La Joliette epitomizes the thousands of years of history of merchants and visitors arriving and leaving from Marseille’s many ports. Formerly Marseille’s seafront district, with the kind of seedy reputation common to places with lots of sailors, it has undergone a recent rejuvenation and is now a center of art and investment. Visit La Joliette to take the ferry to Corsica or Morocco or simply to experience the artistic life that now thrives in the infrastructure that was once the lifeblood of the city.
Head to the waterfront and start the day with a visit to Cathedral La Major, Marseille’s foremost religious institution, one of Europe’s biggest cathedrals. Walk to the Docks des Suds, a former maritime port now filled with art installations. See more art at the Fonds Régional d’Art Contemporain, near the massive people movers of the Gare Maritime.
Buy fresh fish from the Marché de la Joliette, one of the city’s busiest markets, where the wares on sale still glisten with the seawater they were pulled out of earlier in the day. For shopping that doesn’t need to be put on ice, browse the many local and international brands on display in the Terrasses du Port.
Chatty locals on the Place de la Joliette will insist that La Joliette’s name comes from Julius Caesar, who reportedly set up his war camp here. Appreciate how the questionable story points to the incredibly long heritage of this lively neighborhood.
La Joliette is just north of Marseille’s Vieux Port, easily accessible on foot from the port and other downtown tourist destinations. Marseille’s main train station is a 15-minute walk or 10-minute bus ride away. Driving can be complicated, but several metered parking garages have been set up in the area for the Euroméditerranée project.
