Activities

At first glance on Marseille maps, there are 4 major beaches stretching along corniche Kennedy taking the bulk of  the public traffic (all along the 83 or 19 bus line). Plages Catalan, Prophète, Borély and Pointe Rouge and so much has been written about these beaches and promoted by the Tourist Center downtown. My interest though, lies in the little places scattered up and down the rocky coastline since a look over the craggy Corniche, you are bound to see many Marseillaise sunning themselves contentedly on some lone rock or on wooden-deck perched over the sea. 

Today's the day to burn less gas in your car and burn calories with your legs. Fête du Vélo has paraded itself infront of my house and is on route via the Corniche (reserved for biking and other wheels that don't consume anything but sweat) to Parc Borély for all day fun with bizarre bikes, expert rollerblading and skateboarding manuevers, music and picnics.

Let's face it, city-living versus country-living is a different animal when you have kids. Marseille is no different but after 6 years of living here, I am still discovering there are many outlets for entertaining your tot (I having 2 of my own) and will be actively penning the information I have garnered in a number of stories over the next month for the site. The perennial park is always the classic solution and I will do some coverage on the inland parks of Marseille. Next part will cover some of the surf and turf activities....

One of my favorite parks (jardin in this instance) is Jardin Valmer along the corniche. I love how unpopulated it is and with its many secret places, there is always a place to find a quiet niche to reflect. Mounting the many unpaved paths ultimately leads to the giant villa Valmer (originally called vague à la mer later condensed to Valmer)

Looking out the kitchen window, occasionally I spy many men gathered over at Fort St. Nicolas, all standing around inspecting a lone participant as he tosses a silver ball at some place in the middle of their gathered circle. For the longest time, I have watched various communes in and around the south of France with fascination since the game of pétanque or "boule", as it is affectionately called in Marseille, stirs much passion in the south. It is the norm that most villages have a pétanque field near the center of the town square in which many capped elderly men leizurely make a second home, visiting and conversing with others on the benches outlining the lightly-graveled ground...read more.