Ideas for breaks, weekends away and excursions in MARSEILLE and the surrounding area

In the Panier quarter, on the site of the Greek city of Massalia, near the Old Port of Marseille, you will find the Vieille Charité.This is a superb baroque architectural complex dating from the 17th century, built by Pierre Puget to accommodate the poor. Pierre Puget had grown up in this area and was official architect to Louis XIV. This is an imposing building, with a particularly elegant oval chapel.Puget was a genius whose sculptures are on display at the Louvre museum in Paris.In this stunning architectural complex, you can also find the Museum of African, Pacific Islander and American Indian Art and the Archeological museum of the Salyens tribe.Major temporary exhibitions are organised here on a regular basis, drawing large crowds. You can also relax in the bar-restaurant and at the bookshop on site.

Franco-Russian exchange.

Watch the boats race from Marseille.

Over 200 exhibitors are heading to La Ciotat marina for Les Nauticales 2011.…

A symbolic, magical world.