Heatwave? I lower the temperature: - 8 water points on our route - slow rythm without time pressure - time slots early morning or end of afternoon - sea breeze and numerous zones in the shade - breaks in wooded parks - sun cream at your disposal
The Old Port is the meeting point and destination of our great visit to Marseille. We start here with an introduction at this wonderful hike. Who I am, what are we going to do, what surprises I have for you in my backpack, and what are your expectations for this tour. And then, the Old Port signs the foundation of Marseille. From antiquity to Louis XIV, the city developed around this emblematic space. This is an opportunity for us to retrace this history, but also to understand the concepts of Marseille's culture: the relationship between the city and sea, the importance of the port, the importance of the Mediterranean see and the Orient in the life of Marseille's people.
The Vallon ds Auffes is a jewel of Marseille. The most photographed place in the city finds its beauty in the preservation of fisherman houses through centuries. We admire the typical habitat of fishermens, and we take the opportunity to understand how the city was able, during its immense development, to spare this place and preserve it.
Walking along the Corniche Kennedy offers a distant horizon on the sea, an understanding of how Marseille pays homage to Mediterranean culture.
Pharo palace & place offers a moment of greenery and magnificent views of the Old Port and the Grand Port of Marseille. In addition, the history of this palace, erected by Napoleon the 3rd, will allow us to understand the considerable influence of this emperor on the development of Marseille. The Marseille of today is truly born from the Second Empire, and we will take the opportunity to study this through a map of the city, by retracing urban development from that time.
The visit of the park and the Villa Valmer is an opportunity to take in a large bowl of greenery. We go from the big blue to the big green, in this forest, typically Mediterranean. Through the history of this place, we will understand all the evolution of Marseille's economic past, from the olive oil trade in the 19th century to the current tourism industry.
This mythical path will be an opportunity for us to get away from the sea and visit the district of Bompard. The evolution of the habitat, the beautiful bastides of the 20th century. This path will lead us to quietly reach Notre Dame de la Garde, and it will be an opportunity for me to tell you the long History of this place and its influence on Marseille's culture.
Wlak through the district of Malmousque, its cove and its port, is a delight for everyone. What a calm place! What an art of living! What a beauty! This district with Greek accents reveals all the beauties of Marseille: the importance of its history, the epic of galloping urban development of the last 2 centuries, the beauty of the buildings and the fishermen's habitat, and also, how the people of Marseille takesadvantage of leavin nearby the seaside.
The way to go back at the Old Port is steep, but fascinating. From above, the view is superb, then we progressively and litterally enter in it, as we enter the city center. Loaded with funny anecdotes, the steepest boulevard in Marseille is absolutely charming. It is also revealing of the culture of Marseille through its very particular habitat, it will be an opportunity for us to take stock of this very particular architecture which forges the buildings of the city center.
Notre Dame de la Garde is the highlight fo the tour: the building is magnificent, the square offers breathtaking views of the city. A visit to the Basilica will be an opportunity to see all the wealth of Marseille, and to understand how the people of Marseille "live" in this so special place. The square will offer us a 360° view on the city, and we will retrace the urban evolution, understand the Marseille of today, see the structure of the city, its monuments, its major points of interest, its spatial extension.
We end our urban hike in the Old Port. We done sports, we visited incredible places, and we learned the history, the geography, the culture of Marseille. We end with smiles, and it is surely the opportunity to drink a beer or a hot chocolate on the terrace of the many cafes of the Cours Estienne d'Orves!
We pass between the Palais de Justice and the Commerce Court. Emblematic buildings of the Second Empire, strongly marking the power of the French judicial system, they will be an opportunity for us to understand how Marseille has always had, through the ages, a great history of calling into question the central power, the Justice, and the process of law-making.
We booked a private tour and asked Olivier to take us through the modern history of Marseille and introduce us to the Marseille way-of-life. He made us fall in love with the city.
