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| View of L'Estaque waterfront from Fortin de Corbières |
Nestling at the foot of La Nerthe massif, north of the old harbor of Marseille, the small fishing village of L'Estaque (which means "mooring ring" in Provencal dialect) is one of the most picturesque districts of the city.
At the end of the 19th and early 20th century, the port of L'Estaque, which was a dynamic industrial district and a tourist destination featuring popular seafood restaurants and seawater spa centers, became a source of inspiration for many painters like Paul Cézanne and writers like Emile Zola.
As illustrated in the award-wining movie “Marius and Jeannette”, the village is now a working class neighborhood which attracts few tourists, but taking a stroll along the seafront and around the narrow streets to La Nerthe hills is still really worth it! So if you are curious to discover both the artistic past and multifaceted present of the area, check out these cool things to do in L'Estaque:
At the end of the 19th and early 20th century, the port of L'Estaque, which was a dynamic industrial district and a tourist destination featuring popular seafood restaurants and seawater spa centers, became a source of inspiration for many painters like Paul Cézanne and writers like Emile Zola.
As illustrated in the award-wining movie “Marius and Jeannette”, the village is now a working class neighborhood which attracts few tourists, but taking a stroll along the seafront and around the narrow streets to La Nerthe hills is still really worth it! So if you are curious to discover both the artistic past and multifaceted present of the area, check out these cool things to do in L'Estaque:
1. Eat panisses and chichis from L'Estaque
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| Chichi frégi from Lou Goustato de L'Estaco food stand |
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| Fresh-made panisses from L'Estaque |
There is no trip to L'Estaque without a stop at a one of the three chichis and panisses stands located on Plage de L'Estaque street: Chez Freddy, Magali and Lou Goustato de l’Estaco (my favorite stand is the blue one but they are all good). Chichi frégi is a fried-dough pastry generally flavored with olive oil and orange blossom water, then rolled in sugar (you can ask for extra Nutella or chantilly too). Panisses are salty and are made from a chickpea flour mixture fashioned into thick logs and sliced into small disks for frying. Both the snacks can (almost) only be found in L'Estaque district and people come from all the city neighborhoods to buy them! Enjoy your chichis and panisses while sipping a glass of pastis at the terrace of one the many cafes facing the food stands or in the nearby Espace Mistral wharf.
2. Explore L'Estaque "Painters Path"
A key location for the birth of modern painting, L'Estaque is a top destination for art enthusiasts. Take the Chemin des Peintres (the Painters Trail), explore the picturesque streets lined with small fisher houses and elegant 19th century bastides, then enjoy the amazing landscape that inspired some of the most famous impressionist, fauvist and cubist painters including Cézanne, Braque, Dufy, Renoir, Macke, Dérain, Friesz, Marquet and Guigou. The itinerary is not only a nice stroll offering a lot of photo opportunities, but it is also a good way to digest chichis and panisses. ;-) Guided walking tour of L'Estaque Painters Path are arranged by the Marseille Tourist Office and Convention Bureau but not on a regular basis, so check out their guided tour schedule. If you don't find a tour in English follow the steps indicated on the map above: at each step you will find an information board with visual description and explanation in both English and French.
3. Visit the Fondation Monticelli art gallery
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| Foundation Monticelli Art Gallery |
Housed in the Fortin de Corbières, a fort dominating L'Estaque, the Fondation Monticelli is a small art gallery dedicated to pre-impressionist painter Adolphe Monticelli. The foundation boasts a large collection of works by the Marseille-born painter and hosts interesting temporary exhibits, such as the last one featuring Charles Camoin's artworks that I saw a couple of months ago. In addition, its unique location offers splendid views over the nearby beaches of Corbières and the bay of Marseille, which will remind you some of Cézanne's most famous paintings like "The gulf of Marseille seen from L'Estaque" or Georges Braque's "The Viaduct at L'Estaque".
4. Have fun at "L'Estaque en Fête"
L'Estaque en Fête is a 2-day block party that is celebrated every year on the first weekend of September. This family-friendly festival offers free events including live music, dance and theater shows, street art performances, movies and art exhibitions, as well as a religious procession, free guided tours of the district and the Painters Path, traditional and craft markets, pétanque games, firework displays and water jousting tournament.
How to get to L'Estaque?
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| Bus stop in L'Estaque, Marseille |
By bus: There is no direct bus/metro from the city center. Take either tram line n.2 (direction Euroméditerranée Arenc) until Joliette station or metro line n.2 until Bougainville (end of line), then take bus 35 to L'Estaque.
By train: Take a local train at Marseille Saint-Charles central station and get off at L'Estaque Gare railway station located a 10-minute walk from the port.
By car: From Marseille city center, take the A55 Highway towards Aix-en-Provence, exit at "L'Estaque - La Calade - Les Ports" (exit n.5), then continue along Chemin du Littoral until Plage de l'Estaque. There are a couple of free parking lots, the first one just at the beginning of Plage de L'Estaque street and the second one next Espace Mistral garden. More free parking places are available close to the beaches and Fortin de Corbières.
