Hotels near Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde

Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde sits on a limestone outcrop 154 metres above the water, and the gilded statue of the Virgin on its bell tower adds another 11 metres. Locals call her la Bonne Mere. The current Neo-Byzantine building was consecrated in 1864 on the site of a 13th-century chapel and a 16th-century fort, and its banded green and white stonework is visible from almost every street in the city.

Inside, the walls carry ex-voto offerings left over 160 years by sailors and families: painted storm scenes, model ships, marble plaques, football shirts. Entry is free. The terrace outside gives the widest view in Marseille, taking in the Vieux-Port below, the Frioul archipelago offshore and, on clear days, the ridgeline of the Calanques to the south. An hour covers the climb, the interior and the view.

Pro Tip: Skip the 30-minute uphill slog and take RTM bus 60 from Cours Jean Ballard. Arrive about 90 minutes before sunset - the low light hits the eastern facade and the coach groups have already left.