With kids · Marseille · France
Marseille with kids
Family-tested sights, a calm base and the practical details that make travelling with children easier.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
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Quick answer
Marseille works for families who like the outdoors: boat trips to the Château d'If and the Frioul islands, the Prado beaches and Parc Borély, and the tourist train up to Notre-Dame de la Garde. Calanques hikes are best for older children, as trails are steep and exposed. Top picks: Château d'If, Frioul islands and Plages du Prado and Parc Borély. Families usually base themselves in Prado and the beaches.
Key facts
- Family picks
- 5
- Best area for families
- Prado and the beaches
- Rainy-day options
- 1
- Busiest months
- July–August
Best things to do with kids
Castle · Frioul archipelago
1.Château d'If
Built in the 1520s on a tiny island off the harbour, this fortress later became a state prison and was made famous by Alexandre Dumas's The Count of Monte Cristo. Visitors can explore the cells, the courtyard and the terrace, with views back to Notre-Dame de la Garde. Boats from the Vieux-Port take about 20 minutes.
Boats do not sail in strong mistral winds; check the forecast and keep a flexible day.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours including the boat
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Kids
- Views
- Iconic
Island · Frioul archipelago
2.Frioul islands
Ratonneau and Pomègues, joined by a breakwater, are car-free limestone islands with small coves for swimming, coastal paths and the ruins of the 19th-century Hôpital Caroline quarantine hospital. The same boats that serve the Château d'If continue here, and a small port has a few restaurants.
Bring water, sun protection and snorkelling gear; there is almost no shade, and the coves on Ratonneau are calmer than the open coast.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Low cost
- Outdoors
- Nature
- Kids
- Off the beaten path
Beach · Prado and the beaches
3.Plages du Prado and Parc Borély
The Prado beaches are a chain of pebble-and-sand beaches with lawns, beach volleyball and lifeguards in summer, marked by a large replica of Michelangelo's David at the end of Avenue du Prado. Next door, Parc Borély has a lake, a botanical garden, and the 18th-century Château Borély, home to the museum of decorative arts and fashion.
Go on a weekday morning in summer; weekend afternoons are very crowded and parking is difficult.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Outdoors
Architecture · Longchamp
4.Palais Longchamp
A monumental 1860s colonnade and fountain built to celebrate the arrival of drinking water from the Durance river via the Canal de Marseille. Its two wings hold the Musée des Beaux-Arts and the natural history museum, and the park behind has shaded lawns and a playground.
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
5.Notre-Dame de la Garde
The neo-Byzantine basilica on a 149-metre limestone hill is crowned by a gilded statue of the Virgin and Child, known to locals as la Bonne Mère. Inside, the walls are covered with ex-votos, including model ships and planes left by grateful sailors and travellers, and the terrace gives a 360-degree view over the city, the islands and the coast. Entry is free.
Take bus 60 or the tourist train up from the Vieux-Port, then walk down through the quiet streets towards the Abbaye Saint-Victor.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Views
- Kids
- Photo spot
Rainy-day ideas
- Palais Longchamp — The fountain and gardens are free; the natural history museum is a good rainy-day stop with children.
Where families should stay
$$$ · Best for families, beach and quiet stays
Prado and the beaches
Avenue du Prado runs south to the sea, ending at the Plages du Prado, a long string of beaches and lawns created from earth excavated for the metro. Parc Borély, with its château museum and botanical garden, is beside the beach, and Le Corbusier's Cité Radieuse stands on Boulevard Michelet. Metro M2 serves the northern end of the avenue, with buses down to the sea.
- Good
- Beaches and parks for children; Residential and calm; Easy access to the southern Calanques
- Watch out
- Buses or metro needed for the old town; Beaches get very crowded on summer weekends
- Nearby
- Plages du Prado, Parc Borély, Cité Radieuse, Stade Vélodrome
Family travel tips
- The little tourist train from the Vieux-Port saves young legs the climb to Notre-Dame de la Garde.
- Plage du Prophète on the Corniche is small and relatively sheltered, good for younger swimmers.
- Pack hats, sun cream and plenty of water for island and Calanques outings; there is little shade.
- Boats to If and Frioul are cancelled in strong mistral winds, so keep the day flexible.
- Strollers struggle in Le Panier's stairways; use a baby carrier there.
Day trips for families
- La Ciotat (About 35 minutes by train) — A shipbuilding town where the Lumière brothers filmed some of the first motion pictures; the Eden Théâtre, one of the oldest cinemas in the world, still screens films.
When to go with children
The best months overall are May–June and September–October. July–August are the busiest, so book the big sights early. Weather by month.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Marseille good for kids?
Marseille works for families who like the outdoors: boat trips to the Château d'If and the Frioul islands, the Prado beaches and Parc Borély, and the tourist train up to Notre-Dame de la Garde. Calanques hikes are best for older children, as trails are steep and exposed.
+What can kids do in Marseille?
Château d'If, Frioul islands, Plages du Prado and Parc Borély, Palais Longchamp and Notre-Dame de la Garde.
+Where should families stay in Marseille?
Prado and the beaches: Wide avenues, the city's main beaches and Parc Borély in the 8th arrondissement.