Feel like visiting Marseille this summer? American Vintage has compiled a list of the best local hot spots for you.
Cover photo: Najib Chari
Where to eat
In Marseille, there are amazing eateries around every corner. Start your day at Café du Fort, just steps away from the Mucem. Before lunch, head to La Meulerie, the coolest cheese shop in the city, and try their delicious grilled cheese sandwich. It’s noon already! Time to go to Limmat, a canteen niched in the stairs of the Cours Julien. Everything here is housemade and you can stay cool while sampling the daily set menus (vegetarian or fish-based). When snack time comes around, make a stop at Vanille Noire, where the ice cream is divine, and the flavours are often surprising (try the black sesame). End the day deliciously with pizza at La Bonne Mère — we recommend La Papé.
Café du Fort Saint Jean · Promenade Louis Brauquier, 13002 Marseille
La Meulerie · 249 corniche Président John Fitzgerald Kennedy, 13007 Marseille
Limmat · 41 rue Jean-Baptise-Estelle, 13006 Marseille
Vanille Noire · 15 rue Caisserie, 13002 Marseille
La Bonne Mère · 16 rue du Fort du Sanctuaire, 13006 Marseille
Photo: Limmat / @caitlintgunther
Where to shop
In our Lisbon city guide, we mentioned Azul, a concept store filled with lovely artisanal pieces. Good news: there’s also a shop in Marseille, right by the Vieux-Port. For little items that make great souvenirs, visit Maison Empereur, Marseille’s must-visit DIY store. Looking for beautiful photo books? You’ll be in heaven at Ensemble.
AZUL · 73 rue Francis Davso, 13001 Marseille
Maison Empereur · 4 rue des Récolettes, 13001 Marseille
Ensemble · 7 rue du Chevalier Roze, 13002 Marseille
Where to admire art
Check out La Vieille Charité, where artist Laura Prouvost set up a monumental installation. Not to mention Faces, a gallery where you can discover edgy exhibitions while sipping a latte. And if you’re looking to escape the heat, opt for the MUCEM, the Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilizations.
Centre de la Vieille Charité · 2 rue de la Charité, 13002 Marseille
Faces · 232 rue d’Endoume, 13007 Marseille
MUCEM · 1 esplanade J4, 13002 Marseille
Where to sleep
At La Relève, a hotel in the Endoume neighbourhood offering four rooms and a studio. Here, the decoration is eye-catching in green, pink, blue and yellow. The real advantage of this spot, though, is the bar on the ground floor: a must! It’s also where breakfast is served, with fresh-squeezed fruit juice, baked goods and coffee. Psst: its ideal location makes it a perfect base for your visit.
La Relève · 41 rue d’Endoume, 13007 Marseille
AMV Journal is a space dedicated to encounters, discovery and travel. Every week, explore the musts, portraits and inspirations of American Vintage and its creation studio.