Living in La Pointe-Rouge, Marseille
Colocation Living in La Pointe-Rouge, Marseille - chambre à louer entre particuliers, sans agence - Marseille
A sandy beach, a marina and restaurants with their feet in the water: at the Pointe-Rouge you live the seaside Marseille, far from the center but on the sea.
Overlooking the Marseille bay, past the Prado beaches, the Pointe-Rouge is the city's most summery face. Here you'll find the largest sandy beach in Marseille, a big marina full of boats and a row of restaurants with terraces practically on the water. It's a southern neighborhood, off the major urban axes, where the rhythm is that of the sea rather than the traffic.
Who lives here
The Pointe-Rouge attracts those who want the sea within reach: long-established Marseille families, sailing and water-sports enthusiasts, and those who accept the distance from the center in exchange for the air of a holiday village all year round. It's a quiet residential area, with a strong sense of local belonging. Don't expect the student liveliness of the central neighborhoods: here the tone is more settled and family-oriented.
What it's like during the day
By day life revolves around the marina and the beach. The sand offers a fine view over the bay and the Frioul islands, and the port is a constant coming and going of boats entering and leaving. There are nautical clubs, sailing and windsurfing schools, and you walk along the shore without rushing. On sunny days the neighborhood fills with Marseillais who have come for a swim, but out of season an almost village-like calm returns.
What it's like in the evening
In the evening the Pointe-Rouge lives mainly around the port's restaurants. It's the right place for an aperitif or a fish dinner watching the boats, with a relaxed, unpretentious atmosphere. It's not an area of intense nightlife: anyone looking for venues and nightlife until late has to move toward the center. Here the typical evening ends early, with the sound of the water in the background.
Getting around
The Pointe-Rouge has no metro: the main means is the bus. The 19 line connects the neighborhood to the Castellane metro station passing through the Rond-Point du Prado, with frequent runs; from Castellane you then take the metro for the rest of the city. In high season (from late April to late September, roughly) the RTM navette maritime also runs, linking the Pointe-Rouge port to the Vieux-Port in about forty minutes: a scenic way to reach the center by sea. It should be considered a seasonal pleasure, though, not a means for all year: for daily trips count on the bus.
Eating and shopping
On the port and around it you'll find fish restaurants and bistros with a view, ideal for the weekend. For everyday shopping the neighborhood has convenience shops and supermarkets, enough for the routine; for a wider choice you move toward the more central areas of the city's south. The cuisine here is simple and seafood-based, faithful to the seaside spirit of the place.
When NOT to pick it
The Pointe-Rouge isn't for you if you work or study in the center and want short commute times: the distance is felt and you depend almost entirely on the bus, with the sea shuttle available only in the warm season. If you're looking for nightlife, venues at every corner and the urban energy of the center, here you'll feel isolated, especially in winter when the neighborhood's summer soul switches off.
For those who put the sea at the top of the list and don't fear a bit of distance, the Pointe-Rouge offers something rare in Marseille: waking up with the scent of salt air and having the beach on your doorstep.