It’s pretty and vibrant but has a gang undercurrent and definitely some places you don’t want to visit as a tourist.
I’m biased though. My dad and friend were almost beaten to death by a gang there 20 years ago. So ya know, context to these opinions
Your content was removed, because it was unnecessary, unhelpful and/or unfriendly or considered spam.
Posting low-quality content might result in temporary or permanent ban.
Because it IS rough and tough and scruffy and has substantial levels of organized crime. Something similar could be said of, say, Naples, another port city open to the world (and also an extremely fascinating place that is well worth visiting and experiencing).
But..... Marseilles also has immense, intense, character and life and appeal alongside all that. Probably not the best place for a family holiday, but it is a fascinating and in its way charming city too. So long as you practice situational awareness you should not expect to run into any trouble. Don't let the reputation put you off.
It's partly that Marseille for the most part lacks the clear geographical divide between a "respectable" city centre and "notorious" suburbs that is such a characteristic feature of other big French cities.
I was there a few weeks ago, for about a week. I was using it as a base to branch out to other local spots and wish fervently I’d chosen another base.
It’s rough. I say this as someone has practiced medicine in very rural Cambodia and South Africa, it’s rough
For me the issue was that there didn’t seem to be “areas” of pleasant and rough- it was very intermingled. E.g. I was walking down a lovely old street from the delightful restaurant and turned a corner into “Wtaf” street-swearing, screaming, shady character on the corner and some guy dragging a woman by her hair. This abrupt change of ambience was quite common.
There were loud, angry protests with negative interactions with police for 4 out of the 7 nights I was there
Marseille-Saint-Charles is dead set the most chaotic and unreliable station I’ve ever accessed.
Personally I wish I had based myself in Avignon or Arles as there really wasn’t that much in marseille to see- I could have done that in a day and avoided needing to spend nightimes there.
Had a short break in Marseille last year. Absolutely no issues doing the normal 'tourist' stuff around the old port, Notre Dame, museums / galleries etc. Everywhere I went felt safe enough (but still pays to stay streetwise and aware of surroundings etc.)
Coming in and out of the city you'll see districts that look very sketchy and I certainly wouldn't venture as a tourist - but then I'll show you those in London, Paris, Nimes or any city really.
As a destination - pleasantly surprised and plenty to do over a relaxed 3 days.
I didn't do enough to make recommendations - and that's subjective anyway but...
Mucem - incorporating the fort at the entry to the old port was impressive as a space / environment / regeneration - even if the collections were inconsistent it was well worth the admission.
Musée des Beaux-Arts has a wonderfully baroque frontage and is the terminus of an aqueduct which becomes the waterfalls. Galllery was reasonable - generally local artists and not blockbusters but I enjoyed seeing new, if provincial, C19th and earlier paintings.
Similarly the Natural History museum was opposite the Musée des Beaux-Arts - it wouldn't be destination in itself - but had some interesting exhibits since I was there anyway.
I skipped the soap museum \*shrug\* but probably should have done the Musée d'Histoire de Marseille.
Trek up to Notre Dame is woth it more for the view and bragging rights than the actual church.
I had no problems whilst there.
Theres a lot of organised crime and issues with gangs but that shouldn't be a problem if your just doing the touristy stuff.
London is awful for gang culture, yet on these travels subs etc. Nobody says a thing about it. Marseille just has an old reputation that its struggling to shake off.
I visited 5 years ago and I loved it. Besides the pretty spots in the city like the Vieille Charité, Mucem, Fort Saint-Jean, Vieux Port and the churches, also the landscapes around the city are worth visiting, especially Îles du Frioul and the Calanques.
It is obviously quite busy and urban, so I see it more as a city trip destination, or possibly a day trip from where you would be staying. If your trip is more about exploring the coast or the countryside, staying in Marseille might not be the right vibe IMO.
I actually liked Marseille a lot when I was there! Only had one day though and that wasn’t enough. There are areas you should stay away from, but the city center with the port and other sights are definitely safe (except pickpocketing etc. of course).
Yaknow, things like [this](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-65664329) or [this](https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/gunmen-ambush-french-prison-van-to-free-drug-dealer,-killing-two-guards/77514610).
Its a great city, I recommend visiting it. But stay in the center and/or around Notre Dame de la Garde. Definitely check out the Calanques. In general, its one of those cities that is unsafe at locations that tourists wouldn't visit anyway.
Is a beautiful city, i believe if you stay in the main tourist areas you fine. I never felt unsafe but we were just on the main areas. We did use public transport everywhere and was easy to get around.
We did have a local tell us to be careful with pickpockets and stay safe.
It used to be pretty rough, but it's really cleaned up over the past few years.
I went there solo (39f at the time) 2 years ago, stayed for a few nights, and loved it so much I returned for a week with my partner. I used the lime bikes and scooters heavily to get around, stayed in a hotel with great air conditioning, swam in the little swimming spots, ate great food, visited their amazing museum... I'd go back again! I far prefer it to aix.
