The Roucas-Blanc district

A residential district in the 7th arrondissement

Roucas-Blanc is located in the heart of Marseille’s 7th arrondissement, in the city centre, between Notre-Dame de la Garde and Prado. It takes its name from the rock on which it is built. Its name means ‘the white rock’ in Provençal. This district of Marseille is characterised by its many residences, most of which belong to wealthier families. These second homes (but not only!) are mainly located at the ends of the chemin du Roucas-Blanc, the district’s main thoroughfare.

With the feel of a village in the middle of the city, it enjoys an exceptional location between the Prado and the Parc Valmer. With its steep paths and numerous staircases, Roucas-Blanc offers residents and tourists alike unbeatable views over the city of Marseille, the Mediterranean Sea and the Frioul islands. There are several viewpoints from which you can admire the Notre-Dame de la Garde basilica and its hill.

The Roucas-Blanc area is renowned for its middle-class lifestyle and owes its privileged status to its hot springs, which were recognised as being of public interest in the 19th century. A spa was set up here, with treatment rooms, pools and freshwater pools. Today, the hotel Nhow Marseille continues to maintain the water source that made the area so famous.

What to do in the Roucas-Blanc district of Marseille?

If you’re on holiday in Marseille, we recommend a visit to the Notre-Dame de la Garde basilica in the Roucas-Blanc district. A true landmark of the city, this 19th-century religious edifice dominates the city and the Mediterranean Sea from its summit. According to legend, Notre-Dame de la Garde watches over the people of Marseille. To get there, you can hop on a tourist train from the Vieux-Port or take a number of steep footpaths. With its exceptional panorama, you won’t regret the effort involved in admiring this must-see monument in the city of Marseille.

At Roucas-Blanc in Marseille, you can also admire the Château Talabot, built in 1860 as the brainchild of the polytechnic engineer Paulin Talabot, founder of the Paris-Lyon-Marseille railway line. The 25 hectares of land were transformed into a garden of conifers, shrubs and exotic plants. For the record, this copper-toned château was used as the setting for Bertrand Blier’s 1989 film ‘Trop belle pour toi‘, in which Gérard Depardieu and Carole Bouquet can be seen strolling through the salons and on the terrace of the bastide overlooking the bay of Marseille.

In this residential area of Marseille, you can’t miss the Corniche Kennedy, a listed site since 1924. Its name is a tribute to the American president John Fitzgerald Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1963. Comparable to the Promenade des Anglais in Nice or La Croisette in Cannes, the Corniche Kennedy was a key factor in the development of Marseille’s seaside urbanism, offering magnificent views of the Mediterranean. The corniche is lined with hotels, restaurants, bars, beaches and villas…

If you’re a fan of lounging and families, we recommend you visit the Plage du Prophète, one of Marseille’s most popular beaches. During the summer months, young and old alike can enjoy supervised swimming and playing on the beach volleyball court. To get there from the city centre, just take the 83 bus from the Vieux-Port to the ‘Le Prophète’ stop.