The shopping districts of Marseille

Rue de Rome

A large shopping street with wide pavements, rue de Rome is one of the most fashionable areas for low prices. Teenagers and young adults like to flock here to find a coveted second-hand item. There are numerous shops offering shoes, clothes and accessories at unbeatable prices for fashionable items. Have you filled up on shopping? Don’t panic, the tram passes right on the street. A godsend when you have your arms full of bags!

This 1.2 kilometre long street also includes historic shops such as Le Père Blaize, the famous herbalist’s pharmacy established since 1815, in a perpendicular alley. Even if the current owners are no longer part of the family of this learned healer, they continue to share the unique know-how of this true Marseille institution.

The Panier

In the 2nd arrondissement, the Panier – considered by some as the Montmartre of Marseille – is the oldest district of the city. Here you can meet various painters, ceramists, sculptors and craftsmen who will take you behind the scenes of their workshops. Rehabilitated, this historic district is home to craftsmen’s and designers’ shops where you can buy traditional santons, pottery, knives, olive wood objects and typical Provençal specialities such as orange blossom-scented navettes and Marseillotes, sweets made from aniseed nougat, almonds, candied orange peel, honey and cocoa. Very picturesque, the Panier inspired the producers of the TV series ‘Plus belle la vie‘ to build the fictional district of Mistral.

Extras: shopping centres in the heart of Marseille

If you don’t want to wander through the streets of Marseille, you can go to one of the three shopping centres in Marseille, which are full of multi-brand stores. All of them are located in the city’s hypercentre, so you’re sure to find what you’re looking for, whatever your budget.

The Centre Bourse – located near the Old Port and the Canebière – brings together communities from different backgrounds: local shoppers, tourists and strollers from the surrounding area. Some sixty shops and restaurants are located there (Galeries Lafayette, FNAC, Histoire d’Or, Sephora, Celio, Yves Rocher, Columbus, Jeff de Bruges…). This shopping centre combines shopping and culture, as you can visit the History of Marseille Museum.

The shopping centre Les Terrasses du Port is certainly the most trendy of the three thanks to its view over the sea. With more than 170 shops, restaurants and services, it offers a multitude of choices (Apple Store, Darty, Decathlon, Kiko Milano, L’Occitane en Provence, Lacoste, Lego, Superdry…). Little or big hunger? There is something for everyone (Starbucks, Pitaya, Bchef…). After a shopping spree, relax along the water on one of the many benches provided outside the shopping centre.

Created in former commercial warehouses, the Voûtes de la Major and the Docks Village are the obligatory crossing point for pedestrians going from the Panier to the Boulevard du Littoral and the J4, which has a car park with 750 spaces. A real meeting and conviviality centre with an unrestricted view of the sea, this shopping centre – located between museums and the business district – brings together a wide range of brands and restaurants (L’Espérantine, Patagonia, Les Halles de la Major, Double Je…).