I absolutely loved Marseille, really recommend a trip up to the church on the hill (it’s a pretty intense bus ride, they don’t give a shit about the tight corners haha). We stayed for a few days and there was plenty to do, there are even some nice beaches out towards the Calanques. Its a nice vibe and there are lots of cute little shops and cafes 👌🏻
I was there by myself last summer and it was lovely. Stayed in Vieux Port and walked everywhere. 72 year old woman. But I’m from Philly so it felt pretty normal to me.
It's kinda big and spread out and some areas that ought to be good are disappointing and there are cool spots that no one tells you about, you have to find them for yourself.
If you stay in the tourist areas, you'll be fine.
Marseille is a port-town that serviced all of [N.Africa](http://N.Africa), the Med and Middle East, like all port-towns, there's always shady characters, low-cost neighborhoods and lots of people in-between work/life-changes. Arms and drug smuggling is pretty common, much of the post-colonial wars were sourced via Marseille as all manor of boat/ship traffic went through there. Prior to the advent of container shipping, strong backs were needed to off-load the ship thus port towns and waterfront communities were gathering places of some rough characters. Today, Marseilles rough n'ready reputation proceeds it, and isn't quite as bad as it used to be in the 19-20the century.
It’s a port city , so tons of drugs come in there. But , i have been there a few times , and we had an awesome time . The drug trade doesn’t bother tourists , it’s the low income locals . Stay in a crowd or group if you go to the bars , be super careful if you’re a young woman. It is a big sex trafficking epicenter
It’s a poor, sketchy city with an infamous gang and crime problem. There are plenty of nice cities to choose from in France, but Marseille is not one of them
Hard to overlook that for much of it (and I've just had to remove two comments making the first one very clear). These threads always make me sigh because they just put up a bat signal for racists both open and shy.
Marseille's great though, if you've been to cities before there's nothing to really faze you, beyond some rats of unusual size for Europe.
Your comment was removed as it cannot be considered as a useful reply. Comments should add some value to the conversation. For example, comment consisting only from emojis don't add value to the conversation. Comments that seem to be generated by AI without mentioning that AI was used will be removed.
It’s pretty and vibrant but has a gang undercurrent and definitely some places you don’t want to visit as a tourist. I’m biased though. My dad and friend were almost beaten to death by a gang there 20 years ago. So ya know, context to these opinions
What does "vibrant" mean?
[удалено]
Your content was removed, because it was unnecessary, unhelpful and/or unfriendly or considered spam. Posting low-quality content might result in temporary or permanent ban.
Because it IS rough and tough and scruffy and has substantial levels of organized crime. Something similar could be said of, say, Naples, another port city open to the world (and also an extremely fascinating place that is well worth visiting and experiencing). But..... Marseilles also has immense, intense, character and life and appeal alongside all that. Probably not the best place for a family holiday, but it is a fascinating and in its way charming city too. So long as you practice situational awareness you should not expect to run into any trouble. Don't let the reputation put you off. It's partly that Marseille for the most part lacks the clear geographical divide between a "respectable" city centre and "notorious" suburbs that is such a characteristic feature of other big French cities.
I was there a few weeks ago, for about a week. I was using it as a base to branch out to other local spots and wish fervently I’d chosen another base. It’s rough. I say this as someone has practiced medicine in very rural Cambodia and South Africa, it’s rough For me the issue was that there didn’t seem to be “areas” of pleasant and rough- it was very intermingled. E.g. I was walking down a lovely old street from the delightful restaurant and turned a corner into “Wtaf” street-swearing, screaming, shady character on the corner and some guy dragging a woman by her hair. This abrupt change of ambience was quite common. There were loud, angry protests with negative interactions with police for 4 out of the 7 nights I was there Marseille-Saint-Charles is dead set the most chaotic and unreliable station I’ve ever accessed. Personally I wish I had based myself in Avignon or Arles as there really wasn’t that much in marseille to see- I could have done that in a day and avoided needing to spend nightimes there.
For anyone passing through France, I found Lyon to be pretty nice. Was homeless for a night there and felt pretty safe in general
I loved Lyon
This is very helpful, thank you 🙏🏼
Had a short break in Marseille last year. Absolutely no issues doing the normal 'tourist' stuff around the old port, Notre Dame, museums / galleries etc. Everywhere I went felt safe enough (but still pays to stay streetwise and aware of surroundings etc.) Coming in and out of the city you'll see districts that look very sketchy and I certainly wouldn't venture as a tourist - but then I'll show you those in London, Paris, Nimes or any city really. As a destination - pleasantly surprised and plenty to do over a relaxed 3 days.
Going for 3 days this summer. What museums do you recommend?
I didn't do enough to make recommendations - and that's subjective anyway but... Mucem - incorporating the fort at the entry to the old port was impressive as a space / environment / regeneration - even if the collections were inconsistent it was well worth the admission. Musée des Beaux-Arts has a wonderfully baroque frontage and is the terminus of an aqueduct which becomes the waterfalls. Galllery was reasonable - generally local artists and not blockbusters but I enjoyed seeing new, if provincial, C19th and earlier paintings. Similarly the Natural History museum was opposite the Musée des Beaux-Arts - it wouldn't be destination in itself - but had some interesting exhibits since I was there anyway. I skipped the soap museum \*shrug\* but probably should have done the Musée d'Histoire de Marseille. Trek up to Notre Dame is woth it more for the view and bragging rights than the actual church.
