Navigate a Weekend in Provence From Marseille

Music, art, gastronomy, and outdoor pursuits are the perfect way to combine a weekend in Provence. As the French and the Italians well know, with the diversity of city life, combined with the sea, it’s easy to see why a tour of the area provides a glimpse into the gateway to Africa. Steeped in history, Marseille provides the perfect standpoint from which to navigate a weekend away where the old and new meet eclectically.

For some Parisians it is now the place of choice to live, with the quality of life equally culturally fulfilling and artistically fuelled, with a more relaxed but still buoyant way of life.  Within each quarter, you can find music bars and clubs that celebrate the fusion of sounds from France and Africa.

Whilst Marseille may not have a fine stretch of sandy beach, like Cassis, it has its’ fair share of picturesque restaurants, such as (Le Petit Port ) where you can eat simple seafood whilst embracing welcoming views across characteristic small ports. But to really make the most of a trip here and sample subtle and elegantly dressed seafood, then Gerald Passedat’s  Le Petit Nice is the only place where just a touch of spice and the aroma of exotic flavours can be found infused to lobster, caplon, and a whole host of shellfish.  Just a touch of emulsion cleverly mixed with fresh bream and saffron create a modern take to rustic recipes from the past.  The bouillabaisse is traditionally mixed ‘a la nouvelle’ and freshly caught fish swim in an exotic burst of colour, with just a tinge of subtle spices.

Many Parisians have actually migrated here, to spend their weekends in their home, and still travel to work in Paris throughout the week.

The TGV operates from Paris to Marseille and is only 3 hours away.

No visit to Provence would be complete without a word on Cassis. Its’ subdued sophistication is the last word in French chic.  The place has an endearing familiarity; often copied and depicted on canvas, and it leaves a memorable mark with you.  A candy box of coloured houses contrast against the wild beauty of the coastline, along with its mainstays of picturesque ports, gastronomic restaurants, and artisan producers that make it a pleasure to stroll and discover.

There is so much more to remark beyond the beach, port and yachting fraternity. This beautiful town radiates with the same panache of a little St Tropez and has still held on to its authenticity, remaining a glorious example of 17^th and 18^th Century architecture.  Narrow little houses huddled together in painted strips of terracotta, azure blues and eau de nil greens.  Obligatory French shutters and wrought iron frontage add to the picturesque views from the harbour, where the heritage of the Clermond Ferrant family remain as a ruin, perched on the hillside.  The Clermond Ferrant family were responsible for starting the original Michelin Guide.

Gerald Passedat Le Petit Nice
Passedat Maldorm Cove,
Corniche, JF Kennedy,
13007 Marseille
Visit https://www.passedat.fr/

Sandrine Lester