11 Best Places to Go Shopping in Marseille

Situated at the foot of the Canebière, the Old Port of Marseille has been the beating heart of the city for centuries. The temporary markets and souvenir shops nearby are great places to find typical Marseille gifts like its essential soap and delicious olive oil.

The tourist office shop deserves special mention for its extensive selection of unique items proudly showcasing the city's colors. Here, you can also find the famous Tarot de Marseilles, as well as guides and tourist maps to help you navigate the city's charming rocky inlets. Additionally, the shop offers the Marseille CityPass, providing a convenient way to explore the city's many attractions.

Rue Saint-Férréol is a pedestrian street that has become very popular with shopaholics. Affectionately nicknamed "St Fé," it stretches between Marseille's 1st and 6th districts, more specifically from Place Félix-Baret to La Canebière, marking out the famous golden shopping triangle.

All the most well-known fashion labels can be found here as well as jewelers, trendy shops, and leisure shops. The young people of Marseille like to meet here on a Saturday afternoon. It's the place to be if you want to be seen, meet new people, or go window shopping before visiting the shops and restaurants at the Centre Bourse just a stone's throw away.

Rue de Rome is one of the city center's main streets, covering over 1.2 km through Marseille's 1st and 6th districts. A beautiful streetcar runs along the length of the street; a winner when your hands are full of shopping.

The street's stores are packed with all sorts of fashion items for great prices. But don't forget to stop by the traditional names of the city, like Le Père Blaize (Father Blaize), the famous herb pharmacy established in 1815 found down a side street.

Rue Paradis, the Marseille mecca for high-end shopping, is the second-longest street in the city. It runs through the 1st, 6th, and 8th districts to join Place du Général-de-Gaulle to Avenue du Prado. Its 2,870 meters are home to some of the most prestigious labels and the trendiest of shops. Names like Sandro and Lacoste share the street with smaller designers offering exciting pieces.

Extend this luxurious, enchanting break by exploring further into Rue Grignan, just off Rue Paradis. You'll soon be won over by its high-end decoration, clothes, and designer accessory shops, as well as several other enticing, elegant offerings.

Known by some as the Montmartre of Marseilles, Le Panier, in the 2nd district, is the oldest neighborhood in the city. Its narrow lanes lead you to painters, ceramicists, sculptors, and craftspeople who welcome you into their workshops with open arms. While traditional items such as santons (nativity figures), pottery, knives, and olive wood objects are prominently featured, the neighborhood's food artisans also offer a delightful array of culinary treats.

Indulge in delectable chocolates, mouthwatering navettes (biscuits delicately flavored with orange blossom water), and the unique Marseillotes candies. These candies are crafted from anise-flavored nougat blended with almonds, candied orange peel, and honey, all coated in a luscious layer of cocoa.

Cours Julien is the place to find the city's artists, bohos, and musicians. In addition to second-hand clothes, books shops, and artists' workshops, this unusual neighborhood at the heart of La Plaine, in Marseilles' 6th district, is also loved for its markets.

The Wednesday market brings together some 30 local farmers and producers to offer products of unequalled freshness and quality. By signing a charter, they commit to respecting the environment when growing their produce. This market brings together all the best fair trade producers in Marseille, with fresh and dried fruit and vegetables, cheese, bread, seafood, meat, eggs, honey, and other edible plants and flowers available.

Every day except Sunday, around 30 stalls heavy with fruit, vegetables, and fresh herbs and spices fill Rue Longue-des-Capucins at the Marché des Capucins (Capuchin Market). The Marché des Capucins derives its name from the former Capuchin monastery that once stood on its site.

The street itself has many shops, mostly grocers, butchers, bakers, and, of course, fishmongers. Come and take a stroll around the stores and market stalls and take advantage of some of the lowest prices for food in the city center.

The Marché aux Puces de Marseille (Marseille Flea Market) attracts crowds of around 100,000 people each week. For over 20 years, the market has featured approximately 300 stallholders and around 100 bric-a-brac traders and loft clearers every weekend.

The market also boasts about 40 antiques dealers who are gathered together in a dedicated gallery adjacent to a sprawling 1,300-square-meter second-hand shop. These antique shops are open from Tuesday to Sunday. The flea market center also houses about 300 shops that remain open all year round. 

The fish market at the Old Port of Marseille is a historical institution in this port city. Fishers come to the seafront every morning to sell their catch from the night before. The fish market in the Vieux-Port (Old Port of Marseilles) is one of the few remaining places where you can find fresh, quality seafood and is very popular with local restaurant owners.

Get up at dawn and soak up its authentic and unique atmosphere. Take the time to appreciate the work of these people who brave the raging seas to treat you to red mullet, sea bream, and other bass, which they weigh, gut, and scale in front of you with disconcerting speed and precision.

Rue de la Tour is a shopping hot spot that boasts an array of the trendiest shops, featuring the biggest names and designer labels. Located in the vibrant neighborhood of L'Opéra, it’s conveniently situated just a stone's throw away from Centre Bourse.

One of its high-profile brands is Maison Casablanca, a well-known label from Marseille established in 1985 by Hélène Racine, a women's ready-to-wear designer. Notably, every piece in her collection is designed and made in the very heart of Marseille.

The Galeries Lafayette Marseille Bourse is an upscale French department store and the ultimate place to indulge in retail therapy. Spanning 14,000 sq meters in the Centre Commercial Bourse retail complex in the heart of Marseille, the 3-level retail space features fashionable clothing, shoes, health and beauty products, perfumes, leather goods, and more.

Set near the Old Port, the Galeries Lafayette Marseille Bourse is hard to miss, with a modern glass and metal facade designed by the architectural firm Moatti-Riviere. The department store boasts French and well-known international brands that shoppers will appreciate.