Marseille With Kids: Pods, Trains, Beaches
Marseille With Kids: Pods, Trains, Beaches
Children in Marseille tend to remember three things: a silent pod ride through a flooded cave, a three-minute boat across the harbour, and a long afternoon on the sand at Prado. All three are easy to combine.
Cosquer Méditerranée
The replica of the Cosquer cave sits in the Villa Méditerranée beside the MuCEM. Visitors ride in small automated pods past replicated stalactites and hand stencils, with audio guides that explain the Paleolithic paintings. Tickets are €18 for adults, €11 for ages 10 to 17 and €6 for ages 6 to 9. Opening hours are 09:30 to 18:00 on weekdays outside holidays and 09:30 to 19:30 on weekends and school holidays. Reserve through grotte-cosquer.com .
The ferry-boat and the Petit Train
The little ferry-boat crosses the Vieux-Port between the Hôtel de Ville quay and Place aux Huiles in about three minutes for €0.50, and it is free with an RTM pass. It is the cheapest boat ride in France that children will ask to repeat.
The Petit Train de Marseille leaves from the Quai du Port, climbs through Saint-Victor and along the Corniche, and stops for about 20 minutes at Notre-Dame de la Garde before returning. The whole circuit takes about 1 hour 15 minutes. Listings quote roughly €8 to €11 for adults and €4 to €6 for children, so check the price at boarding. The basilica terraces are free, and the view over the harbour and islands suits tired legs.
Parc Borély and the Prado beaches
Parc Borély, on the Avenue du Prado, covers 17 hectares with a boating lake with pedal boats, a rose garden, a carousel and wide paths for bikes and rollerblades. It is free to enter. Across the road, the Plages du Prado have shallow water, playgrounds and a skatepark, so a morning in the park and an afternoon on the sand make an easy day. Buses 83 and 19 serve the area.
Palais Longchamp
The gardens and cascades around the Palais Longchamp are free, with plenty of lawn for a picnic. Marseille’s zoo closed in 1987, and the colourful animals in the old cages are fibreglass sculptures, which children usually enjoy as a photo stop. The two museums in the palace wings charge about €5 each.
Moving around with children
An RTM 24-hour pass costs €6.70 and a 72-hour pass €14, and a single ticket is €1.70. Check child fares on rtm.fr . The airport shuttle (line A1) to Saint-Charles costs €15 single or €26 return and takes 30 to 50 minutes.
Sun, water and crowds
The Mediterranean sun is strong from spring to autumn, so bring hats and water. At the Prado beaches, agree a meeting point first. Pickpockets work crowded hubs such as Saint-Charles station and the Vieux-Port quays, so keep bags zipped.
If you want a guided option, browse family-friendly tours in Marseille on Viator and check age limits before booking. The Marseille tourist office has current events and seasonal boat shuttle information.
For a wider plan, see the Marseille sightseeing page and the 2-day Marseille itinerary .
Tip: put Cosquer first thing in the morning, the ferry-boat and Petit Train after lunch, and save the beach for when the afternoon heat fades.