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In Which I Am The Youngest Resident of Marseille Youth Hostel
May 3, 2008 by Mike
Marseille
Route: Saintes Maries de la Mer - Marseille
OK so it wasn't quite like riding in to St Petersburg or Barcelona, but you know what?, it beats the hell out of riding in to work every day.
Marseille has a *terrible* reputation. People I've travelled with in the States warned me: "It's dangerous." People who knew me in inner city London warned me: "It's dangerous." People I've spent time with in crime-infested Rio de Janeiro warned me: "It's dangerous." (OK, so it was the same two people.)
It's not all French Connection, but the road in to town *is* the elevated section that Popeye and the rest drive under and over, and generally make a mess of, in the movie. The docks are to my right. They'll be luxury flats and shopping malls one day. But not yet.
Then all of a sudden the road drops first to ground level, then to sea level, a corner turned and I'm riding round the Vieux-Port, where the Greeks founded the city of Massalia 2,600 years ago. (Humans have lived here for a bit longer than that: Marseille traces itself back 27 thousand years.. and not just to impress the American tourists, either.)
It's not Barcelona. The Canebiere is not La Rambla; the hill of Les Moulins is not Montjuic; Olympique Marseille are not FC Barcelona.
But this city has the friendliest tourist office I've seen so far. The man behind the counter practically offered to put me up when he told me every room in every inn was taken and when they got me into the Youth Hostel, he let out a little 'Yelp' of joy. 20 minutes later, when I was at the Hostel and checking in, he called to make sure I'd got here OK. Bless.
It also has a natural setting that beats Barca into a cocked hat. Ringed by mountains, like the Catalan city, but the Bay of Marseille is beautiful and the islands in the Bay, Pomegues, Ratonneau, little Tiboulen and If, appear hopelessly romantic. (There's a castle on If, grim setting for The Count Of Monte Cristo.)
The coast road is so cute they named a Rolls Royce after it: the Corniche. (Remembered from a 1970s set of Top Trumps...)
And it's the Corniche which leads me to the Youth Hostel, in a suburb called Bonneveine, which is close enough to Bonneville to make me smile. Most of the residents are in their 70s. That always makes me smile. And the Hostel is a fair bit cheaper than the last few campsites... which also makes me smile.
--
It's Saturday. I rode in to Marseille via the small town of Carro. I had to go there because it's besidetheseaside, of course, but also, on the weekend of Norwich City's last game of the season, Carro looks and sounds like Carrow. As in Carrow Road, which is where Norwich's ground is.
Some of you will see the irony of a restaurant called Le Carro Bleu.
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By Stephen | May 8, 2008 7:00 AM
Mike,
Glad to see you're progressing through the south. Hopefully you'll find some lovely socce...football enthusiasts to watch the final with.