Hotels in Marseille

Water, culture and greenery at Longchamp Park. From your Campanile Marseille Saint-Antoine, head towards downtown Marseille to visit Longchamp Park, located upstream of the boulevard of the same name. Enter the park through the Boulevard du Jardin Zoologique to admire the majestic palace, built in the 19th century by the architect Henri-Jacques Espérandieu. The building was designed to celebrate the glory of water, after the completion of an 87 km long canal carrying water from the Durance in the heart of Marseille. Essential to alleviating the lack of water the city suffered, it remains to this day one of its main sources of drinking water. Refresh yourself at the fountain dominated by a monumental statue where three allegories stand: the Durance, the Vine and the Wheat. On either side of the colonnades, the palace houses two museums: the Museum of Fine Arts and the Museum of Natural History. Behind, a garden of 12 hectares is a peaceful haven in the city. Longchamp Park once housed a zoological garden whose exotic exhibits you can still admire: the giraffe pavilion, the elephant pavilion, the aviary, the wildcat cage, the bear cage, the monkey cage, and the bandstand.

A day of hiking and bathing in Calanques National Park. Visiting Calanques National Park is one of the must-dos when coming to Marseille. Plan a day of hiking with a picnic and choose a creek according to your physical condition and the age of your children. Don’t forget to equip yourself with sunscreen, hats, water bottles, sunglasses and swimsuits. The easiest hike, suitable for the youngest and the oldest, starts from the pass of Gardiole. From your Campanile Marseille Saint-Antoine hotel, take the magnificent La Gineste road that connects Marseille to Cassis. In front of the military camp, follow the small road that goes down into the valley, cross the woods and continue to the parking lot. Be aware that access to the pass of Gardiole is prohibited to vehicles during the summer period. Following the trail, you will reach the creek of En-Vau. Allow around 2 hours for a round trip (9 km). The creek of Marseilleveyre is also one of the most accessible. Also allow 2 hours for a round trip. For a more sporty hike, leave Port-Miou and take the path to the cove of Port-Pin. Its sandy beach invites you to put your feet in the water. Then, a path climbs towards En-Vau, considered to be one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. The hike lasts about 2.5 hours round trip.