I’ve always believed that where you begin a journey shapes how the rest unfolds. Each year, I host a small group on barge and river cruises through France, and for this year’s journey, I’ve chosen to begin not in Paris or Lyon—but in Marseille. And let me tell you: Marseille works beautifully as a pre- or post-river cruise base. It’s practical, well-connected and wonderfully rich in character.

Why Marseille Works As A Pre-Cruise Base

Marseille’s airport is modern and efficient, with direct international flights that make it easy to arrive and get going. I flew American Airlines and partner airlines British Airways from Charlotte via London to Marseille, with easy connections (business class for only 57,500 reward points).

If you’re coming from Paris, the train is a breeze—just over three hours on the TGV, fast and comfortable. Once you’re in Marseille, the rail and bus connections open up the entire region: Arles, Avignon, Aix-en-Provence, Sete and even the Cévennes mountains are all within reach.

For travelers heading to or from a Rhône River cruise—or, like us, a barge trip through the Camargue followed by a Rhône River cruise—Marseille is a smart, convenient starting point.

A Neighborhood Rhythm

This week, Marucia and I are spending three nights in Marseille with our friends Claude and Jean-Paul, who are the perfect hosts. Their spacious apartment, with tall ceilings, original woodwork, and floor-to-ceiling windows with shutters that open to magnificent views, sits across from the zoological gardens in a leafy neighborhood that feels more like a village than France’s second-largest city.

Each morning starts with a short walk to the corner boulangerie, where we pick up freshly baked croissants, an amandine or two, and perhaps a pain au chocolat, before returning to the apartment for coffee. It’s a simple ritual, but it roots us in daily life here—a quiet, delicious reminder that travel doesn’t always have to be a race to the next sight.

Exploring The City

After breakfast, we wander. Marseille invites wandering. One morning we made our way down to the Vieux Port, where the city was born more than 2,600 years ago as the Greek settlement of Massalia. Fishing boats still line the harbor, shoulder to shoulder with sleek yachts. If you’re there early enough, you can watch local fishermen selling their catch straight off their boats along the Quai des Belges, just as they’ve done for generations. From the harbor, your eyes are inevitably drawn upward to the Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde, perched high above the city. Known affectionately as la Bonne Mère—the Good Mother—she’s watched over Marseille and its sailors for centuries. Restaurants and cafés spill onto the sidewalks, and the harbor hums with a mix of locals and visitors, all framed by the city’s rugged beauty.

Later in the afternoon, as the sun dipped lower and the cafés began to fill, we joined the locals in their favorite ritual: a glass of pastis, the anise-flavored apéritif that defines Marseille’s late-day rhythm. We started at the Intercontinental Hotel, perched above the harbor, where the setting was grand and the pastis priced accordingly. Early evening that day, we wandered over to Le Panier, the city’s oldest neighborhood, where narrow lanes climb the hillside in a jumble of pastel façades and street art. We ducked into a local bar and ordered pastis again—this time for one-fifth the price. Different vibe, same anise-kissed perfection.

Maison Empereur: A Marseille Treasure

Marseille rewards curiosity. We spent some time at Maison Empereur, a family-run hardware store founded in 1827. Calling it a “hardware store” doesn’t do it justice; it’s part museum, part treasure trove, part time machine. Rows of copper pots, enamel signs, shaving brushes, toys, and kitchen tools—it’s the kind of place where you could wander for hours and only scratch the surface.

We left with a few small finds, the kind that will slip easily into our luggage but carry the weight of memory.

The Calanques And Cosquer Cave

Another day, we explored Parc National des Calanques, the dramatic stretch of coastline just outside the city. Limestone cliffs plunge into turquoise coves, and hiking paths weave through scrubby pines and sun-bleached rock. It’s hard to believe such wild beauty exists minutes from a bustling port city.

And then there’s the Cosquer Museum, a beautifully executed recreation of the prehistoric Cosquer Cave, whose original entrance now lies 37 meters underwater. Seeing the ancient handprints and animal drawings at his excellent museum, I felt that quiet thrill that travel sometimes gives you—the sense of being connected, across millennia, to people who lived and left their mark long before us.

A Day Trip To Aix-en-Provence

Today, we’re headed to Aix-en-Provence, just an hour away by bus. It’s a perfect day trip: tree-lined boulevards, fountains on every corner, Cézanne’s hometown. The ease of getting there is exactly why Marseille works so well as a base—you can settle in, unpack and branch out without ever feeling rushed. Bus 50 from St. Charles station got us there in less than an hour.

Next Stop: The Cévennes Mountains

Tomorrow, we’ll trade the city for the countryside. We’re heading north into the Cévennes mountains for three nights in a gîte, a quiet interlude before meeting up with my barge guests in Sete. From there, I’ll host 11 couples (including us) from Sete to Arles through the Camargue, followed by a Rhône River cruise aboard AmaKristina up to Lyon.

It’s an itinerary that flows naturally—urban immersion, mountain retreat, canal drift, river voyage—all tied together by the ease of starting in Marseille.

A City with Layers

Marseille isn’t polished like Paris or manicured like Aix. It’s layered—gritty in places, grand in others and unmistakably alive. You feel the city’s history in its stones, its spice markets, its accent. Greeks, Romans, traders from across the Mediterranean—they’ve all left their fingerprints here. And yet Marseille doesn’t feel like a museum piece. It feels like a city that belongs to today.

Why You Should Consider Marseille

For river cruisers or barge travelers looking to add a few days before or after their trip, Marseille offers the best of both worlds: excellent transportation and a palpable sense of place. You can arrive easily, explore richly and move on smoothly.

Or, if you’re like us, you can simply slow down—start each day with a walk to the boulangerie, linger over coffee, wander until your feet are tired and let Marseille reveal itself at its own pace.

Join Me on a Hosted Cruise

I host a select number of barge and river cruises each year through some of Europe’s most beautiful waterways. These small-group trips blend insider experiences with relaxed, immersive travel.

Learn more about upcoming hosted trips.