Discover Marseille's most beautiful parks and gardens

Remarkable gardens

The town boasts three remarkable gardens (awarded by the Ministry of Culture and Communication since 2005)

Parc Borely

This 17-hectare garden is home to an 18th-century bastide house (Museum), enhanced by a French-style garden and 19th-century landscaped park. Its paths are popular with joggers and walkers, who also enjoy strolling through the rose garden or discovering rare species in the botanical garden. The lake with its pier, refreshment bar and restaurant (awaiting new management) complete the site’s many attractions. Parc Borély is also a children’s paradise, with two playgrounds.
Allée Borély – 13008

Parc du 26e Centenaire

A 10-hectare urban park in the heart of Marseille, on the site of the former Prado train station. It features a boules pitch and 2 children’s play areas. In 2002, 4 themed gardens were laid out (Provençal, Oriental, African and Asian), symbolizing Marseille’s unique blend of cultures.
Rond-point Zino Francescatti – 13010

Parc de la Magalone

At the heart of this garden on boulevard Michelet (surface area 1.4 hectares) lies one of the few 18th-century bastides, named after its owner Messire Raphaël de Magalon. The garden was redesigned in 1901 by landscape architect Edouard André. A true Baroque garden, values and perspectives, spaces and depths take on their full relief in geometric forms.
245 , Boulevard Michelet – 13009

Gardens classified as Historic Monuments

Marseille boasts two gardens listed as Historic Monuments.

Parc du Palais Longchamp

The Parc Longchamp has been built up over time, through the stratification of different projects conceived or realized on the site since the 19th century. In 2005, Parc Longchamp, Parc Borély, Jardin de la Magalone and Parc du 26ème Centenaire were awarded the “remarkable garden” label by the French Ministry of Culture. It was a zoological garden from 1854 to 1987.
Place Henri Dunant – 13004

Le jardin du Port Antique (Le jardin des Vestiges)

The site of the Port Antique (known as the Jardin des Vestiges when it opened to the public in 1983) features the results of the first major urban archaeological excavations in France.
The remains, uncovered in 1967 on the construction site of the Centre Bourse, are major historical witnesses. The site is structured around the Roman road, the Greek ramparts and the ancient port, where the world’s largest visible shipwreck was discovered. This Roman road, lined with funerary monuments, enters the city through a monumental entrance.
The entrance is via the History Museum, inside the Centre Bourse.

Other exceptional parks and gardens in Marseille

Parc de la Buzine

The Château de la Buzine owes its fame to Marcel Pagnol. Having bought it with the intention of opening a veritable Cité du Cinéma, the writer was surprised when he arrived on the scene to recognize the building he had walked alongside with his family on the chemin de la Treille, and which would become – and remain forever – “Le Château de ma mère”.
56 , Traverse De la Buzine – 13011

Pharo Garden

The Emile Duclaux garden, which surrounds the Palais du Pharo, boasts a breathtaking view of the Old Port and Marseille’s northern coastline. Paths along the edge of the cliffs allow walkers to discover astonishing viewpoints, and the site is ideal for observing the ballet of ferries leaving the port, a true invitation to travel… During a stay in Marseille in 1852, Louis Napoleon was seduced by the site, and expressed the wish to have a residence with his feet in the water. On August 15, 1858, the foundation stone for the Palais du Pharo was laid.
Boulevard Charles Livon – 13007 Marseille

Parc Pastré

Between Pointe Rouge and Grotte Rolland, Parc Pastré stretches over 112 hectares, up to the hills of Marseilleveyre. In 1974, Comtesse Pastré ceded most of her property to the city. Now a huge public park, the site is one of the finest jewels in the city’s heritage. Two ponds, a canal, playgrounds and footpaths appeal to its many users.
The upper part of the site retains its wild character, opening out onto the hills of Marseilleveyre and the calanques. The entire wooded area of the park is part of the Calanques classified site, making it a gateway for hiking enthusiasts.
155, Avenue de Montredon – 13008

Parc Balnéaire du Prado

Prior to 1975, despite its 20 km of seafront, Marseille had no facilities providing bathers with easy access to the sea. With the creation of the Parc Balnéaire du Prado, 26 hectares of green spaces now blend harmoniously with 10 hectares of sandy beaches. With its many facets, this seafront park is an extremely convivial place to be in all seasons. What’s more, an internationally renowned skatepark (known as the Bowl) is available to all skateboard enthusiasts, just beyond l’Escale Borely.
Avenue Georges Pompidou – 13008

Parc Bougainville

Inaugurated in February 2024, Parc Bougainville is part of a major urban transformation project designed to bring nature back to the city. Nearly 650 trees, 15,000 shrubs and hundreds of Mediterranean perennials have been planted.
The color blue marks the park’s identity, recalling the color of the city, the sea and water. A true haven of peace, Parc Bougainville offers visitors an educational garden, discovery tours, meeting and gathering places, and numerous activities.
50 Boulevard de Briançon – 13003

Parc François Billoux

The 5-hectare Parc François Billoux is a haven of greenery in the heart of the city. In the 18th century, it covered 27 hectares and included three mills and a chapel. After belonging to the Raffineries de sucre Saint-Louis, the city acquired the estate in 1974 and set up the 15th and 16th arrondissement town halls. Today, with its open-air theater built in 1989 and its many facilities, the park offers a much-needed breath of fresh air and a much-appreciated place to relax and enjoy leisure activities in a dense urban environment.
246 rue de Lyon – 13015