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Malmousque cove

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Malmousque cove is a kind of creek located in the 7th district of Marseille. This place arouses curiosity thanks to its originality. Close to the Old-port, from Malmousque, we can see the famous ‘île des pendus‘ just in front of it. The  cove doesn’t have any sand, only a cement pier. You can swim however it is a very deep water that’s why we cannot recommend it for children or untrained people.

A bit of history

A history and many anecdotes are related to the marseillaise cove. At the beggining, it used to be a fishermen’s port where there was a  friendly atmosphere. In 1610, a decree was established “chemin de Malmousque” ( Malmousque lane).

Some come to observe the famous “rocher des pendus” ( rock of the  hangmen), visible from its pier. It owes its name to Alfonso V Aragon who took revenge on the allies of Louis III in 1423 by having a dozen of his notables hanged there.

The Calanque kept its wild side until the end of the 19th century which is  not very  surprising.Indeed, it is located on a steep path. After building new housing around the  cove, it  was once again frequented.

At this time, a lot of people from Marseille were  going there to bask on the  rocks when the weather  was  good. Some  take advantage of  swimming and enjoying the view. According to the  season, the creek can be  very  crowded. For more tranquility, it  would be better to avoid the summertime. Walking access is quite hard. Although the  place is really worth it!

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Entrée du port de Malmousque à Marseille
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    Bateaux et cabanons devant le petit port de Malmousque à MarseilleCorniche Port De Mallmousque@joyanaotcm
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      The  district of Malmousque

      An authentic district  in Marseille

      Housing around the cove of Malmousque shows little beautiful houses charismatic of a  charming provence village. Streets are quite narrow and vegetation is very  intense. This  area is noticeable thanks to the scenary with small houses and very colorful buildings.

      If  you want to go to the creek, take the opportunity to visit the area of Malmousque which really is worth it ! You can  find many  activities such as : restaurants, coffee shop terraces and walks. Real treasures are hidden in Malmousque.

      Walking along the lanes, you  will find gorgeous bridges with  seaviews. You can also see the island of Endoume and Gaby from Malmousque, the little pebble  creek. If you have children, there are some swimming areas. Be careful because the depth of the water can change very quickly depending on the areas.

      Just relax in this little paradise in the city centre and take time to see the little fishermen’s houses from the Corniche. The seaview is breathtaking, an ideal place to take beautiful pictures and why not have a family picnic?

      Nearby Malmousque, you  will be able to see other beaches such as ‘la Pointe d’Endoume’, the cemented beach in the Vallon des Auffes or even the Petit Nice small creek.

      Good to know

      A guided tour in Malmousque is suggested by the  Tourist  office of  Marseille and will give you  the opportunity  to  learn more  about the little fishermen’s port, a real  balcony  on the  sea!

      Malmousque Port

      The Malmousque port is rather small and has only 55 places. This port is managed by the  ‘Société Nautique des goélands de Malmousque’. We  can often see fishermen  along the port but also people from Marseille who gather on the rocks to enjoy the landscape and the  sun. There is little room, but in spite of that, it is very popular though.

      For those who  decide to  walk along the rocks via the cement pier, they will be  facing the most beautiful houses of  Marseille: ‘Les bains de Mer chauds‘, former Thalasso Centre fully restored.

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          Access to the cove

          To get to the Malmousque creek, you need to  walk. Cars are not passing though this area. You need not to be afraid of crossing the tiny streets in order to  get to the rocks. The  journey can  be somewhat acrobatic, but at the end of it, it is worth it! The  cove is located to the  North of the  peninsula, on the edge of the Corniche  Kennedy more precisely.

          Fun fact :  a few available parking  spaces can be found along ‘chemin du  génie‘ near  the military bathing. Be careful even if these parking spaces are not very well known, they are wanted.

          If you don’t have a  car, the 83 bus can  take you there. You  will need to stop at  ‘la fausse  monnaie‘ stop.

          Provence Alpes Côte d’Azur region is full of gorgeous places to discover for unique stays. Marseille has the honor of  hosting many of them, between amazing beaches, creeks ans its cliffs, come  to discover treasures of Marseille.

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