Marseille's new waves in Mediterranean architecture
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France's second-largest city has something for everyone, from cultural sights to the great outdoors.
PHOTO: CAROLINE DUTREY
Soh Wee Ling
I cannot remember if the first time I heard of Marseille was when I watched Marcel Pagnol's bittersweet Marseille Trilogy (1931 to 1936) or when I made bouillabaisse based on Julia Child's recipe.
Nevertheless, it became one of the first few cities I looked forward to visiting when I moved to France.
Since Oct 19 last year, fully vaccinated travellers to France have been able to return to Singapore without quarantine under the Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) scheme.
For travel-starved Singaporeans who have grown weary of shiny folding bikes and are keen to explore France beyond its capital, the country's second-largest city has something for everyone from cultural sights to the great outdoors.
Marseille's appeal is not difficult to grasp - pastis (anise-flavoured spirit), the scenic Calanques (limestone cliffs and bays), laid-back cosmopolitan vibes and fresh seafood in a city that is gritty around the edges with a glint of authentic Provencal charm.
Unlike Paris, its prim and sophisticated cousin in the north, Marseille is a sunny and vibrant working-class city by the sea, so rebellious that King Louis XIV once ordered cannons at Fort Saint-Jean to be pointed towards the city to quell potential uprisings.
The traditional North-South rivalry between the two largest cities in France naturally also manifests itself in football, between Olympique de Marseille (OM) and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).
In recent years, PSG fans have been banned from attending fixtures between the two major adversaries in Marseille over fears of violence.
Marseille has long been a beacon of optimism for immigrants from Italy, Armenia and Turkey over the centuries and, most recently, from Vietnam, the Comoros and other former French colonies in the Maghreb and West Africa.
A couple of its famous inhabitants include footballers such as Eric Cantona, son of Italian and Spanish immigrants; and Zinedine Zidane, who famously said he is foremost "an Algerian from Marseille, and then a Frenchman".
Marseille is France's oldest city, yet much of it had to be reconstructed after World War II.
I had come here for Swiss-French architect Le Corbusier's post-war brutalist masterpiece, Cite Radieuse, the first of his Unite d'Habitation housing projects.
It did not disappoint and showed me how it is possible to rethink modern dwelling as a cost-effective, self-sufficient solution that has stayed relevant through the times.
But Marseille is more than Le Corbusier and post-war modernism. The past decade has seen multiple contemporary projects by prominent architects, which have revitalised the city's urban landscape with innovative form and design.
For a country that is grappling with immigration and national identity issues, the surging cost of living, drug crimes and rise of the far right - apart from the pandemic in the last few years - in some ways, Marseille offers a small peek into French urban society today.
Marseille's ambition is reflected in its contemporary architectural gems while the dynamism of its diverse population bears witness to the hope that perhaps the city, imperfections and all, may one day stand as the vision of French multiculturalism.
1. Musee des civilisations de l'Europe et de la Mediterranee (Mucem)
Unveiled in 2013 when Marseille was designated European Capital of Culture, Mucem aims to celebrate Mediterranean cultures and history.
French architects Rudy Ricciotti and Roland Carta's vision of a modern kasbah complete with concrete latticework offers breathtaking views of the port, the sea and Fort Saint-Jean, linked to Mucem by a black reinforced concrete bridge.
2. Villa Mediterranee
For Villa Mediterranee, Milanese architect Stefano Boeri looked to a sleek aesthetic, free from distracting exterior details, befitting an archive and research centre dedicated to all things Mediterranean.
Sitting along the seafront next to Mucem, the structure with a dramatic overhang features an exhibition gallery, an ornamental pool and an underwater conference centre, reinforcing the fact that the sea is central to coastal communities in the Mediterranean.
3. Stade Velodrome
Football fans need no introduction to OM, Marseille's famed football club. Stade Velodrome, home to OM, is also the second-largest football stadium in France with a capacity of more than 67,000.
In 2014, French architecture firm SCAU added a milky, sculptural stretched Teflon-coated fibreglass canvas roof to the stadium that is as functional as it is sleek - low maintenance, resistant to rain and the strong, cold Mistral that blows across southern France - providing sun protection and optimising acoustics.
