This text is part of the special book Plaisirs
Traveling out of season is probably the best way to fully enjoy a destination. How about a dose of culture this winter? Head for Marseille, in the south of France.
On this autumn Saturday afternoon, the port of Marseille is teeming with life. The mistral may have messed up the hair, the atmosphere is festive. Fishermen rub shoulders with tourists. Passing under the Shade of the Old Port by Briton Norman Foster, we can only smile when we see our reflections waddling next to those of the pigeons, in the mirrored ceiling of the work selected in 2010 for the redevelopment and the semi-pedestrianization of the sector.
In front of the Villa Méditerranée, which now houses the replica of the prehistoric Cosquer underwater cave, a giant bear cub is intriguing. Biface like Janus, the Roman god of beginnings and endings, changes and transitions, the animal, which looks more like a gummy bear than Winnie the Pooh, stands out in the Marseille landscape. Approaching, we discover that, from the top of its five meters and six tons, the pop work of the visual artist Jayet erected in 2020 presents itself as the largest bear in the world. “The bear has one face turned towards the past and the other towards a better future”, explains the cartel.
Art Rush
The novelties are legion in Marseille. Since the city was named European Capital of Culture in 2013, the transformation has accelerated. The lace facades of the Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilizations (MUCEM) are today part of the emblems of the city. “There was a before and an after,” says Anne Dallaporta, press officer for the Marseille Convention and Visitors Bureau, about the cultural events of 2013.
If public art attracts the eye in the four corners of the city, the city of street arts, a huge scenic laboratory nestled in the 36,000 m² of the site of the former oil and soap factories L’Abeille du XVe arrondissement, wishes to “transform the urban terrain into poetic expression”, underlines the website of the City of Marseille.
Many businesses, boutiques and places of accommodation are part of this desire to offer different experiences while betting on sure values. A stone’s throw from the Old Port, the third hotel of the furniture and decoration boutique Maisons du monde has just been inaugurated in collaboration with the Vicartem group. Not far from there, a dozen stalls share the space of the Grandes Halles du Vieux-Port, open since last July. You can find the classics of Mediterranean gastronomy there, such as mezes, panisse, made with chickpea flour — very similar to soca niçoise — and pizza, a great favorite of the people of Marseilles, which can be tasted quietly on the terrace.
At the same time restaurant, bar and museum, MX Marseille offers one of the local specialities: pastis. Lovers of this aniseed drink can learn how to create cocktails in an all green and yellow decor. Banking on the senses, interactivity and technology to help people discover the history and ingredients of this drink that arouses passions, the “museum” section appeals even to those who are not particularly fond of anise.
A booming culinary scene
Although the bouillabaisse continues to be a staple, many bars and restaurants are redefining local gastronomy. This is notably the case of La Mercerie, which has been established in the Noailles district since 2018. Co-founded by sommelier Laura Vidal, who grew up in Mile End, in Montreal, and the English chef Harry Cummins, the establishment is exactly like the city: creative, mixed, friendly and warm. Fixed menus, which change according to the seasons and the moods of the chef, highlight the producers of the surroundings. “It’s still the beginning,” says Laura Vidal about the Marseille gastronomic scene. For us, it’s the product above all else. The territory is mega-rich, due to the proximity to the sea, but also to the hinterland, around Marseille, where there are market gardeners, breeders… people who work their products well. La Mercerie – which is indeed in a former haberdashery – offers what it calls signature cuisine. “The chef expresses himself, with the involvement of the rest of the team. We are not very French in our approach. We aim for inclusion and we take risks. »
The duo also opened an orange wine bar in 2021, the Livingston, in the very trendy Cours Julien, with Valentin Raffali, as well as the Pétrin couchette bakery in 2022. They are also continuing the Chardon adventure, in Arles, which has seen chefs from all over the world since its opening.
To whet your appetite or aid digestion after a meal, there’s nothing like a walk through the maze of Le Panier, Noailles and Cours Julien. Along the way, we discover a host of addresses that we promise to try during our next visits. Because if there is an art that Marseille has already mastered, it is that of seduction.
This trip was made possible thanks to an invitation from Air Transat, Atout France, the Marseille Tourist Office and Tourisme Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur. The opinions expressed in this text are 100% those of our journalist.
This special content was produced by the Special Publications team of the To have to, pertaining to marketing. The drafting of To have to did not take part.