Travel to Marseille and Provence - Episode 963

Travel to Marseille and Provence – Episode 963

October 2, 2025 Journeyhour.net

Hear about travel to Marseille and Provence in France as the Amateur Traveler talks again to Audra Morris of The Nerd Traveler about her visit to France’s second-largest city.

Why should someone travel to Marseille and Provence?

Audra says, “Marseille in Provence is the oldest town in France. It has got 2,600 years of history. It does have a reputation of being a little bit edgy, a little bit gritty, so it’s one of those, under-the-radar kind of places. It’s a beautiful place to have a home base for exploring the South of France, the Provence area specifically. It’s such a cool and vibrant town. With it being one of the locales for the Olympics, they did spend quite a bit of money in the last 10 or 15 years really upgrading the city. It’s quite a bit safer than a lot of people think it’s gonna be.”

Audra recommends the following itinerary:

Days 1–2: Explore Marseille

Notre-Dame de la Garde – Iconic basilica on a hill with panoramic views (take the little tourist train or metro, not the steep walk).
MuCEM (Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilizations) – Modern architecture plus exhibits; linked to Fort Saint-Jean (17th-century fort, cannons once pointed at the city).
Château d’If – Short ferry ride to the island prison from The Count of Monte Cristo.
Le Panier District – Oldest neighborhood, Greek and Roman roots, colorful houses, street art, cafes, bistros, souvenirs.
Musée Regards de Provence – Former immigration/quarantine station, now art museum.
Cathédrale de la Major – Blend of Romanesque, Byzantine, and later styles, with striking striped stonework.
La Vieille Charité – Former almshouse with domed chapel, now home to museums.
Palais Longchamp – Monumental fountain and park celebrating Marseille’s 19th-century water supply.
Marché des Capucins – International market (Lebanese, Armenian, North African flavors).
Cours Julien – Trendy neighborhood for dinner, nightlife, and street art.
Optional: Abbaye Saint-Victor (early Christian site, founded 415 CE) + Marseille Soap Museum nearby.

Day 3: Cassis & the Calanques

Seaside town of Cassis (famous for seafood, bouillabaisse, and white wines).
Calanques National Park – Dramatic limestone cliffs, hiking, kayaking, or boat tours.
Evening: Walk along Corniche Kennedy (scenic coastal promenade with the “world’s longest bench”), sunset views, and seafood at Vallon des Auffes.
Optional: French cooking class in Marseille.

Day 4: Aix-en-Provence

30–35 min train ride from Marseille.
Cours Mirabeau – Tree-lined main boulevard.
Cathédrale Saint-Sauveur – Built on an ancient Roman temple, with layers of architecture from Romanesque to Baroque.
Cézanne’s Studio – Preserved as he left it in 1906.
Local markets for lavender, rosé, and Provençal goods.
Vineyard visits and wine tastings.

Day 5: Arles

1 hr from Marseille (or move your base to Arles for a couple of nights).
Roman sites: Amphitheater, Roman Theater, Cryptoporticus, Baths.
Vincent van Gogh heritage – he lived here for 15 months, producing ~300 works.
Stroll along the Rhône at sunset.
Practical tip: Smaller towns like Arles may be less credit-card friendly — carry euros.

Day 6: Les Baux-de-Provence & Saint-Rémy-de-Provence

Les Baux – Medieval hilltop fortress town with dramatic views, castle ruins, catapults, and the Carrières de Lumières immersive art show in a former quarry.
Saint-Rémy-de-Provence – Van Gogh’s asylum (painted Starry Night here), walking trail with plaques matching his paintings, Nostradamus’ birthplace.
Nearby: Glanum Roman ruins (can be visited on foot from town, but easier with a tour/driver).
Local specialty: Provençal olive oil.

Summary

Spend 4–6 nights in Marseille as a base.
Use Marseille for city sights, then radiate outwards with day trips.
For longer stays, consider moving to Arles for a couple of nights before heading to Les Baux & Saint-Rémy.

Show Notes

The Nerd Traveler
Travel to Lyon, France – Amateur Traveler Episode 921
Marseille
Travel to Provence, France (Podcast) – Amateur Traveler
Old Port of Marseille
Notre-Dame de la Garde
Mucem
Fort Saint-Jean (Marseille)
Château d’If
Le Panier
Marseille Cathedral
Vieille Charité
Porte d’Aix
Palais Longchamp
Cours Julien
Marché des Capucins
Regards De Provence Museum
Cassis
The Corniche Kennedy
‘Cité Radieuse’ of Le Corbusier
Top Marseille Cooking Classes
Aix-en-Provence
Cézanne’s studio
Top Aix-en-Provence Cooking Classes
Top Aix-en-Provence Wine Tasting Tours
Abbey of St Victor, Marseille
Marseille Soap Museum
Arles
Vincent van Gogh
Cryptoporticus
Fondation Vincent Van Gogh Arles
Les Baux-de-Provence
Carrières des Lumières
Saint-Rémy-de-Provence
Monastery of Saint-Paul de Mausole
Nostradamus à Saint-Rémy de Provence
Salon de Provence
The Ancient Roman city of Glanum
Hôtel de Sade in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence
Marquis de Sade
La Marseillaise
Is Marseille Worth Visiting?

Community

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the podcast titled “Cruising the Peruvian Amazon with G Adventures.” I had always believed that a journey like this would be quite challenging, but your comprehensive descriptions of your experiences made it seem very attainable for amateur travelers like myself. I was listening to it this morning while mowing my lawn, and it didn’t seem like you faced anything more difficult than some of the challenges I encounter in my backyard here in Florida.

I sincerely appreciate your podcasts, blog, and website!

Appreciatively,
Barry

—

Hi Chris

I just listened to your fascinating edition about the north end of New Zealand’s South Island.

I’d like to give a shout-out to one thing Jonti didn’t mention in the Christchurch area, and it’s something not many people will associate with holidays or travel: and that is ‘libraries’

First up, the main Christchurch Library is worth a visit just in itself. Completely rebuilt since the 2011 earthquake, this is a fabulous building both inside and out. Designed with Danish and New Zealand influences, it is a wonderful space to spend some time, with great views from the upper floors, and lots of displays and activities to involve the visitor, and often with local cultural exhibitions, so you can also learn about traditional Maori history, too. My wife even spent half an hour contributing to a massive knitting project when we visited three years ago.

But another library in the area is also worth a visit. Jonti mentioned the beach-side suburb of New Brighton, where the library is less impressive architecturally, but the views from the massive plate glass windows are amazing, as they look directly out onto the ocean surf and the beach. You also look out on another genius design, which is the ‘earthquake-proof’ pier at New Brighton, which stretches so far out into the ocean, I felt quite nervous about just how sturdy it would be if the earth did move.

Keep up the great work; you keep inspiring me to future travel, and remind me of fantastic trips I’ve done in the past.

All the best

Simon

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