A well versed pilot running the streets of one of the oldest cities in France with straight passion. The guide’s love for the city shows, in sheerly how he speaks of it.a true master of his Marsellian turf..
This was an excellent half day trip. Our guide, Olivier, was humorous and knowledgeable. We learned alot about the history of Marseille and the distinct characteristics of this diverse city. We visited a number of the districts and there were lots of excellent photo spots - would definitely recommend this trip!
It was a beautiful day in Marseille. We had an excellent trip, with the knowledge of our guide Olivier. He was friendly, knowledgeable, courteous, and gave us great historical and cultural information. He even recommended a great spot for lunch! I would recommend this trip highly. One tip… Wear good walking shoes!
The order of the tour and the knowledge Olivier gave us built up to almost a finale. We understand so much more about Marseille and have inside knowledge that we would never have achieved by ourselves. Definitely recommend at the start of your holiday.
Olivier took us on a fantastic, highly educational and entertaining walk around the many villages of Marseille. From the harbour to the Cathedral we ventured through back lanes and winding streets seeing the city from the viewpoint of a local. We learned about the history and culture of what makes Marseilles so different to the rest of France. Well worth the time to help you get to know this vibrant city.
Wow! Incredible excursion. Olivier is deeply knowledgeable, with an irresistible passion for his city. He leads you on a genuine adventure through gorgeous Marseille -- its grandeur and its quirks, its well-known monuments and its hidden corners. You'll learn tons about its history and culture, take in some stunning scenery, and get a rigorous workout to boot (that climb to Notre Dame de la Garde is no joke). I'm an English native speaker and advanced-intermediate French learner; I took the tour in French and managed to understand about 85%. Oliver's English is also excellent. I can vouch for it as a must-do on your itinerary, in either language.
Eric Cantona's childhood home (see picture). Excellent information, wonderful guide with real info plus kind manners. Highly recommended.
A rich experience, even and especially when you are from Marseille: you always have something to learn about your city, and the point of view of an urban geographer like Olivier opens up new perspectives. A rather heterogeneous group that our guide was able to bring together very quickly. A wealth of information distilled bit by bit in every field imaginable. I highly recommend it and have only one wish: to do it again and help family and friends discover "my" city in a different way. Thank you Olivier, see you very soon.
Beauty, depth, authenticity, culture, history, sociology... this urban hike was rich in many respects! So much so that I decided to repeat the experience on another route the next day. A big thank you to Olivier, a passionate local who is inexhaustible on the subjects of his city and the differences compared to others. Having already been there several times, I already liked Marseille and the energy that reigns there a lot, but thanks to all your explanations, I understood why! If you are still hesitating, try it, and you too will fall in love with Marseille <3
Very clean city! We have everything by pedes visited and then ate at the port! Many restaurants and very good cuisine! In the evening we went back to Cannes. The station is very clean and the people are very friendly! I can only recommend Marseille, despite the 2 million. Residents!
This hike is very pleasant, informative, it makes us appreciate Marseille, its history, its past, its rhythm, its buildings ... In short, Olivier is inexhaustible on all Marseille subjects. He knows how to adapt to physical differences in the same group, because let's not forget, it's a sports hike! Throughout the journey you will discover Marseille differently, its villages neighborhoods, its breathtaking views, almost as much as the elevation gain to reach the forecourt of "Notre Bonne Mère". Thank you Olivier for everything and bravo!! Corinne x Yannick
The hike in Marseille with Olivier was great! He shared his love of the city. He made us discover a part of Marseille over the neighborhoods in good humor. A real pleasure! Thank you, Olivier!
