronomic visit to Marseille.

Close your eyes. Imagine South and Provence. As we say at home, you have arrived at a good port! Welcome to Marseille. See its many ports on the Mediterranean coast and its boats that cross the seas by imposing their masts on the horizon. Feel the lead sun and the mistral. Observe the Good Mother who rises in benevolent vigy and the Protective Forts. Enjoy odours of iodines, jasmine and orange blossom, character songs, lively accents. Everywhere we crawl, we write, and you hear the fracas of the public barns. Coffee swells. Hume the smell of pipes and aniseed breaths. Get high.

Around you, explore the cliffs crowned with olive trees, stone balconies and turquoise water that pierce the limestone. And finally, delight yourself in Marseille culinary specialties: bouillabaisse, panisses, pastis, shuttles, aïoli, anchovies, tapenade and even specialities from countries more to the South. If the gastronomic tourism in Marseille has the wind in the stern, it is not for nothing. Make this dream a delicious reality. Today we present you the seven places to make a gastronomic visit to Marseille.

1. The Noailles district

Behind the Canebière, a vibrant shopping artery in Marseille, and at the foot of the Cours Julien, a den of bohemian artists, is the Noailles district. Effervescent and cosmopolitan, it is also a famous neighborhood for its Capuchins market. Popular, dating back to the last century, his strings of stalls bring you to the discovery of fruits, vegetables, spices and specialties from all over the world. Noailles is undoubtedly a spectacular neighbourhood where to make a gastronomic visit to Marseille. Life beats its full in picturesque streets, here you are in the midst of the world's painting. Let yourself be done, the palate merchants high in colour and the heteroclite crowd train you. Take a trip to the country of scents and tastes from the South of France and elsewhere.

Meet the largest seller of shells and seafood in the city, the most famous of the Oriental pastry or even the most famous of the exotic spices. Discover the flavours of Lebanon, Greece, Tunisia, Senegal and Italy – including the uncontourable pizza with anchovies. Not to mention the flagship products of Marseilles gastronomy such as panisses and pastis.

2. The neighborhood of Cart

It is no other than the oldest and most picturesque neighbourhood of the phocean city. His cultural wealth is infinite. Among its treasures, places that contain the unique know-how of Marseilles gastronomy. If you want to make a gastronomic visit to Marseille, typical and local, it’s in Cart!

At the turn of narrow, paved and colourful alleys, between two designer boutiques and a place in the shade of platanes, discover the production workshops of the pastis. The distillers make you happy with the story and reveal the secrets of this famous drink aniseed in Marseille. Go to one of the oldest shuttle factories: these biscuits with the typical Marseille orange blossom. Also taste the black ice of the Black Vanilla and Esperanto, chocolate candy with Mediterranean flavours par excellence (amande, olive oil, orange). The restaurants offering other specialities in Marseille do not miss: panisses, pedestals (recipe based on sheep or lamb stuffed) and fish-based dishes are unmissable.

3. Old Port district

The Old Port of Marseille is what we could call the postcard of the city. To make a gastronomic visit to Marseille, while enjoying the famous fishing ballets and majestic historical monuments, the Old Port is ideal. You have to go to the stroll, love the accents singing from the inhabitants to the balconies and busy fishermen, marvel at the wind-filled veils and colourful facades, stop in a café auréolating the lively docks and of course: savour the culinary specialties of Marseilles.

On the Old Port, it is the perfect place to taste the dish based on fresh fish. Here you will find the real bouillabaisse, the drunken, the urchins or the pizza with anchovies. Not to mention accompanying your meal with a good wine, because Marseille is also a land of vineyards, and cheeses from Provence.

4. Saint Victor district

It is in the district of Saint Victor that you will find the famous Four à Navettes. The most famous of the factories in Navettes, these famous Marseille biscuits with orange blossom, often imitated but never equalled. For proof, the secret of the true recipe is jealously kept in these ancestral walls. To make a gastronomic visit to Marseille, know that this area is also a bead for cheese lovers, cold meats, pastries or regional breads.

In addition, this new neighbourhood, a bobo den, is full of fine and artisanal groceries. It is therefore an opportunity to taste Ayoli, a kind of garlic mayonnaise, anchovies, anchovies cream and olive oil, pistou soup, tapnade or powder, a kind of Mediterranean caviar.

5. The district of La Joliette

The district of La Joliette is full of terraces where it is good to hang out during the beautiful days. In recent years, this centre of Marseille has been giving birth for a second time. The renovation of old docks in designer boutiques and the construction of the Port Terraces, a huge shopping centre, makes it increasingly attractive. But not only! It is also an interesting area where to make a gastronomic visit to Marseille, after or before a shopping day. The covered market of the Docks, open every day, is for example a true tribute to the provencal flavours. You can find all the culinary specialties of Marseille, on site or to take away.

6. The Estaque quarter

Scenic area by the sea, nestled at the foot of the hills, adorable with its village atmosphere, celebrated by many painters, writers and filmmakers, the district of Estaque is also the district of Chichis Frégis and panisses. Here is the popular area where to make a gastronomic visit to Marseille if you are lovers of these two specialties. In the heart of the Estaque, you will discover small colored boats. The panisses are tasted in cornets (palets, salted or sweet, fried and made of chick peas flour) and Chichis with larigot drizzle (sugar cakes usually garnished with jam or tartiner paste). You will have understood it, you will not enjoy the gastronomy of the Estaque if you do not like fat or sugar! Unless you go a little further in order to arrive at the Rove: the birthplace of the real Rove bush. A typical goat cheese in all of Marseille, but whose original tastes only in this small town. A slightly lighter specialty.

7. Bandol and Cassis: around Marseille

Little bonus. Where to make a gastronomic visit to Marseille while leaving the city centre? We offer you to get out of the bouillon center of the phocean city and take the route of wines and olive oil. You will not hesitate a small detour by the famous Cassis/Marseille Calanques ! If the pastis is the emblematic Marseilles drink, the wine remains an undeniable product of Provence. As for olive oil, we challenge you to find a marseillaise recipe that does not contain it!

There are many excursions from Marseille to Cassis and Bandol to discover the vineyards and olive groves of this region. Enjoy the flavours of white, red and pink, with a breathtaking view of the steep cliffs and turquoise sea benches. From vineyards to vineyards, you perceive the secret of the best vintages and enjoy the exceptional nature of Marseille. Of course, you will also find all the specialties of Marseille sus-cityes.