Vieux Port (Old Port) and the Waterfront of Marseille, France

Vieux Port (Old Port), in the center of the Le Panier District (old town) is surrounded by an abundance of restaurants, bars and shops plus a new Ferris wheel (like the London “Eye”), Marseille, France

 

Marseille, the major port city in southern France on the Mediterranean Sea, has been a crossroads of immigration and trade since its founding by the Phoenicians in 600 B.C.E.  It’s a place of tranquil squares and stepped streets, bustling 19th-century avenues and souk-like markets.  At its heart is the Vieux Port (Old Port), where fishmongers sell their daily catch along the boat-lined quayside.

 

A close up view of Vieux Port (Old Port), in the center of the Le Panier District (old town), that remains a thriving harbor with 3,500 berths for fishing boats and yachts, Marseille, France

 

Les Iles (the Islands) with Chateau d’If (on the center island) lie just to the west of the city (as seen from Basilique Notre-Dame da la Garde (Our Lady of the Guard Basilica) which sits atop a hill); Marseille, France

 

The ships in Vieux Port (Old Port) reflected in English architect Norman Foster’s polished steel Vieux Port Pavillion at the east end of the port on Quai des Belges, Marseille, France

 

The Ferris wheel at Vieux Port (Old Port) and Norman Foster’s polished steel Vieux Port Pavillion, Marseille, France

 

Our ship docked behind MuCEM – Musee des Civilisations de l’Europe et de la Mediterranee (modern art museum) on the left and Villa Mediterranee (on the right); the harbor redevelopment opened in 2013, Marseille, France

 

Our ship reflected in the glass façade of MuCEM – Musee des Civilisations de l’Europe et de la Mediterranee (modern art museum), Marseille, France

 

The lacework concrete side and pedestrian bridge at MuCEM – Musee des Civilisations de l’Europe et de la Mediterranee (modern art museum), Marseille, France