Marseille Cruise Port Guide Info

The French biggest and liveliest cruise port as well as a part of the Marseille Fos sea port, is by no doubt Marseille. The cruise port consists of two terminals which are positioned on two different sides of the pier. The first one, Marseille Provence Cruise Center (Mole Leon Gourret piers) is a docking area for most of the cruisers arriving in Marseille. There is only a distance of 10 km between the terminals and the old city centre. On the other side of the pier, the Joliette (J4) Terminal harbors serve the small and middle size ships. These terminals are in the vicinity of the city center.

Although a large city, Central Marseille is quite compressed. A number of sightseeing locations are just round the corner. However, you might want to take a bus or a metro to get to others. If you want to see some of Provence’s most popular destinations, such as: Aix, Avignon, Arles and the Camargue, Cassis, the fields of lavender and the perched villages, as well as the Pont du Gard, the best way is to take a tour.

As you pass by the Old Port, walk your way through the labyrinth of alleys in the Panier (Old Town) adapted for strolls and enjoy the amazing craft shops, bars and vibrant street art. You might want to take a short one hour petit train ride since the area is particularly steep. A must see on your tour is the amazing baroque Vieille Charité, an arts centre, which originally was a charity house.

For yet another rich experience on the other side of the port, take another relaxing ride on a petit train or a public bus and enjoy the breathtaking Notre Dame de la Garde.
One of the symbols of Marseille, the church Catedrale de la Major, is full of eccentric sacrificial offerings and resonant, gold, byzantine mosaics. What you unexpectedly get as an extra enjoyment is the astounding 360 degree scene that can be seen from its terrace.

At the end of this lovely and quite active tour, you get to enjoy the French most important occupation – wining and dining. Even better, the Provence area is well known for its extraordinary and unique tastes. The ultimate specialties that you have to try are pastis and bouillabaisse (fish stew). Although surrounded by many other tourists, you get to enjoy the Old Port restaurants with their heart-stopping view.