BRR - went to Marseille yesterday and thought it was quite nice down by the marina. I have heard a lot of negative stuff about the place but me and Mrs R&W had a great time. I'm ashamed to say we finished the day off in the Queen Victoria English pub down on the waterfront. Drinking pints of Leffe as we went by train
Went to Marseille during the 1998 world cup, it doesn't hold many happy memories if I am honest and I remember it being a bit of ****hole really, it was a fleeting visit though!
Like any other big city Marseille has its good and bad bits. In the case of Marseille, the good bits are delightful (just along the coast past the docklands are some of the most glorious lagoons and reefs you are ever likely to see), but the bad bits are truly horrible (watch yourself in the area down from the station). A city of extremes good and bad. Probably best to stay out of the old town itself, it can get a bit desperate - Montpellier is a fabulous city, and the beach towns (Grau du roi, St Marie de la mer, Pavalas etc) are beautiful without being overly priced, so I tend to hang out to the west. To the east, Avignon and Arles are wonderfully historic and the countryside is breathtaking. Check out Le Pont du Gard, one of the most spectacular sites of its type. The French should be paying me for this lol
There were running battles between Tunisians / Police / and English all day at the train station, it was chaos everywhere during the day of the game and we were forcefully taken by armed Police to the radio 1 road show on the beach the morning we arrived (after being assured of a warm welcome in the FIFA guff that comes with your tickets) that also turned in to a riot later that day! Your depiction sounds much nicer!
That is the world cup though. Not exactly a normal day in anyone's language Look at the riots in Brazil
