Marseilles's melting pot of flavours
With its terracotta-roofed buildings, multi-cultural mix and great food, Marseilles is infused with a perceptible and irrepressible energy.
As one of France's oldest port cities, this gritty, grimy and gloriously real place isn't gentrified like its Provençal counterparts. But its rough-and-tumble edginess, wailing sirens and litter-swirled streets, coves and sun-baked beaches, are chock-a-block with treasures.
From history to architecture, fashion to music, big parks to a dynamic downtown, niche films to a zesty multi-ethnic population, this this quaint town has much to offer. Its fusion of cultures is best experienced at its thronging street markets, Moroccan bazaars and fresh-off-the-boat catches.
My travel guide is as exuberant as the city and produces history out of his hat. Next thing I know I'm sitting on a bench outside my hotel that overlooks the Mediterranean Sea, drawn into the turbulent history of this French seaside town.
It was founded in 600 BC by the Phoenicians, taken over by the Greeks, and conquered by the Romans.
I am propelled to begin my exploration at the Musee d'Histoire de Marseilles where I am assured of finding reconstructions of the city from the pinnacle of the Greek period.
The morning is devoted to a heady examination of antiquity. The Vieille Charite, a large well-restored 17th century hospice is now metamorphosed into an exhibition centre. It comes as a revelation that no matter how many times I peer at the ancient collection of Egyptian artifacts in this grand old building, they retain the power to hypnotise me.
Next on the agenda is the Abbaye de St Victor, a fine specimen of religious architecture that contains catacombs, sarcophagi and the cave of the martyr St. Victor. I can't conclude my ode to times past without halting at the The Palais de la Bourse, a 19th century building housing the Chamber of Commerce and a museum that charts the maritime and commercial history of Marseilles.
I brace myself for a heady bout of shopping at Christian Dior and Piaget. And a quick visit to Musée de la Mode, a museum of modern fashion, which displays more than 2,000 designs from the past 30 years. My guide gently admonishes me for being eager to witness the sophisticated charm and flamboyant fashion of the place, without having spent a minute in any of the "quartiers". A "quartier", for those who came in late, is a little provincial village with its own church and playing area for the game of boules, the collective name for games played with metal balls. A visit to one of the more-than-hundred quartiers is essential.
A lady emerges from an ancient house in a lane that reminds me of the Marseilles I've seen in Hollywood gangster movies. She yells at her son to turn down the hip-hop music he's playing. She tells me in French, "Rome is known for the Vatican. Paris is distinguished by its Eiffel tower. Marseilles is famous for its bouillabaisse. Have you tried some, mon cherie?"
My guide explains that she wants me to eat this speciality at a seafood restaurant near the old port. Bouillabaisse is a not-to-be-missed fish stew originating in Marseilles. Made from assortment of local seafood including monkfish, millet, snapper, scorpion, eel – flavoured with tomatoes, saffron and olive oil. She chimes in: "Not even the moules marines (mussles cooked with a lot of onions and herbs of provence) can substitute the wonder of bouillabaisse.
Its name literally translates to its cooking method: When it boils (bouillir), lower the heat to a simmer (baisser) – which is maybe a good recipe for handling the heady, heated melting pot that is Marseilles.
So off we go in pursuit of the fishy stuff, down the narrow streets beside the Quai de Rive Neuve, past a Provencal market where tables sag under the weight of colourful fresh peppers, asparagus, wild mushrooms and walnuts.
The Old Port or Vieux Port, the main harbour of the city, is one of the best places to eat. Dozens of restaurants line the waterfront. In a quaint café, the guide orders Bouillabaisse du Ravi, which includes six different types of fish. I opt for Bouillabaisse du Pêcher, which is smaller and lighter, having three types of fish. Like yawning after a hearty meal, telling stories here is contagious. Over pastis, a drink made with aniseed and spice, I learn that commonly-used tarot decks are fashioned here. Another local tradition is the making of small hand-crafted figurines for the traditional Christmas crib.
An elderly gentleman comes up next to me. He says with a smile: "I love to watch cities wake up. And Marseilles wakes up more strikingly than any place I know. One minute you have the town to yourself, the next there is a flurry of people going about their business. Whether this means work at the port or airport, or merely as a cog in the functioning of the oil industry.
"As for me, I venture as close as possible to the sea. I like to watch mini-boats cross each other so close, its almost like they're having a private conversation. I adore the way the sea takes the arm of the mountains. Such kinship," he exclaims with the air of one who has spent many a pleasant day observing the harmonies of nature.
While there's a lot to be discovered indoors in the celebrated opera house, myriad art galleries and theatres, it's really what I see outdoors that moves my pen, my heart, my soul and I dash off a letter to a cousin back home.
Fact file
GETTING THERE:
-Emirates, Air France, KLM and Lufthansa fly to Marseilles but expect at least one change
STAYING THERE:
-Besides panoramic views of the old harbour, there's also luxury to be had at the Sofitel Marseilles Vieux. For details call: 04 91 15 59 00
-Auberge de Jeunesse de Bonneveine – close to the beach – is a good option for the budget traveller. For details call: 04 91 17 63 30
DON'T LEAVE WITHOUT:
-A camera: There are plenty of good pictures to be taken – from Moroccan craft shops, to masks from Africa, to stalls selling fish fresh-off-the-boat
MUST DOS:
-Try the Bouillabaisse
-A night at the opera
-Visit the fish markets