10 Best Things to Do in Winter in Marseille
Make the Most of Your Winter in Marseille
Marseille is the cultural heart and soul of France, even in the wintertime. Here you can find great dining, elegant art museums, and exciting sporting events. You can visit historic fortresses connected to local history museums. You can relax in an elegant jazz bar with a craft cocktail. You can even see vast art museums with unparalleled collections.
Stroll down a bohemian street decorated with gorgeous street art and hear live music or shop in trendy boutiques. Catch a soccer match and root for the local team. Check out the place where Marseille was born. Here are the best things to do in Marseille in winter to take your travels to the next level.
1. The Vieux Port
The spot where Marseille was born
Good for: Families, Food, Photo
The Vieux Port, or Old Port, is the spot where Greek settlers arrived in 600 BCE and established a shipping port that is rich with history and culture. The port is located near the Canebière boulevard on the west side of the city. Here you can find the best in authentic local seafood cuisine and bouillabaisse or visit a fish market for fresh fish right off the boat.
Many come here just to sit and watch the ships come in and go out. From here you can also catch a ferry to other nearby points of interest. If getting out onto the Mediterranean is of interest to you, this is where it all begins. Read more
The Vieux Port
2. Fort Saint-Jean
A medieval military fortress
Good for: Budget, Families, History
Fort Saint-Jean is a historic fortification that dates to 1660 and connects to a centuries-old district and the first French national museum outside of Paris. Here you can walk the parapets that overlook the city and ocean and explore the structure that protected Marseille from invasion during the Middle Ages, then follow the bridge to the history museum.
The fort served as a military outpost and barracks up through the 20th century and played a critical role in World War II. With easy access to the neighboring Le Panier district and the old harbor, it’s an enchanting place to walk in the footsteps of history. Read more
Location: Prom. Robert Laffont, 13002 Marseille, France
Open: Wednesday to Monday from 10 am to 7 pm, closed Tuesday
Phone: +33 4 84 35 13 13
Fort Saint-Jean
3. Center Commercial Center Bourse
An indoor retail experience
Good for: Families, Food, Shoppers
The Center Commercial Center Bourse is a contemporary shopping mall featuring dozens of stores, restaurants, services, and entertainment for the whole family in the city center. The mall fields 73 retail stores and covers almost 10 acres. It’s a site of archeological importance too, with the remains of the original port of Marseille being found during excavations.
Inside you’ll find a wide variety of shopping experiences from clothing to kitsch, toys, tech, electronics, and more. You can visit a gym to stay fit, or head for the food court and grab a coffee or a burger. It’s a great place to go to escape the cold and rain and spend a day shopping old-school style.
Location: 17 Cr Belsunce, 13001 Marseille, France
Open: Monday–Saturday from 10 am to 7 pm, closed Sunday
Phone: +33 (0)4 91 14 00 50
Center Commercial Center Bourse
4. Les Docks Village
Shopping and dining in a historic atrium
Good for: Families, Shoppers, History, Food
Les Docks is a historic building in the heart of the Marseille business district that offers hundreds of services and restaurants as well as a look at France’s Victorian period. Les Docks is mostly an office building that houses over 220 companies, including regional branches and corporate headquarters.
At Les Docks Village you’ll find outstanding dining and retail options for boutique shopping among the 4 interconnected warehouse structures with an airy, open atrium. The building was erected in the mid-1800s and has undergone a massive renovation project to restore it to its former glory.
Location: 10 Pl. de la Joliette, 13002 Marseille, France
Open: Daily from 10 am to 7 pm
Phone: +33 (0)4 91 44 25 28
Les Docks Village
5. MUCEM
The history of the Mediterranean
Good for: Families, Food, History
MUCEM, or the Museum of Civilizations of Europe and the Mediterranean, is a museum that opened in 2013 and focuses on the history of the region from the prehistoric era to modern times. The approach it takes is interdisciplinary, focusing on sociology and anthropology as much as archeology.