Guide in Marseille: Olivier Duvallet / Urban Hike Ascension weekend 2025 To love Marseille – this hive in which he grew up –, to pass on his past and present history, to reveal his villages that have become neighborhoods; to know the streets, each passage, each staircase; to prefer the circuitous paths to the straight lines; to tell us about the facades of buildings and their various architectures; to tell us about some old shops; to give us his impressions on the “street-art” by passing through certain neighborhoods, to make us discover little known points of view.... We live this way throughout these four hours that the hike lasts listening to Olivier so much he loves his city. He transmits his vibrations to us and our eyes tremble with his pedagogy and his words. He always has a simple and often graphic answer to our questions. We had chosen two urban hikes over two days with him: the one named “Sea and Summit” in the morning on the first day, then the “Urban Puzzles” on the second day, always in the morning. A group voluntarily reduced to a maximum of eight people to establish a cordial relationship. We didn’t see these four hours of intense pleasure for each of these two hikes and the lively rhythm of these urban hikes is like this hectic, intense and so endearing city... France 3 was not mistaken in devoting a documentary to you on 19 August 2021: “a real Swiss knife of skills” Merci Olivier. Sandra & Claude
Urban Hike Marseille - Ascension Weekend 2025 To love Marseille – this hive in which he grew up –, to pass on his past and present history, to reveal his villages that have become neighborhoods; to know the streets, each passage, each staircase; to prefer the circuitous paths to the straight lines; to tell us about the facades of buildings and their various architectures; to tell us about some old shops; to give us his impressions on the “street-art” by passing through certain neighborhoods, to make us discover little known points of view.... We live this way throughout these four hours that the hike lasts listening to Olivier so much he loves his city. He transmits his vibrations to us and our eyes tremble with his pedagogy and his words. He always has a simple and often graphic answer to our questions. We had chosen two urban hikes over two days with him: the one named “Sea and Summit” in the morning on the first day, then the “Urban Puzzles” on the second day, always in the morning. A group voluntarily reduced to a maximum of eight people to establish a cordial relationship. We didn’t see these four hours of intense pleasure for each of these two hikes and the lively rhythm of these urban hikes is like this hectic, intense and so endearing city... France 3 was not mistaken in dedicating a documentary to you on 19 August 2021: “a real Swiss knife of skills” Merci Olivier. Sandra & Claude
Nous avons passé un moment très agréable et très enrichissant. Une randonnée urbaine à la fois originale, authentique et dynamique, sortant des sentiers battus. À recommander.
Guide (Olivier) très compétent, dynamique, amoureux de sa ville et tenant à partager ses connaissances et son engouement … expliquant avec pédagogie .. visite hors des sentiers battus : nous n aurions pas pu voir dans lui ces jolis endroits cachés … bref 20//10 … merci à lui ❤️
Very great city walk, with places that you would not find as a tourist alone, and gives a feeling for how Marseille ticks
Olivier a su communiquer et faire partager son amour pour cette ville. Je repars avec une toute autre image que celle que les médias nous montrent. Je reviendrai avec plaisir pour faire une autre rando avec un guide.
Superb urban hike with Olivier, an exciting and passionate guide. Olivier shows us Marseille in a very varied way: history, geography, town planning...
Great experience with Olivier who is an excellent guide. He loves to share his knowledge and it is a real pleasure to (re)discover Marseille with him. The tours are available in English, which is a plus for passing tourists.
The Sea and Summit Tour: everything is perfect! Exciting and factual explanations, a circuit that allows you to discover little known and beautiful sites. Olivier not only made us understand Marseille but also made us love Marseille. Many thanks to you Olivier
Olivier est un passionné qui maîtrise parfaitement l’histoire et les codes de Marseille Il vous fait découvrir des quartiers typiques chargés de symboles avec beaucoup de dynamisme. Incontournable belle découverte
Olivier was able to gather all the elements I consider necessary to discover a city. I highly recommend.
I’ve never had such an exciting city tour. Olivier lives, transforms and transports every step we take with him. He makes links between the old and more recent history, with the sociology of Marseille, he creates bridges between the urban planning of this city and its political issues. It’s smart, fine, generous, full of anecdotes and heights... we followed, therefore, on one of his other hikes with equal happiness. I recommend +++
An unforgettable afternoon in Marseille, city we did not know. Olivier has conquered us, he is passionate and he knows his city extremely well! The children loved it (7 and 12 years old). I highly recommend this activity to know Marseille .
