We intend on doing a city break between our two ski destinations in March next year. Marseille is the preference if the weather is fine. We’ll go somewhere else (by train) if the weather is less than ideal. For this reason we want to get accommodation last minute. Accommodation at a reasonable rate fairly last minute should be doable at that time of year in Marseille?
Thanks in advance.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Marseille is an absolute shithole.
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
@Gored, care to elaborate? A city with a harbour on the Med. Things to see and do. My wife can do her French thing……
@sbooker, take no notice. Marseille has a rough side to it, but so do most interesting cities.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Ask French citizens about the most dangerous cities in their country, and most will say Marseille immediately.
As France’s second-largest city by population, Marseille is a hub of the southern coast and has garnered a reputation for being the most crime-ridden and grittiest urban spot.
With an overall crime index of 64.65 and a safety rating of 35.35, Marseille has a crime rate five times higher than most other cities in France.
This is due to a gun-related fatality approximately every four days (2.83 gun deaths per 100,000 residents).
In addition, the city has around 30 homicides per year and 40% youth unemployment, which results in high levels of property and petty thefts.
@Gored, it's normal to attribute quotations. Where do these figures come from?
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@Hurtle, thanks.
@Gored, I can do gritty as long as it’s interesting. I survived Washington DC and Philly and NYC.
After all it is free
After all it is free
@sbooker, not having been to Marseille, I don’t have first hand experience but have heard its grim. You probably don’t want alternatives but are you fixed on Marseille? Nice is very nice, having been there, and not much further around .
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Nice is nicer.
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I'm sure the OP knows that Nice is completely different from Marseille.
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I’m open to alternatives. And don’t know a lot about Nice. My main question is will it be easy to get accommodation on the fly in that vicinity in March. I don’t want to book ahead because if it’s raining I’ll go to a ski resort where it will hopefully be snowing.
We’ll be doing the first week in Tarantaise to do an off piste guiding week. Then a few days city break so my wife can get her true French experience, then 4 or 5 days skiing around Chamonix so I can finally do the Vallee Blanche. Will only have a car when we’re around Cham.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
sbooker wrote:
@Hurtle, thanks.
@Gored, I can do gritty as long as it’s interesting. I survived Washington DC and Philly and NYC.
you be fine then. I have been to all those + Marseille. I didn't find Marseille particularly interesting.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
@sbooker, tarentaise to Med probs a pain in ass …
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
sbooker wrote:
@Gored, care to elaborate? A city with a harbour on the Med. Things to see and do. My wife can do her French thing……
I would suggest not looking like a tourist if you do visit. Nobody likes a tourist.
TBH it is probably much like Glasgow... but with automatic weapons and sunshine.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
under a new name wrote:
@sbooker, tarentaise to Med probs a pain in ass …
yes, Marseille is easy to get to, Nice, not so much. There is not much of interest in Nice really, but it can be very pleasant in the winter.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@sbooker, lyon maybe a better idea, doable by train
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@sbooker, I have only ever changed trains in Marseille although I have visited the local area.
The smaller villages and towns on the costal train line east from Marseille tend to be geared up for a massive number of domestic French tourists in August. This means there will be lots of last minute accommodation options close by in March I'd expect.
If I were you I'd take a look east along the coast and pick out a few places as a backup plan with the idea of day trips into Marseille for whatever interests you.
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Went to Marseille during France '98, I'm never going back.
Montpellier was far nicer, went back again 2 years ago.
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Thu 11-07-24 10:06; edited 1 time in total
@sbooker, lyon maybe a better idea, doable by train
I think @sbooker's wife has visited Lyon on a previous occasion.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
A bit North of Marseille on both the TGV line and the older line is Avignon. Well worth a visit, with the former Papal palace and of course the famous bridge. https://avignon-tourisme.com/en/
@under a new name, we love train travel. A day on the train after a week skiing will be grand.
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Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@Henwc, great thanks. And a good suggestion regarding a day trip to Marseille.
After all it is free
After all it is free
@under a new name, been to Lyon a couple of times. Nice place.
All this bad press on Marseille is making me want to see it for a day at least.
