Earlier than visiting Marseille, I didn’t know what to anticipate. In fact, I heard it is without doubt one of the most harmful cities in Europe. However I additionally heard about Napoli (Naples) and didn’t expertise something remotely harmful or remotely as distasteful. We already wish to return to Napoli. As a street-savvy traveler, I packed my baggage, booked a prepare, and headed South to Marseille to observe crusing in the course of the Paris 2024 Olympic Video games.
Let me preface this piece with a bit about me. I’ve lived in 4 completely different nations and converse three languages. My household and have visited no less than 12 completely different cities in France alone over the previous 12 years. I’ve traveled from trendy cities like Beijing and New York Metropolis to rural cities in Costa Rica and Italy.
From all these experiences, I by no means skilled the vibe of what occurred in Marseille. And this was in the course of the Olympics when Marseille was alleged to welcome the world.
What’s it about Marseille?
Marseille is a port metropolis with slightly below 1 million folks. Town itself is spectacular – it boasts monuments at almost each nook. You’ll be able to go to the attractive Calanques Nationwide Park outdoors town through ferry.
There are castles, resembling the place the Depend of Monte Cristo befell, and exquisite church buildings. However there’s a catch. Being a port metropolis with many monuments attracts giant cruise ships.
It is not uncommon data that cruise ships can profit the economic system but in addition hurt the native folks (and the atmosphere). Generally, town will likely be crammed with 1000’s of vacationers visiting for the day. Meaning town has to accommodate individuals who sometimes aren’t interested by being poised guests.
Being a port metropolis additionally brings crime and immigration points. There’s a noticeable divide between “locals” and immigrants, which might flip hostile in neighborhoods outdoors the principle vacationer areas. Town has handled a tumultuous previous with colliding cultures and an absence of assets.
Is Marseille actually that harmful?
Town has harmful neighborhoods, however most are positioned outdoors the principle vacationer areas (try this text for the map (in French)). French newspapers have written that deadly shootings and homicides have elevated exponentially in 2023 and into 2024. Many English information retailers name it probably the most harmful metropolis in Europe.
As with most “dangerous cities,” they’re typically positioned in particular areas. In Marseille, the northern districts have been related to gang exercise and violent crime. However like many giant city facilities, crime in Marseille is commonly concentrated in particular neighborhoods, and most guests expertise town with none incidents.
Town is working to enhance security by growing the police presence and including neighborhood packages. So, whereas it might have areas of concern, Marseille continues to be an unbelievable metropolis with a wealthy historical past and plenty of protected areas, relying in your background.
What it’s like visiting as an American
From the 4 days I spent in Marseille, I skilled fixed stress and nervousness as a result of means I used to be handled as an American. As a street-savvy traveler who speaks sufficient French to get by, I used to be nonetheless singled out and focused for scams.
I used to be touring with my husband, three-year-old daughter, mom, and one among my mom’s mates. On a number of events, my household and I had been denied entry, denied correct seating preparations, and denied primary niceties that we expertise in different cities world wide.
Once we inquired as to why there was a lot hatred, folks in Marseille acknowledged that People ought to “take off their baseball caps” and “leave.”
Listed here are just some of probably the most notable experiences we had:
“5-Star” Lodge
To begin the journey, we determined to e book one night time at what was listed as a “5-star hotel” – the Intercontinental Lodge Dieu. Once we arrived, the workers was pleasant sufficient, and the principle areas of the resort had been pretty particularly the view.
However we entered a room in a regarding state. There have been spills everywhere in the furnishings, black mildew within the rest room, hair and white powder on the tables, and moist chairs. Essentially the most regarding half? The chain lock was utterly damaged, hanging off the wall.
We referred to as to request a unique room, and we waited a really very long time to listen to again. Then, we waited three further hours for a brand new room. The brand new room had comparable points however appeared cleaner. Regardless of the problems, we stayed the night time.
However we skilled fixed delays in ordering and receiving drinks, snacks, and so forth. We thought it might be the tradition of the holiday metropolis, however we had been mistaken.
Word: Our resort for the following two days was a lot nicer—the Hôtel La Residence Du Vieux Port, which we advocate. The workers was unbelievable, and the rooms had been a lot nicer.
Impolite & Judgmental Waitstaff
Essentially the most appalling expertise was when my household and I tried to dine at a well-reviewed restaurant, 1860 Le Palais. I assumed we may stroll there and be seated, as with most eating places worldwide with open tables. In the event that they had been full, we may go elsewhere.
It was 35 Celsius/95 Fahrenheit with scorching solar. Once we requested for a desk of 5, the waitress mentioned she had “one table available in the direct sun” (there have been a number of open tables within the shade) or a spot inside. Assuming the opposite tables had been booked, we took the place inside.
We had been seated and waited to order. One other waitress got here to take our order. She rolled her eyes whereas taking my order. I positioned my three-year-old daughter’s order, and she or he requested, “Is that it for the food for the table?” As there have been 4 remaining adults, we mentioned no, and my mom tried to order.
The waitress shook her head, rolled her eyes, and acted so outwardly rudely that we requested if there was an issue. She pretended to not hear, however when requested if she needed us to go away, she mentioned, “Yes.” She advised us that she didn’t need us to dine there and that she didn’t wish to serve us. We left instantly.
