Review of our day in Marseille- on our own

[queenL]

Marseille- Again we changed plans. We were originally going to go to Aix en Provence. We were tired of trains and hectic travel schedules and really just wanted to stay nearby. You are forced to take some form of transportation to get out of the pier. Don’t even think about walking. It’s too far. The ship charged 15E RT to transport you to the city center. The cabs wanted 25E one way to travel the same distance. If you have a larger party it’s probably worth it to take the cab.

 

Most of the places were closed. It was Sunday. There were a few places that opened as it got closer to noon but not very many. Once again we found a Ho Ho (18E, 15E for seniors and students, 4to 11 8E, under 4 was free.) We toured the city and stopped at Notre Dame. It was a beautiful cathedral with great views. There was also a tram ride (I think it was 8 or 9E) and the city bus that ran the same route to Notre Dame. The tram and the bus took you all the way to the top. The HoHo left you at the base of the cathedral. There were many stairs to climb.

[INRN]

So. . . this will be our first stop for our cruise. Would you then recommend going to Aix? We thought about taking the bus there (seems silly to pay the ship $50 for a walking tour and a 2.5 hour visit) and then exploring Marseilles at the end of the day for a little bit before going back to the ship.

[moyaroo]

As one who has been to both, Aix wins hands down as the place to visit.l that said Notre Dame de la Garde is unique and has dramatic views of the Marseille area, but does this equal siting under the plane trees on the Cours Mirabeau -jamais!

[rodan]

i would defintely recommend taking the bus to Aix. The walk to the bus is not far and the trip takes about 35 minutes each way. You will even have some time to explore Marseilles when you get back. Go for it!

 

-Rodan

[tom_uk]

We visited Marseilles on our first cruise and had a good day. We did a morning excursion to Cassis, which we enjoyed a lot - very pretty. Then when we got back we took the cruise line shuttle bus into the Vieux Port area, found a harbour-side restaurant and had a pleasant relaxing lunch. Then we just walked round the harbour for a while before we found a bar and had a drink. All in all it was quite a quiet and relaxing day.

[cleobella]

Can anyone tell me where do we catch the bus to Aix and what is the identification (number?) on the bus? It would be nice to do Aix on our own but I am always afraid of wasting time trying to figure out how to get there.

Thanks

[hubofhockey]

Can anyone tell me where do we catch the bus to Aix and what is the identification (number?) on the bus? It would be nice to do Aix on our own but I am always afraid of wasting time trying to figure out how to get there.

Thanks

 

We had been researching this port, and at the advice of experienced CC Europe travelers, decided to get out of Marseille to Provence. I would think the best way to Aix or Arles would be the train (and not a bus). We will take a taxi there.

 

But I am convinced that renting a car from one of the companies with offices at the train station makes more sense. I think we are going to Arles and Pont du Gard.

[Eileen G]

There is supposed to be a fast shuttle between Marseille and Aix that leaves every 10 minutes and takes 30 minutes. I'm not sure it's still running but I found the link to it on the Aix website.

http://www.navetteaixmarseille.com/IMG/file/horaires%202010/FH%20anglais.pdf

[AngloinProvence]

There is indeed a fast bus shuttle servive between Aix and Marseille. It leaves from the bus station, which is right next to the train station (Saint Charles), so you'll need to organise transport to there from the cruise terminal.

 

Note that there's also a slow bus service between the two cities (bus 51) which stops at towns along the way. Make sure you take bus 50, which is a non-stop on the motorway.

 

Regarding the towns' relative merits, it's chalk and cheese and which one you go for depends on your personal tastes. Both are steeped in millennia of history. To my mind, Marseille is more interesting (and a lot easier to get to), but I realise it's not for everyone.

 

Marseille is a port, and so very lively, colourful, a little rough and ready (though despite its reputation, no more dangerous than any other large city), cosmopolitan - lots going on. It's going to be the European City of Culture in 2013. If coming off a cruise, this may be less appealing but the boat trips along the spectacular calanques (rocky creeks) are a highlight.

 

Aix is an elegant, rather more sedate provincial town with leafy boulevards, fountains, historic buildings. Lots of fantastic Cezanne sites if you are interested in art. A big university base with an important music festival in the summer. Not as much to see, but more than enough for a day trip or two.

 

There's more information about both on my personal site.

[AngloinProvence]

By the way, if you take a train from Marseille to Aix, do not choose the TGV (the high-speed train) as the Aix TVG station is quite a way out of the town. The shuttle bus is likely to be the quickest and easiest option. A taxi from MRS to Aix would cost an arm and a leg!

[Eileen G]

AngloinProvence, Thank you for you great information. I really think I would prefer Marseille to Aix. We would like to take a ride around the area a bit. We cannot walk all day. I was looking at the 83 bus along the coast or the Blue Coast train but I can't find any schedules for them. Do they run frequently enough to get a ride and back. Do you have a sugestion on where to get off for a little sighteseeing and pleasent walk or hike?