Bikes in Marseille

[nyyhoneybee]

Is it possible to rent bikes and spend a few hours biking in and around Marseille? If so where?

[6rugrats]

Marseille is very hilly with a lot of aggressive drivers. I don't know where to rent a bike, but you could look into the velo bike hire.

[AngloinProvence]

There is a city-wide bike hire scheme called le vélo (vélo being one of the French words for bicycle) with around 130 racks dotted across Marseille. You can pick up a bike at one using a credit card and drop it off at any of the others, space permitting. It's a bit like the "Boris bikes" in London and similar schemes at other major European cities.

 

Downsides are: yes, as noted, Marseille is hilly -- it can be hard work cycling in the heat. Local drivers are excitable (there are no bike lanes) and the city is riddled with building sites in preparation for 2013, when it will be European City of Culture.

 

More about the scheme, including a link to a live map showing the location of bike racks and how many bikes are available at each one, as well as other ways of getting round Marseille here: http://www.marseille-provence.info/marseille-marseilles/practical-information-travel-food-climate/20-how-to-get-around-marseille.html