Rainy day · Marseille · France
4 things to do in Marseille when it rains
Indoor sights that make a wet day feel planned rather than lost.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Bertrand SOUBEYRAND, CC BY-SA 4.0
.jpg){kind=link}
Quick answer
Start with MuCEM and Fort Saint-Jean, Vieille Charité and Palais Longchamp. Together the 4 picks below take roughly 5–7 hours across 4 areas; all charge for entry. April is usually the wettest month, with about 6 rainy days.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 4
- Free entry
- 0
- Time to see them all
- 5–7 hours
- Areas
- La Joliette, Le Panier and Longchamp
Marseille on a rainy day
Museum · La Joliette
1.MuCEM and Fort Saint-Jean
Even without a museum ticket, cross the footbridge to the fort for sunset views; the rooftop terrace has a café.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Architecture
- Views
- Rainy day
- History
Historic site · Le Panier
2.Vieille Charité
The courtyard and chapel are free to see; buy a museum ticket only if the archaeology collections interest you.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Architecture
- History
- Rainy day
- Art
.jpg){kind=link}
Architecture · Longchamp
3.Palais Longchamp
The fountain and gardens are free; the natural history museum is a good rainy-day stop with children.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Architecture
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Art
Religious site · Vieux-Port
4.Abbaye Saint-Victor
Buy navettes at the historic bakery a few steps away, which has been baking them since the late 18th century.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Off the beaten path
- Rainy day
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| La Joliette | MuCEM and Fort Saint-Jean | 2–3 hours |
| Le Panier | Vieille Charité | 1–1.5 hours |
| Longchamp | Palais Longchamp | 1–2 hours |
| Vieux-Port | Abbaye Saint-Victor | 45 minutes |
Booking and timing
Of these 4, 3 low cost, 1 mid-priced. None needs booking far in advance. The longest visit is MuCEM and Fort Saint-Jean; group the rest by area to save travel time.
How to fit them into 2 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (La Joliette and Le Panier): MuCEM and Fort Saint-Jean → Vieille Charité, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Longchamp and Vieux-Port): Palais Longchamp → Abbaye Saint-Victor, at least 2 hours.
The wettest months
- April: highs of 19°C (66°F), about 6 rainy days, moderate crowds. Pleasant temperatures for walking and Calanques hikes; Easter holidays bring the first crowds.
- October: highs of 21°C (70°F), about 6 rainy days, moderate crowds. Mild and often sunny, with good hiking weather, but heavy autumn storms are possible.
- November: highs of 15°C (59°F), about 6 rainy days, quiet crowds. Cooler and quieter, with some wet days; low prices and clear views on mistral days.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Vieux-Port — The old harbour, fish market and café terraces facing the forts
- Le Panier — Hilltop old quarter of stairways, laundry lines and street art
- La Joliette — Regenerated docklands with offices, a waterfront mall and ferry terminals
More of Marseille
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Marseille?
MuCEM and Fort Saint-Jean. The Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisations opened in 2013 in Rudy Ricciotti's cube wrapped in a lace-like concrete lattice.