An Opinionated Guide to Marseille

France’s sun-soaked second city dazzles with beaches, Calanques, diverse food, bold art and history—warmer than Paris, cooler than Nice, and endlessly creative. What’s not to love?

France’s sun-soaked ‘second city’ hums with creativity, inventive food and spectacular scenery, from the rugged Calanques to the glowing Côte d’Azur beaches. The oldest and most diverse city in France, its port has welcomed waves of migrants for thousands of years, shaping a character that is warmer than Paris and cooler than Nice – a captivating patchwork of winding old-town streets and bold contemporary architecture, globe-spanning eateries and groundbreaking art. What’s not to love?