Is Marseille Safe for Solo Female Travelers?

Solo travel experience

Marseille was at itself a very nice city, lots of stuff todo and French pastries are just amazing. There where quite a lot of sights like some churches and museums as well as the Harbour. BUT after dark I didn’t feel safe as a female walking around alone and not in the sketchy parts but in the touristic center inward talked to by several weird man and even followed by some drunk people and I had to seek rescue at the next store with a security guy. Overall I would recommend marseille by day, by night I wouldn’t go out alone. I even met some guys at my hostel who told me the same and they were like tall men so…

Solo travel experience

After researching online I was quite hesitant about my trip to Marseille due to its reputation of being unsafe for solo female travellers. Do not let this stop you from visiting this beautiful city! As long as you trust your intuitions and go to the right places, you will have a wonderful experience. I stayed in a studio apartment in La Panier, which was one of the recommended areas as it’s a tourist hotspot and therefore, usually bustling with people. I did not wander about after dark and got back to the studio just after sunset every night in which time, people were still walking around and I felt very safe. If staying in Marseille, I would recommend finding somewhere with a balcony or an amazing view from the window (like I did) as you can still enjoy the city from a distance during the night. One of my favourite experiences from Marseille was visiting the Notre Dame. It is a simple 15 minute bus ride from the port (to avoid walking up the hill) and has the most incredible views of the city. I sat in silence for about half an hour just absorbing the architecture from the inside, it is truly breathtaking.

Marseille can be unsafe especially at night (alone) but during the days, it's fine for most of the place . A place to avoid at night is the vieux port. There are a lot of guys that think it is okay to approach people, and talk even if they don't want to. This can be very annoying. Pay attention to your phone and wallet because people will target tourists.

Group travel experience

Marseille is an amazing city with a lot of diversity and hidden treasures. The musems are quite diverse and very interesting. I highly recommend the Museum of the History of Marseille, the Mémorial des déportations and the Museum Cantini. Also, I highly recommend visiting the Calanques, it is gorgeous there :)

Solo travel experience

I had a wonderful solo adventure in Marseille, I rented an Airbnb about 10 kilometers outside the city center, near the foot of the mountain. Plenty of mountain and coastal trails. Easy access to the bus and water transport. I stayed in a quiet area and bought all my food at small local markets.