4. La Friche la Belle de Mai (La Friche)
A trendy cultural and urban arts complex repurposed from a 19th-century former tobacco factory over a 12-year period, the architectural highlight at La Friche is the Panorama, a cantilevered white block of a contemporary art space designed by ARM Architecture and opened in 2013, perched precariously on the roof.
The renovated 8,000 sq m multipurpose rooftop terrace, boasting breathtaking views of Marseille, comes alive especially in the summer with concerts and outdoor cinema screenings.
5. Fonds regionaux d'art contemporain Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur (Frac Paca)
Japanese architect Kengo Kuma's take on Frac Paca, Marseille's contemporary art centre in the La Joliette district, plays on negative space and light through its distinctive chequered glass facade. The building aims to connect the museum to Marseille and its people, referencing the city's alleys and plazas, bringing to life novelist Andre Malraux's vision of a museum without walls.
6. Tour CMA CGM
Designed by the late Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid for Marseille-headquartered shipping giant CMA CGM, the 147m-tall building towers over the city and the commercial port.
Its understated curved facade, with gently converging then diverging fluid lines, has segments differentiated by dark glazing, which not only provides a solar screen, but also allows natural light to filter in without excessive glare.
7. La Marseillaise
Walking distance to the Tour CMA CGM, the latest addition to the Marseille skyline is Pritzker Prize-winning French architect Jean Nouvel's striking gradient blue-white-red-hued office tower, appropriately named La Marseillaise and incorporating eco-friendly features such as a revolutionary air-conditioning system and sustainable materials.
Contrary to what most people might think, the colours are chosen not for the French flag, but for Marseille - blue for the sky (and even OM), white for the Calanques and red for the rooftops of the Le Panier district.
8. Vieux Port Pavilion
At Marseille's Vieux Port (Old Port), you cannot miss the futuristic pavilion conceived by British multidisciplinary practice Foster + Partners.
While its canopy of polished steel would not look out of place in a dystopian future, the 46m by 22m shelter has redefined public space without stealing the limelight from the hustle and bustle of the neighbourhood.
- A former tax consultant, Soh Wee Ling is a freelance writer and photographer who is back in Singapore after a decade abroad, including five years in Paris. She is partial to pastis and hopes the weather will be warm enough for a swim in the Calanques the next time she is in Marseille.
Getting there
Singapore Airlines (www.singaporeair.com) and Air France (www.airfrance.sg) operate seven and three non-stop flights a week to Paris respectively.
Marseille is about 3 1/2 hours from Paris via the high-speed TGV train.
Both airlines also offer multiple connecting flights to Marseille every day.
Where to stay
If you are looking for stylish accommodation in Marseille, you cannot go wrong with Hotel Le Corbusier (www.hotellecorbusier.com) in the iconic Cite Radieuse.
The impossibly hip Philippe Starck-designed Mama Shelter Marseille (mamashelter.com/marseille) is just a 10-minute walk from the trendy Cours Julien district.
Tuba Club (www.tuba-club.com) is a former diving club turned trendy no-frills five-room hotel perched on the coast for those in the know craving a respite from city life.
What to buy
• Savon de Marseille
An all-natural soap with 72 per cent pure vegetable oils without colourings or additives.
There are only four surviving manufacturers of authentic savon de Marseille today who still make the soap using traditional methods and recipes - Le Serail, Savonnerie du Midi, Marius Fabre and Fer a Cheval.
• Bleu de Chine
The indigo-blue Chinese labourer jacket with a Peter Pan collar that became popular with French dock workers in Marseille and the Mediterranean region after a Frenchman first saw them in Singapore in the 1930s.
Even Spanish artist Pablo Picasso was once photographed wearing it.
• Chapeau provencal
The chic wide-brimmed hat secured by a black ribbon worn by farm workers in Provence became a must-have fashion accessory after fashion designer Simon Porte Jacquemus showcased it in his spring/summer 2017 "Les Santons de Provence" collection. While it might be too dramatic for everyday wear, it looks great hung on the wall when not in use.
• Navette de Marseille
An orange blossom-scented biscuit baked in the shape of a boat that can be kept for a whole year.
Best place to try the melt-in-your-mouth biscuits would be at Four des Navettes - the oldest bakery in Marseille - which still bakes them in an 18th-century oven.