Simply extraordinary! Discovery of an unexpected Marseille, vision geography, history, politics, urban planning. There is something for everyone, and Olivier is inexhaustible on this city that he appreciates as long as he decided to make us enjoy it through places and stories away from mass tourism. Very nice walk of more than 4 hours, which we did in small group. Really congratulations to Olivier. Do not hesitate!! I just want to come back to Marseille!
Very nice course, I spent a magical moment discovering the hidden treasures of Marseille. Olivier is great, smiling and very professional. Along the way, Olivier tells us the history of Marseille over the centuries with many anecdotes to finish on a breathtaking view and a magnificent sunset. I highly recommend this activity.
A word of advice to all visitors to Marseille: start their discovery with a hike with Olivier! He knows his city, will explain its construction, its specifics, tell you the little secrets of Marseille, indicate the good tables. A beautiful morning, in couple with our little girl of 9, and a group of 3 other absolutely great adults (we were maybe very lucky!), to cover in 4h30 the 10kms of the walk.
Annulation a la dernière minute "parce ce que je veux pas le faire en anglais" mais bien sûr envoie une justification "a cause de la covid"... Sauf que j'étais déjà sur place et que j'ai proposé de suivre la visite en français, ce qu'il a refusé. Donc impossible de noter la visite mais seulement le guide : pas fiable!
Merci pour l'expérience exceptionnelle! Olivier vous raconte Marseille avec passion, vous dévoile ses charmes cachés, son histoire et ses habitants. A faire absolument
Superbe visite animée par Olivier, guide passionné qui nous a transmis ses connaissances dans le plaisir et la bonne humeur. Je recommande sans restriction
How not to fall in love with Marseille after this magnificent urban hike with Olivier .....Super guide who knows his city perfectly .....he taught us so many things , showed us so many superb places , hidden paths .....in short we loved it and we recommend it to everyone ....we do sports at the same time which allows not to feel guilty feasting on this sublime Marseille gastronomy .top top top it is excellent Olivier
Totally satisfied with the hike. We had a great time visiting places little known breathtaking, all learning about the city of Marseille.
Just great. Olivier offers us several hikes of Marseille all as wonderful as each other.
Olivier is passionate about his city, he makes discover unusual places, all in simplicity, that happiness.
But what a good time spent with Olivier! He made me discover Marseille from an angle I didn’t expect: a mixture of history, urban planning and passion! I even recommend to Marseille to discover hidden faces of the city.
We spent a superb morning in the company of Olivier too short because we would have been happy to listen to him tell us Marseille! He knows his city wonderfully and knows how to make us love it. Thank you for this great time and see you at our next visit
I would like to report that this hike made during the Easter weekend fulfilled all its promises. For me, it was a question of introducing my teenage son to what Marseille is, its history, its urban planning, its cultures and how this city, mythical to me, fits into the present and its future. We were transported by the passion and erudition of Olivier who introduced us to the characters of the city, a true link between France and the Mediterranean, between the West and the East. The circuit allows access to superb viewpoints without counting steps or time spent. Thank you, Olivier. Enjoy it!
The route chosen is beautiful and full of surprise and Olivier’s story telling is captivating. We did not see the 3h30 pass...
Super expérience avec Olivier ! Un passionné qui sait nous montrer les merveilles de la ville. Une randonnée magnifique en pleine nature et accessible
Amazing! Beautiful and lively hike. The guide explains great and is very nice. We feel that he loves his work and his city. I recommend. If I could have put 10 stars I would have put them.
To do absolutely to discover Marseille its history and secrets. Very educated guide (former geologist) and friendly. The walk is not very difficult and time passes by itself.
Olivier made us discover Marseille with an original tour that goes off the beaten track. Charming and typical neighborhood visits, panoramic views...a great hike with some calf-heating climbs!
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