Marseille Activities: Market, Soup, Soap
Marseille Activities: Market, Soup and Soap
By eight in the morning the fishermen at the head of the Vieux-Port have tied up their wooden pointus and laid the catch on open trestle tables. That is the best first activity in Marseille, and it costs nothing to watch.
The morning fish market
The market runs on the Quai des Belges, under the mirrored Ombrière canopy, from about 08:00 to 13:00. Look for sea urchins, rascasse, sea bream, squid and octopus. Browsing is free. If you buy a bag of urchins or oysters, a quayside brasserie will usually serve you a glass of chilled white wine to go with them.
Bouillabaisse, ordered ahead
Marseille’s signature dish follows a charter written by local chefs in 1980. It asks for several kinds of fresh Mediterranean rockfish, a saffron broth served first with garlic croutons and rouille, then the fish on a separate platter. Kitchens need 24 to 48 hours of notice to buy the fish, so book when you reserve your trip, not on the day.
Expect to pay about €65 to €80 or more per person. Chez Fonfon, in the Vallon des Auffes, sits near the lower end of that range and Le Miramar, on the Quai du Port, near the upper end. A bouillabaisse board at the quay for much less is a sign to keep walking.
A morning at a soap factory
Savon de Marseille has been made with vegetable oils in open cauldrons for centuries, and a royal edict of 1688 set the rules. The Savonnerie Fer à Cheval, founded in 1856 in the 14th arrondissement, offers a free 45-minute tour of its brick cauldrons and drying rooms. It is by reservation only, with listed slots on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and it suits visitors aged 10 and over. Book through the Fer à Cheval site .
For something hands-on, the Savonnerie La Licorne, on the Quai du Port, runs short workshops where you stamp your own bar. Ask about the current schedule before you go.
Pétanque and pastis in Le Panier
Place de Lenche, at the top of the old quarter, is where neighbourhood regulars play boules on the gravel. Take a terrace table, order a Pastis 51 or a Ricard, which arrives with a jug of iced water to pour in yourself, and expect to pay about €3.50. Watching a serious match is its own entertainment.
Getting around
The RTM network covers metro, tram and bus. A single ticket is €1.70, a 24-hour pass is €6.70 and a 72-hour pass is €14, with prices and maps on rtm.fr . From the airport, the airport shuttle (line A1) runs to the Saint-Charles bus station in 30 to 50 minutes and costs €15 single or €26 return.
If you would rather have a local guide for the food side, compare Marseille food tours on GetYourGuide and read the meeting point and inclusions first.
Street sense
Pickpockets work the crowded hubs, so keep phones and wallets zipped away at Saint-Charles station and along the Vieux-Port quays. The Noailles market streets are lively by day and quiet after dark, so use the main roads for the walk home. The Marseille tourist office lists current opening times for everything above.
For landmarks to pair with the market, see the sightseeing page and the 2-day Marseille itinerary .
Tip: do the fish market first, then walk up through Le Panier before the lunchtime crowds, and keep your soap tour or bouillabaisse booking for the afternoon or evening.