We finally visit Marseille today. It’s our last day in Provence, and we plan to get the most out of it.  

Once we finally get in the car, we snack on some strawberries and set a destination or Le Panier, the eclectic neighborhood that NYT’s 36 Hours likens to Paris’s Montmartre. We park underground (France really does a good job of having well-placed accessible parking) and buy some sandwiches at the nearest boulangerie.

We are on a main road, Republique, so we begin winding our way onto smaller streets. At first the streets are fairly deserted, and everything is closed. But then we see some bistros and a stairway. Thankfully our stroller folds up easily, and we make our way up the stairs.

Now we are in the neighborhood we were seeking. There’s interesting artistic graffiti on the walls, and shops and cafes are open. It’s grimy and dilapidated, but the energy of the people is cheerful and laid-back. There are a lot of cool shops with local products, like clothing, jewelry and soap. Most, if not all, are cash only. I find a pair of pants I love, but alas we are out of cash. Perhaps it’s a sign.

//Stefan Note: The money tree is picked dry

Almost everyone walking around has a museum sticker, so we decide that must be the next stop. We head to MuCEM. It is fun not knowing what to expect (because we haven’t done our usual research on this place). It’s an amazing space with contrasting architecture and materials. People swim in the waters below. We immediately wish we had more time. It’s the kind of space that may always make you feel that way, no matter how much time you have.

Buying tickets, I am surprised to learn that a family ticket (2 adults with up to 5 children) is only 14.50 Euros in contrast to the price for 2 adults, 19 Euros. The guy behind the desk has to explain it again, slower, because I have trouble comprehending the discount. I already love this place.

We start on the second floor, where the temporary exhibitions are. Something to do with boats (we are in fact in an ancient port) and the other Pablo Picasso. We begin with Picasso. I’ve still never been to Barcelona, where Stefan explains is the most amazing Picasso exhibit, but this is hands-down the best and most extensive Picasso exhibit I’ve seen. We really enjoyed the Picasso museum in Paris, but I think this exhibit tells a more interesting story (and we don’t have to wait in line for hours).

The Picasso exhibit walks through the different influences in his work, like acrobats, bull fights and music. Then we see the different mediums in which he worked, like paint, pottery and textiles. It’s a little long for the kids (because there are so many works!), but we make the final push without incident.

The exit leads to the entrance of the boat exhibit. It has many different ships through the years sailing on a reflective metal surface. Oly is beside himself. He keeps saying, “mamma look! A pirate boat!” Apparently they’re all pirate boats.

We don’t have time to see the rest of the museum, including the permanent exhibits and the kids’ room, but we walk around the outside of the building. It provides amazing views and indicates the size of the original fort built here. I’m confident we could enjoy ourselves here for at least another 1-2 hours. I look forward to returning one day. If you find yourself in Marseilles soon, you must visit this museum. They just do so many things right. 

We walk along the water to the end of the harbor. We are taking a cruise along the coast! I read about this in NYT’s 36 Hours, and it’s been one of the only things I really wanted to make happen on this trip. It will be fun to take the kids on a boat and to see the land from a new perspective. It’s 2 hours 15 minutes long, which I think may be a little long for the kids. We run and grab some snacks to take onboard with us. Snacks make everything better. The kids and I return with a sandwich, water and ice cream (of course). Stefan returns with a bottle of Rose.

The boat is really nice. We sit inside even though everyone seems to be crowded outside. It’s exhilarating as the boat goes over waves and water sprays against our window. Both kids absolutely love it. And the time goes by really quickly. Lillian drags Stefan upstairs many times to get a better view from the upper deck. She’s so adventurous. We enjoy the view of the jagged coastline while sipping Rose out of Lillian’s water bottle. The kids snack on fruit. I’d recommend a boat ride for families, but definitely pack snacks.

We get off the boat around 7:30 and walk to a restaurant Stefan found on TripAdvisor, Bistrot L’Horloge. They don’t take reservations, so we just walk over there. They have a huge terrace on a square with many other restaurants. We sit where I can let Oly sleep for a bit in the stroller. The food is simple and good.

It’s dark, and we walk across town to the car. The evening is enchanting here. The ferris wheel is lit up and the many street vendors sell small glow toys to kids. The kids run around beneath the mirrored ceiling, while the last light casts over the port. It’s magical in the way only summer can be.

Just before we turn off the main road, we spot a performer with a crowd already gathered around him. He’s an acrobatic clown, and we are all entertained for at least 15 minutes.

Then we walk back to the car, drive back to Ventabren and walk one last time down the beautiful steps to our Airbnb.