The 17th century brought a cruel repression of beggars to France, and in Marseille many of them were imprisoned. Almshouses were opened to serve as workhouses for beggars and this specific building was just that. Nowadays the building, called La Vieille Charité in French, is a cultural centre and houses, among other things, museums such as the Museum of Mediterranean Archaeology and the Museum of Art of Africa, Oceania and Amerindia.

This impressive building, known as the Villa Méditerranée, was designed in 2013. It boasts sleek modern architecture and an impressive cantilevered section that looms over an artificial pool. Inside, you can enjoy exhibitions that cover both marine life and local history. In June 2022, a new exhibit was presented to the visitors — a replica of the famous Cosquer Cave, in an atmosphere similar to that of the original, that has been submerged since the 90s. You get to explore the 1,750-square-metre replica aboard a comfortable exploratory vehicle and learn about the Homo sapiens that lived in the cave 30,000 years ago. See the engravings, paintings, speleothems, handprints and geological features that have been reproduced for public viewing in the most realistic and scientifically rigorous manner.

This iconic promenade is nearly two kilometres long and goes all the way from Place de la Concorde to Place Charles de Gaulle, bookended by the Arc de Triomphe and the Musée du Louvre. It is a lovely walk on any day of the year, and it is the place to be during times of celebration, be it the French National Day or New Year's Eve. In July, the final stage of the Tour de France takes place right on this very street.

Château d'If was, historically, France’s very own Alcatraz, built in 1527 and used as a prison in the 17th century. This place was the inspiration for Alexandre Dumas's novel "The Count of Monte Cristo", and occupies an island of its own 1.5 km offshore.