Named for monks who retired here in the 13th century in the search of salvation through peace and quiet, Les Chartreux remains an oasis of calm in the middle of a busy city. The church that they built here still attracts tourists. The whole neighborhood is worth exploring, especially on weekend nights when the city’s biggest concert venue welcomes French and international stars. Les Chartreux to spend a day relaxing with leisurely strolls along its narrow streets lined with charming houses.

Start, with most other visitors, at the Église des Chartreux, once the chapel of the expansive monastery that the reclusive monks constructed in the relatively unsettled area. Built in the 17th century and consecrated in 1702, it is one of the city’s oldest churches and seems to have predicted the trend for neoclassicism that took over European architecture. Not far away, the Église Imaculée Concepcion is a smaller but equally poignant example of religious devotion.

For a completely different kind of architecture, visit the mesmerizing blue glass façade of the Vaisseau Bleu, or Blue Ship, the center of the departmental administration. Across the street, even more cutting-edge design is displayed at Jean Nouvel’s Nouvelle Nature.

Let kids enjoy the playground equipment of the Jardin des Linots or just relax on the grass while waiting for the excitement of a concert at the Dôme de Marseille to begin.

Les Chartreux is inland from most of Marseille’s most famous sites, located in the 4th Arrondissement. Two metro stations within its limits make it easily accessible from the rest of the city. It’s also easy to explore on foot. The train station is 15 minutes away by metro or 10 minutes away by car. Walk here in 35 minutes. Public transportation is generally recommended, given the scarce street parking in the area.

Marseille’s neighborhoods are sometimes referred to instead as villages. Nowhere is that more apt than Les Chartreux. Take the time to really appreciate its small-town atmosphere in the middle of the city.