Discovering Healthy Alternatives - Where to Find Your Health Foods

Finding it hard to find a wide selection of health-conscious foods? bio, multi-vitamins, diet-planned meals, protein powders, vegan or vegetarian, restaurants and or organizations focusing on a healthier lifestyle... you can find it here in Marseille. Following is a list with brief descriptions of what you can pick up easily without have to import or ask a kind relative to send.
A personal passion of mine, revisit this list for the latest updates on recent discoveries... read more for list.

Country Life - 14 rue Venture, 1st arrond. - 04 96 11 28 00
This store/restaurant/tea and snack shop has it all and I use it to pick up most items on my grocery list. A wide organic selection fresh and preserved goods (gluten-free or not), vitamins, speciality items such hard to find oils, supplements and alternative ingredients and a decent dry goods selection. I am also impressed with all the green household products they carry making it a truly health lifestyle shop. The restaurant has a complete lunch buffet on the second floor but you can grab something quick on the ground floor for under 5 euro including a drink. I like how the kitchen is open and you know that the products they are selling have been made daily on the premises. What is kind of funny is they are directly down the street from rue Férreol's McDonald's, which makes a hassle when I am dragging the kids along for my healthfood stock up. Check out the Countrylife website for all the health related events they sponsor or happening around town.

La Vie Claire - 8 Rue Lulli, 1st arrond. (not listed on their site)‎ - 04 91 54 25 76
‎This chain of health food stores in France has been around since the 80s and offer a lot of foreign items for speciality dishes i.e. Indian, Japonese, Thai etc. There are always the basics such as tofu, organic produce and pre-packaged goods for quick meals. They also have a easily navigatible website that lets you search for items and current pricing lines before you visit. Check out their website lavieclaire.com for directions to one of the 4 stores intown and for recipe ideas.

Point Conseil Minceur - 41 rue de Rome, 1st arrond. - 04 91 33 81 81
Small shop and fairly new, but with many brands dealing with revamping your regime. It has a wide variety of dietetic, sport nutrician supplements, vitamins and protein powders for your healthy shakes. They also offer massages well-being massages by appointment.

Marche Bio de Marseille - place Jean Jaurés in La Plaine - 1st arrond. - directions
On Friday mornings place Jean Jaurés fills up with vendors selling only the freshest organic produce from local farms and the absolutely the lowest prices I have found. Expect it to be a bit crowded since this is the bio market for the city.

Cafés Debout- 46 rue Francis Davso, 1st arrond. -
Don't let the name be deceptive, this café/tea salon opened in 1932 offers so many varieties of tea. When asked if they had any health or medicinal teas, the exuberant owner Mme Baille responded, " Well all tea is healthy, medicinal annd slimming due to its natural anti-oxidants!" I always grab a cup (served in a pot equal to 2 big cups) on my way back home. Go figure... a cup of tea with a café experience. Remember in France, it isn't the custom to take milk with your tea so make sure you ask when you order.