Page 156 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Provence & The Côte d'Azur

154  PROVENCE AREA B Y AREA

a Marseille to Louis XIV. Begun in 1671, its
original purpose was to house
France’s premier port and oldest major city is in a surprisingly rural migrants. It is centred
attractive setting, centred on the Vieux Port, which fishing boats on a chapel, now used as an
enter between the guardian forts of St-Jean and St-Nicolas. exhibition centre. The first floor
On the north side are the commercial docks and the old town, has a rich collection of ancient
Egyptian artifacts in the Musée
rebuilt after World War II. People have lived here for 26 centuries, d’Archéologie Méditerranéenne
its mixture of cultures being so varied that Alexandre Dumas and the second floor displays
called it “the meeting place of the entire world”. African and Oceanic art.
R Cathédrale de la Major
Place de la Major. Tel 04 91 90 52 87.
Open Wed–Mon.
The old town descends on the
west side to the Cathédrale de
la Major, a Neo­Byzantine confec­
tion completed in 1893. Its crypt
contains the tombs of the bishops
of Marseille. Beside it, small and
beautiful, is the 11th­century
Ancienne Cathédrale de la Major,
part of which was sacrificed in
the building of the new cathedral.
Inside are a reliquary altar of
1073 and a 15th­century altar.
E Musée des Docks Romains
10 place Vivaux. Tel 04 91 91 24 62.
Open Tue–Sun. Closed public hols.
& ∑ musee-des-docks-romain.
marseille.fr
Boats moored at Marseille’s Vieux Port During post­war rebuilding the
Roman docks were uncovered.
Exploring Marseille behind the quai des Belges, at the A small museum, mainly dis­
Inland, running from the end of back of St­Ferréol, is the Jardin des playing large storage urns once
the port, is La Canebière – canna­ Vestiges, where remains of the used for wine, grain and oil,
bis walk – a big, bustling boulevard Greek settlement, dating from the occupies the site of the docks,
which stretches from former hemp 4th century BC, have been found. now buried in the foundations
fields down to the port where of a residential block.
the hemp was made into rope. P La Vieille Charité
At the top of La Canebière is the 2 rue de la Vieille Charité. Tel 04 91 14 E Musée d’Histoire de
Neo­Gothic Eglise des Réformés. 58 38. Open Tue–Sun. Closed public Marseille
A left and a right turn lead to hols. & = - 7 ∑ vieille- 2 rue Henri Barbusse. Tel 04 91 55 36 63.
boulevard Longchamp, and a walk charite-marseille.com Open Tue–Sun. Closed public hols.
along its length brings you to the The old town’s finest building is & 8 ∑ musee-histoire-marseille-
Palais Longchamp. This is not really the Vieille Charité, a large, well­ voie-historique.fr
a palace, but more an impressive restored hospice designed by Formerly located at the Centre
folly in the form of a colonnade Pierre Puget (1620–94), architect Bourse, this renovated and
that fans out around a fountain
and ends in two large wings.
These wings support a natural
history and a fine arts museum.
Behind the palace is the city’s
zoo. Beyond the grid of shopping
streets to the south, the town rises
towards the basilica of Notre­Dame­
de­la­Garde, which provides an
unparalleled view of the city. If you
visit the morning fish market on
the quai des Belges, you can delight
in Marseille’s famed bouillabaisse
(see pp204–5) at one of the many
fish restaurants nearby. Just The Palais Longchamps, a 19th-century folly set around a fountain
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp200–1 and pp212–15