Things to see in Marseille

Built between 1947 and 1952 by the iconic designer known as Le Corbusier, the Cité Radieuse (literally ‘radiant city’) is a housing development located in the southern suburbs of Marseille. For architecture buffs, it’s virtually unmissable – it was the first of Le Corbusier’s famous Unités d’Habitation and still houses some 1,500 residents, as well as a hotel, church and rooftop garden. If you’re not into design, the attraction might be a little thin, but if you recognise the edifice as the modernist landmark it is, the appeal is huge.

The maze of narrow streets found in the Quartier du Panier, the oldest part of Marseille, lead to the Vieille Charité, a pretty set of buildings dating back to the 17th century, originally designed to take in vagrants and orphans (hence the name). Today the complex is an art centre, with two museums (the Mediterranean Archaeology Museum and the Museum of African, Oceanian and Amerindian Art), several art galleries, a café, a restaurant and a bookshop. There is also an art house cinema, Le Miroir, showing productions not on show anywhere else in town. The chapel, built by Pierre Puget, is in the French baroque style.

Occupying the highest point of Marseille (147m, or 482ft, above sea level), the iconic Romanesque-Byzantine basilica was built in the 19th century. Affectionately known as the Bonne Mère (good mother), it is topped by a 9.72m (32ft) gilded statue of the Virgin, who is said to bestow protection on fishermen out at sea. The mosaics are particularly beautiful, and the numerous ex-votos hanging in the nave bear witness to the faith and thanksgiving of different generations of pilgrims. The site also affords magnificent views of the city and bay spread out at its feet, with the Frioul archipelago in the distance.

Football is sacred in Marseille, and a ticket to a home game is an effective way of experiencing the local character in its most unbridled form. The Stade Vélodrome, the city's temple to the beautiful game, was one of the official venues for the 1998 World Cup. Didier Drogba used to play for the OIympique de Marseille before his move to Chelsea, while Zinedine Zidane and Fabien Barthez also kick-started their international careers here. Next door to the stadium is a museum for footie fans, with plenty of information on ‘l’OM’.