We knowledgeable the preliminary waitress, who proceeded to snigger and go to the opposite waitress and snigger along with her, pointing to us. A supervisor requested to talk with us, and we advised him what had occurred. We’ll by no means return right here nor advocate it to People.
I’ve by no means left a restaurant earlier than in my 35 years of life. If that is how 5 white People (three of which have lived in Europe for over two years) are handled for our nationality, I can not even fathom the remedy of different cultures. And sure, we tried to order in French.
No Ice Cream for You
A much less imply, however nonetheless petty, response we encountered was attempting to purchase gelato. We ordered two gelatos and requested for a separate spoon or cup to share some with our three-year-old daughter.
The server mentioned “no.” We requested if we may buy the extra cup, the reply was “no.” May we get an additional spoon? “No.”
Whereas different guests to the shop had been allowed a number of samples, disposing of additional spoons, we couldn’t buy one. We shortly realized that we shouldn’t anticipate easy niceties since we’re not from Marseille.
No you, can’t sit there, or there, or there
One night time, my husband and I went out for drinks. We went to a restaurant, Le Caribou. We requested to be seated; the server instructed us that we may go on to the bar for drinks. We went to the bar, who mentioned she wouldn’t serve us except we had been seated.
We requested her to sit down at a desk to the facet and pointed to it. She mentioned sure, we’ll come. So we went to sit down precisely the place we had been advised. Somebody new got here outdoors and mentioned we couldn’t sit there. We had been then instructed to speak to the first server we spoke with to get a desk.
He checked to see if he had room, then mentioned sit anyplace. We then waited a very long time to order, and a very long time to obtain our drinks, and to pay. Each interplay was met with rolling eyes.
Bodily limitations? That’s your downside
One other appalling expertise was once we had been on the vacationer prepare (that prepare you see going round main cities like Paris to simply see the sights). We by no means booked these, however with a 3-year-old and two seniors, it appeared like possibility.
Once more, it was 35 Celsius/95 Fahrenheit with a really robust solar out. The prepare goes to the highest of a excessive hill to the Basilique Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde. On the high, the prepare operator advised everybody to exit, and so they may get again on the prepare by standing in a really lengthy line with no shade.
Two aged American vacationers utilizing walkers requested if they might keep on the prepare and return to the pickup level. They mentioned it was troublesome for them and needed to see the sights.
The prepare operator mentioned it was inconceivable, forcing them to get off. This took appreciable time, and the prepare operator did nothing to assist them. The aged folks then went within the lengthy line to get again on the prepare, sitting within the scorching solar.
Scams in all places
We additionally skilled a couple of scams within the Le Vieux Port, the vacationer metropolis heart. On one event, an individual tried to find our resort, telling us that town could be harmful that night time, and requested to assist us get again to our resort.
Vacationer actions are the naked minimal of hospitality and lack necessities. There are even fraudulent vacationer actions that take full benefit of vacationers. Ensure that to analysis your excursions earlier than you go, and go together with a reputable information. We didn’t analysis nicely and ended up on a 3-hour ferry that took nearly 5 hours and didn’t even have water out there.
Pickpockets are noticeable however not as dangerous as in Barcelona or Paris. We didn’t expertise them, however we all know of others who did. The gold ring or misplaced jewellery rip-off can also be prevalent. Bear in mind if somebody makes an attempt to present you jewellery that you just “dropped.”
A giant inconvenience
All of those interactions, which phrases can not start to explain, made us really feel like as People had been decrease than grime for no purpose. We got here to expertise a brand new metropolis, to be taught and develop. We left feeling defeated and, for the primary time, like we didn’t wish to return to town.
The folks we interacted with in Marseille didn’t need People to be there. So, they made each interplay troublesome and degrading.
We even posted concerning the damaged resort lock on our Threads account, and the responses from Marseille locals present the true sentiment. It’s essential to learn the Threads publish right here.
- “Please leave, Marseille doesn’t want you”
- “Please go back to the hell hole you’re from”
- “of course you’re american”
- “You pack and leave Marseille and France and pls NEVER come back . . .”
No, we didn’t “ask for it”
I do know what you is perhaps pondering – an entitled American goes to France, acts loud and obnoxious, attire in athletic gear, and complains about sluggish service.
That’s a cute sentiment, nevertheless it’s not true. Opposite to social media feedback, I don’t put on a baseball hat, I don’t put on branded clothes, and I’m not loud. I’m additionally educated on the social norms of France, having been right here greater than a dozen occasions. That is merely the tradition of town.
To keep away from the distaste of People, keep away from eating in teams, put on clothes that blends in, and converse softly. Even converse in one other language than English to keep away from hatred. Anytime we spoke Dutch earlier than ordering, we had been handled higher.
Total sentiment
Marseille has loads of potential, however we received’t be again. We cherished visiting the Le Panier neighborhood, which is extra welcoming to folks of various backgrounds.
Right here, you’ll be able to see avenue artwork and store at wonderful unbiased retailers. There are additionally nice eating places. Le Vieux Port additionally has rather a lot to do. If you happen to keep on with the vacationer areas, you’ll be okay.
We seemingly received’t return to this metropolis, which is unlucky. We in all probability wouldn’t advocate it to different People, and particularly to not folks of colour. The clear hatred in direction of completely different nationalities makes this metropolis not satisfying and anxious for us.
If you happen to resolve to go, we’ll information you thru the sights. Simply keep away from the spots listed on this article.
