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Ranging from vast to cozy, you’ll find a variety of landscapes and activities in Marseille and its surrounding area.

MARSEILLE - EN

Inside Belle de Mai, a former industrial complex, you’ll immediately notice the black-and-white photos on the facade of the Le Gyptis art house movie theater! This cinema, built in 1913, was only restored to its original purpose in 2014. Between 1987 and 2013, this downtown spot was converted into a theater for the resident company Chatôt-Vouyoucas. Renovated thanks to the support of the PACA Region and the French Ministry of Culture’s National Center for Cinema (CNC), the Le Gyptis now offers a program of art house films, movies for young audiences, and other events. For more information, please consult <https://cinemalegyptis.org/>. Reopens on September 4th. ©Istock by Gettyimages

Cinéma Le Gyptis

The term “urban oasis” immediately comes to mind when you open the doors to Le Chapiteau. Located at the edge of the Bon Secours and Belle de Mai neighborhoods, at the very heart of Marseille, this hybrid space combines a bar, club, and organic restaurant with pétanque courts to the delight of night owls seeking to revel outdoors, under the stars! The establishment is open on Friday and Saturday nights from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. For further information, please consult <https://www.lechapiteau-marseille.fr/> or call +33 (0)9 52 51 48 43. ©Istock by Gettyimages

Bar Le Chapiteau

If you love authentic Marseille soap, this place won’t burst your bubble! There’s nothing new here... Open since 1856 in the Saint-Barthélémy area (14th arrondissement), the Savonnerie du Fer à Cheval carries forward the traditional Marseille soap-making and saponification method in cauldrons. In particular, this establishment created the famous French soap Le Chat. It was taken over in 2003 and also produces perfume, skincare creams, laundry detergent, and more. Free guided tours by reservation. For further information, please consult <https://savon-de-marseille.com/> or call +33 (0)4 65 84 45 81. ©Istock by Gettyimages

Savonnerie du Fer à Cheval

A true gem of Marseille, the Calanque de Sormiou (9th arrondissement) offers a breathtaking panorama. And there’s no better way to appreciate this postcard-perfect setting than with Monde Vertical. It offers an adventurous way to round the Bec de Sormiou at the tip of the calanque. The trip includes zip-lining within the Capelan cave, abseiling, via cordata (climbing the rock walls using a carabiner attached to a cord), and even passages that take you above the Mediterranean. For further information, please consult <https://www.mondevertical.com/> or call +33 (0)6 67 55 23 73 / +33 (0)7 86 09 28 08. ©Istock by Gettyimages

The Calanque de Sormiou along a via cordata

Le Couvent is one of those hybrid cultural venues that thrive in Marseille. Stretching across 10,760 ft2, the space includes some forty workshops and two former chapels dedicated to residences, exhibitions, and events. Throughout the year, this spot at the center of the Phocaean City features artistic initiations, free activity days, educational activities, discovery workshops, face-to-face encounters, participative projects, civic initiatives, and more. The outdoor terrace spans 3,770 ft2, while the garden stretches across nearly five acres. For further information, please consult <https://le-couvent.org>. ©Istock by Gettyimages

Le Couvent

Culminating at 2,395 ft, the Massif du Garlaban became famous in France thanks to the writer Marcel Pagnol. The Provence native describes the mountain range from the very beginning of his autobiographical book My Father’s Glory. This “enormous blue rock tower, planted on the edge of Plan de l’Aigle” overlooks the city of Aubagne (12 miles from Marseille) and surrounds the small village of La Treille. A number of well-marked paths welcome hikers of every level. Climbers and all-terrain bikers will also love exploring the area. A 45-minute drive from Hotel Mercure Marseille Centre Vieux Port and 37 minutes from Hotel Mercure Marseille Centre Prado Vélodrome. [©Clementp.fr/Wikimedia](http://xn--Clementp-tka.fr/Wikimedia) Commons