Seriously though. Perhaps we’ll rethink. Never been to Dijon……
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@Alastair Pink, nice suggestion. Only 34 minutes between Marseille and Avignon. And Avignon to Montpellier only 1 hour 11 minutes. Might be a nice place to base and check out for a day. And visit the other two places for a day each?
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Alastair Pink wrote:
A bit North of Marseille on both the TGV line and the older line is Avignon. Well worth a visit, with the former Papal palace and of course the famous bridge. https://avignon-tourisme.com/en/
I was about to say the same thing - lovely place with a lot of history.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
@sbooker, You are welcome.
For info we stayed in Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer right on Port de La Madrague, possibly a bit far from the rail station but a lovely quiet spot with a very French feel. A quick search of Airbnb shows that there are loads of places available in the general area for a week starting this Saturday (13 July) so you'd be fine in March.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
@Henwc, good info. Thanks.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
sbooker wrote:
@Alastair Pink, nice suggestion. Only 34 minutes between Marseille and Avignon. And Avignon to Montpellier only 1 hour 11 minutes. Might be a nice place to base and check out for a day. And visit the other two places for a day each?
Great plan, if you like pottering about by train. Avignon, being the smallest of the three and hopefully not too crammed with tourists in March, should make a lovely base.
[Edit: I am biased, the Vaucluse is one of my favourite regions on earth.]
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@Hurtle, some very nice restaurants in Avignon too, although I can't remember any of their names.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Merci beaucoup touts.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
I visited Marseille years ago to stay with an elderly relative who'd lived 50 years in a flat with no bathroom and a shared toilet on the landing with the flat next door. i found the Old Port, Notre Dame de la Garde and the plage at Prado nice and interesting enough, and of course Le Corbusier's Unite de Habitation for a bit of modern history. However, for a break how about Cassis 20 km East? Lovely little town/village with lots of accommodation and a nice port.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@rdk, I’ll check it out. I like the idea of staying on the coast if the weather is good. Perhaps Montpellier is also worth a look.
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
I went to quite a few French cities during the rugby world cup and my favourite by miles was Lyon (which I’ve flown into but never visited). Easy to get around (hire scooters are fab), nice old town and beautiful riverfront.
I also thought Marseille was a sh1thole - scary places not far off the beaten track. Two people we know got robbed/beaten up in separate incidents (both were probably taking less care than they should, but it was the only place we heard of people having trouble).
That's rather put him off the town and when he graduates his only desire is to leave.
But you could live your whole life in Lyon without seeing any trouble. The only thing I would advise is to not have anything expensive on show, even in the city center, as there is a lot of theft with people grabbing cameras, purses etc.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@sbooker, Aix en Provence is also very nice and very accessible from Marseille airport (or by TGV)
I think Marseille is great but it certainly has a bit of edge to it. My experience of Montpellier is nice but a bit boring. Avignon is cool - lots of fascinating historical stuff
Marseille would not be my top choice and it is also some way from the alps. Why not spend a few days in Annecy?
Toulouse is my favourite French city but it isn’t practical for you on this occasion.
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Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Arno wrote:
@sbooker, Aix en Provence is also very nice and very accessible from Marseille airport (or by TGV)
I think Marseille is great but it certainly has a bit of edge to it. My experience of Montpellier is nice but a bit boring. Avignon is cool - lots of fascinating historical stuff
+1 in every detail. And Aix is lovely too. I'm also very fond of Annecy, but it's quite provincial, with not many interesting 'sites'. I'd want spring fully to have sprung before spending time there, the main attraction being walking around the lake and in the hills (preferably with a car to get you to other places in which to start country walks).
After all it is free
After all it is free
@snowymum, @Hurtle, we’ve checked out Annecy in the past. Beautiful.
@Arno, will look up Aix en Provence too.
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Quote:
Only 34 minutes between Marseille and Avignon. And Avignon to Montpellier only 1 hour 11 minutes
There's also Arles in the centre of that triangle. Major Van Gogh connection, an impressive amphitheatre, and access to the Camargue
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viv wrote:
Quote:
Only 34 minutes between Marseille and Avignon. And Avignon to Montpellier only 1 hour 11 minutes
There's also Arles in the centre of that triangle. Major Van Gogh connection, an impressive amphitheatre, and access to the Camargue
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