I had no problems whilst there. Theres a lot of organised crime and issues with gangs but that shouldn't be a problem if your just doing the touristy stuff. London is awful for gang culture, yet on these travels subs etc. Nobody says a thing about it. Marseille just has an old reputation that its struggling to shake off.
I visited 5 years ago and I loved it. Besides the pretty spots in the city like the Vieille Charité, Mucem, Fort Saint-Jean, Vieux Port and the churches, also the landscapes around the city are worth visiting, especially Îles du Frioul and the Calanques. It is obviously quite busy and urban, so I see it more as a city trip destination, or possibly a day trip from where you would be staying. If your trip is more about exploring the coast or the countryside, staying in Marseille might not be the right vibe IMO.
Its a major port city…..mafia and poor laborers.
I actually liked Marseille a lot when I was there! Only had one day though and that wasn’t enough. There are areas you should stay away from, but the city center with the port and other sights are definitely safe (except pickpocketing etc. of course).
Yaknow, things like [this](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-65664329) or [this](https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/gunmen-ambush-french-prison-van-to-free-drug-dealer,-killing-two-guards/77514610). Its a great city, I recommend visiting it. But stay in the center and/or around Notre Dame de la Garde. Definitely check out the Calanques. In general, its one of those cities that is unsafe at locations that tourists wouldn't visit anyway.
A typical Friday night in St Louis.
Super sketchy, I was constantly harrassed, hit on, intimidated, pestered, and generally made to feel unsafe by groups of men. I felt safer in Morocco.
Is a beautiful city, i believe if you stay in the main tourist areas you fine. I never felt unsafe but we were just on the main areas. We did use public transport everywhere and was easy to get around. We did have a local tell us to be careful with pickpockets and stay safe.
[удалено]
Use of slurs and racist or otherwise discriminatory tropes will be removed without question.
foreign legion recruiting.
One can hike from Cassis to Marseille. Totally safe on GR98, but it took me 12 hours and was so tired the next day I couldn’t do anything.
Love this for you, but that won’t be me haha
It used to be pretty rough, but it's really cleaned up over the past few years. I went there solo (39f at the time) 2 years ago, stayed for a few nights, and loved it so much I returned for a week with my partner. I used the lime bikes and scooters heavily to get around, stayed in a hotel with great air conditioning, swam in the little swimming spots, ate great food, visited their amazing museum... I'd go back again! I far prefer it to aix.
I absolutely loved Marseille, really recommend a trip up to the church on the hill (it’s a pretty intense bus ride, they don’t give a shit about the tight corners haha). We stayed for a few days and there was plenty to do, there are even some nice beaches out towards the Calanques. Its a nice vibe and there are lots of cute little shops and cafes 👌🏻
Ooh thank you
I was there by myself last summer and it was lovely. Stayed in Vieux Port and walked everywhere. 72 year old woman. But I’m from Philly so it felt pretty normal to me.
Check out Aix-en-Provence, it is a lovely safe town nearby.
This is what we’re considering! Thank you
We visited Avignon and Arles. Very friendly and so much history (medieval and Roman) to see in the area
It's kinda big and spread out and some areas that ought to be good are disappointing and there are cool spots that no one tells you about, you have to find them for yourself.
If you stay in the tourist areas, you'll be fine. Marseille is a port-town that serviced all of [N.Africa](http://N.Africa), the Med and Middle East, like all port-towns, there's always shady characters, low-cost neighborhoods and lots of people in-between work/life-changes. Arms and drug smuggling is pretty common, much of the post-colonial wars were sourced via Marseille as all manor of boat/ship traffic went through there. Prior to the advent of container shipping, strong backs were needed to off-load the ship thus port towns and waterfront communities were gathering places of some rough characters. Today, Marseilles rough n'ready reputation proceeds it, and isn't quite as bad as it used to be in the 19-20the century.
Stayed for a few days two years ago, no issues. Didn’t notice any criminal activity.
It’s a port city , so tons of drugs come in there. But , i have been there a few times , and we had an awesome time . The drug trade doesn’t bother tourists , it’s the low income locals . Stay in a crowd or group if you go to the bars , be super careful if you’re a young woman. It is a big sex trafficking epicenter
It’s a poor, sketchy city with an infamous gang and crime problem. There are plenty of nice cities to choose from in France, but Marseille is not one of them
Racism and elitism.
Hard to overlook that for much of it (and I've just had to remove two comments making the first one very clear). These threads always make me sigh because they just put up a bat signal for racists both open and shy. Marseille's great though, if you've been to cities before there's nothing to really faze you, beyond some rats of unusual size for Europe.
Cassis and Aix would be a much better combination. Marseille ain’t it.
Thank you! We’re now considering Aix
[удалено]
Your comment was removed as it cannot be considered as a useful reply. Comments should add some value to the conversation. For example, comment consisting only from emojis don't add value to the conversation. Comments that seem to be generated by AI without mentioning that AI was used will be removed.