Marseilles, the un-Paris

MARSEILLES is France’s second-largest city and largest on the Mediterranean coast.

It is also France’s oldest city, founded by the Greeks as Massalia before it became Roman as Massilia.  After the fall of Rome, the Visigoths took over briefly before the Franks and Charlemagne came in, then the counts of Provence.  It was reincorporated into France in the 15^th century and served as naval base for the Franco-Ottoman alliance.  As a major port it suffered badly during the various plagues and was always at odds with authority.  It strongly supported the French revolution and more recent socialist and communist political movements.  They say Mary Magdalene and Lazarus preached the Gospel here.  

     Fort St. Jean overlooks the harbor and was a 13^th C. outpost of the Knights Hospitaller.  Fort Saint-Nicholas occupies the other side.  The Place de la Major holds the city’s cathedral and dates from the 11^th century.  So does the square-towered basilica of Saint-Victor.  Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde stands high on the hill over the south side of the port.  Marseilles couldn’t be more different from Paris.  If Paris is up and stuffy, then Marseilles is down and dirty.  This is where Europe meets the Middle East, and where Europe meets Africa.  Maybe 25% of the population is Muslim.  Maybe 10% is Jewish.  Algerian ‘rai’ musicians do here what they can’t do back home; so do the Guineans.  Cheap rooms are a tradition, with or without baths.  You can try the local hammam for that.  But hostels are better. 

There are a good handful of hostels in Marseilles, with prices ranging from $25 to $35 per bed.  Yes, you can find rooms that cheap in Marseilles, but will that include WiFi?  Will that include a shower?  I doubt it.  They're all listed in the book, with complete specs and contact info.