The museum was built adjacent to the historic harbor and connects to a 17th-century fortress that you can tour as part of the experience. Inside, it houses 2 levels of exhibits and offers a 400-seat underground auditorium. You can visit an onsite restaurant at the top of the building for eats with panoramic views, or check out the museum gift shop for a souvenir. Read more
Location: 1 Espl. J4, 13002 Marseille, France
Open: Wednesday to Monday from 10 am to 7 pm, closed Tuesday
Phone: +33 (0)4 84 35 13 13
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MUCEM
6. Pelle-Mêle
Modern jazz and blues
Good for: Couples, Food, Nightlife
Pelle-Mêle is a bar and jazz club that features live music almost every night as well as craft cocktails, tapas, charcuterie boards, and a wonderful selection of wine. The venue also boasts an outdoor terrace, though in the winter it can get a bit chilly.
The bar is dimly lit and decorated in earth tones for understated elegance. The ambience and atmosphere here are refined and elegant. The food and beverages are high quality, and its downtown location makes it a good place to come to get out of the cold, enjoy some live jazz and blues, and spend an evening in conversation with good friends and good cocktails.
Location: 8 Pl. aux Huiles, 13001 Marseille, France
Open: Tuesday–Thursday from 5 pm to 2 am, Friday and Saturday from 10 am to 3 pm and 5 pm to 2 am, closed Sunday
Phone: +33 (0)4 91 54 85 26
Pelle-Mêle
7. Le Center de la Vieille Charité
A whole range of museums
Good for: Budget, Families, History
Le Center de la Vieille Charité is a multicultural group museums and associations that offers temporary, rotating historical exhibits and social activities throughout the year. The center is more than just a museum; it also functions as a cultural center situated in the heart of Marseille’s Panier quarter just minutes from the city center.
The building itself is historic, having served as an almshouse and chapel in the 1600s. Today it houses the Mediterranean Archeology Museum, the Museum of African, Oceanic and Native American Arts, the Norbert Elias Center, and several other innovative cultural, social, and research institutes. It also features a cafe and research library.
Location: 2 Rue de la Charité, 13002 Marseille, France
Open: Tuesday to Sunday from 9 am to 6 pm, closed Monday
Phone: +33 4 91 14 58 46
Le Center de la Vieille Charité
8. Musée Cantini
An unmatched collection of modern art
Good for: Couples, Families, History
The Musée Cantini is a museum specializing in modern art and paintings from the first half of the 20th century, and is a historic institution that has existed since 1936. It features one of the largest public art collections in France covering the early 20th century, and includes such famed artists as Henri Laurens, Alberto Magnelli, Max Ernst, Simon Simon-Auguste, Jean Arp, and others.
The building was constructed in 1694 as a company headquarters and was used by various private enterprises through the early 20th century. It was then bequeathed to the city on the condition that it be used as a museum. The exhibits are spread among 4 galleries tracing specific eras. Read more
Location: 19 Rue Grignan, 13006 Marseille, France
Open: Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday open 9 am to 6 pm, closed Monday, Thursday, Friday
Phone: +33 4 13 94 83 30
Musée Cantini
9. Cours Julien
Lively bohemian neighbourhood
Good for: Shoppers, Food, Nightlife
Cours Julien is a lively bohemian street that’s among the most trendy neighborhoods in Marseille, offering street art, a wide range of eateries, bars, and shopping. You can see both authorized murals and graffiti from some of the top up-and-coming street artists. You can enjoy everything from tapas to burgers at sidewalk cafes here, in between exploring trendy boutiques.
If you’re looking for live music, this is the place to be, offering some of the city’s hottest clubs and performance venues. As you walk this street, which is just a 12-minute drive away from the city center, almost any doorway you duck into will offer an exciting escape from a cold winter’s day. Read more
Cours Julien
10. Olympique de Marseille game
Iconic annual soccer rivalry in action
Good for: Adventure, Couples, Families
Olympique de Marseille is the city’s soccer club and they play right through the winter, so you can have an exciting time rooting for the home team. Olympique de Marseille is more than just a soccer team; it’s also a historic institution founded back in 1899.
Their game against Paris Saint-Germain every year is a legendary rivalry and an event called Le Classique. It usually takes place in winter, and if you’re a fan of the sport it is not to be missed. If you’re looking for a thrilling winter experience, book tickets for the Stade Vélodrome and catch a match.
Location: 3 Bd Michelet, 13008 Marseille, France
Open: Varies by event
Phone: +33 4 84 45 38 00
Olympique de Marseille game
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