House, Marseille

Marseille is France’s second-largest city and its oldest, founded by Greek settlers around 600 BC. It occupies a singular position on the Mediterranean coast, shaped by its deep-water port, its dramatic limestone calanques to the south, and a cultural identity that is distinctly its own. Over the past decade, sustained investment in the Euroméditerranée urban renewal zone and the city’s designation as European Capital of Culture in 2013 have repositioned Marseille as a serious destination for international buyers.

Daily life centres on the Vieux-Port, the Marché du Prado, and the Cours Julien neighbourhood for independent dining and food markets. Key cultural institutions include the MuCEM, the Musée Cantini, and the Palais Longchamp. Restaurants such as Péron and AM by Alexandre Mazzia represent the city’s serious culinary range.

Marseille-Provence Airport, located approximately 25 kilometres northwest of the city centre, serves over 40 direct destinations including London, Paris, and major European hubs, with a journey time of around 30 minutes by road. The Saint-Charles TGV station connects to Paris Gare de Lyon in approximately three hours and to Lyon in under two hours, placing Marseille firmly within France’s high-speed rail network.