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Located in the heart of Marseille’s 1st arrondissement, the Noailles district is one of the city’s most vibrant. Just a stone’s throw from the Old Port and close to the Canebière, this area of the city center is bustling with a multitude of stores, some of them veritable institutions. Marseille Secrète invites you to explore the must-sees and must-dos in this vibrant district.
Stores and markets in Noailles
1. L’herboristerie du Père Blaize, a 200-year-old Marseilles institution
Alongside the Maison Empereur hardware store – the oldest in France – the 200-year-old Père Blaize herb shop is the face of Marseilles. This pharmacy specializing in plants fascinates both by its history and its ancestral know-how. Since 1815, 6 generations of Blaize have succeeded one another in this pharmacy specializing in medicinal plants. In 2018, Père Blaize’s herbalist shop expanded with the opening of the “Maison Blaize” tisanerie-boutique across the street, which has also built up a loyal clientele.
3/5, rue Méolan – Marseille 1e
2. Joli Rouge flea market
If you’re gaga over brocantes and deco, the Joli Rouge boutique has it in spades! Located at the top of rue d’Aubagne – in the heart of the dynamic Noailles district – this den of vintage design objects and furniture boasts some marvels (some dating back to the 1930s). Formica, Sarreguemines crockery, Bavaria… Unearth priceless objects at great prices, and refurnish your home with furniture with character!
📍72, Rue d’Aubagne – Marseille 1e
3. Boutique Jiji La palme d’or
A veritable Ali Baba’s cave, the Jiji la Palme d’Or boutique of decorative objects and art of living is a treasure trove of wonders from the four corners of the globe. Mirrors, lighting fixtures, tableware… Lovers of the beautiful will find here a good address to satisfy their love of pretty things. It’s also the ideal place to stock up on gifts for yourself or others.
📍16, Rue d’Aubagne – Marseille 1e
4. Maison Empereur, France’s oldest hardware store
Maison Empereur was established at number 4 rue des Récolettes in 1827. Still open almost 200 years later, it has earned the title of France’s oldest hardware store. An institution for Marseilles locals, you’ll find absolutely everything here! Hardware, gardening, gunsmithing, cutlery, wooden toys, as well as a drugstore and café upstairs (and much more besides)… In the Maison Empereur, there’s bound to be something for everyone.
📍4, Rue des Récolettes – Marseille 1e
5. Le Marché-des-Capucins
In this popular and cosmopolitan district, it’s impossible to miss the Marché-des-Capucins street. 6 days a week, the market delights you with a thousand-colored spices, foods from all over the world and colorful fruits and vegetables. Since 1956, the “belly of Marseille” has been feeding you with its thirty or so stalls on the grounds of the former Capucins convent.
📍Rue du Marché des Capucins – Marseille 1e
6. The Saladin Épices du Monde boutique
Its colors, its smells… Simply entering Saladin’s Épices du Monde boutique is a journey in itself. Located in the heart of Marseille, this address blends authenticity and a blend of cultures. An institution nestled alongside Maison Empereur and Père Blaise’s herb shop, Saladin Épices du Monde is a must for lovers of international cuisine.
📍10, Rue Longue des Capucins – Marseille 1e
Where to eat in Noailles?
1. A pizza from Chez Sauveur
The Noailles district is full of gourmet addresses. But if we have to recommend just one, it’s Chez Sauveur pizza. Open since 1943, this restaurant has built up a solid reputation among Marseille’s most discerning gourmets. In addition to its wood-fired pizzas, the restaurant specializes in “chaussons” (a kind of calzone).
📍10, Rue d’Aubagne – Marseille 1e
2. Tunisian food at Chez Yassine
You could almost stroll through the narrow streets of the medina and smell the jasmine. At Chez Yassine, you’ll find all the essentials of Tunisian cuisine. Bricks, fricassés, mloukheya, kaftejis, lablabi… all dishes that will take you on a journey without leaving Marseille.
📍8A Rue d’Aubagne – Marseille 1e
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Bruncher chez Deïa coffee & kitchen
From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Deïa Coffee & Kitchen offers an explosion of flavors with its mouth-watering brunch of savory and sweet specialties! For drinks, don’t miss their famous Black Sesame Latte. For savory dishes, let yourself be seduced by the avocado toast topped with goat’s cream and honey, or their grilled cheese with walnut bread. For dessert, treat yourself to two delicious bowls or their light pancakes, to name but a few. Be warned: this place and its food are irresistibly Instagrammable!
📍5, rue Saint-Saëns – Marseille 1st
Where to go out in Noailles?
1. Rooftop Les Réformés
With its “lively, inventive cuisine”, Les Réformés is a rooftop restaurant offering good food and a great view. With local and seasonal products, the full menu costs 32€, and starter/main course or main course/dessert 26€. For dinner, the plates are all about sharing. Every Tuesday evening, the stage is given over to Marseilles multi-instrumentalist Cyril Benhamou, who invites artists from different worlds to surprise you!
📍125, La Canebière – Marseille 1e
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5.5 karaoke bar
If you’re looking for an evening where there’s a bit of everything, a bit of everyone, but above all a great atmosphere, this is the place for you! Le 5.5 offers karaoke evenings, a piano bar and even themed evenings from Tuesday to Saturday, from 11pm to 5am! Even if your ears are likely to suffer from false notes, one thing’s for sure: you won’t be bored!
📍15 rue rouget de l’isle, Marseille
Art and culture in Noailles
1. Eotia Art Gallery
The EOTIA art gallery is dedicated to facilitating access to exceptional pieces and works of art. The artists on display are constantly evolving and will introduce you to their very distinct artistic worlds. Paintings, photography, design, print… let yourself be surprised by the many exhibitions unveiled at this must-see art venue in the Noailles district!
📍46, Rue de la Paix Marcel Paul – Marseille 1e
2. La Fabulerie, a “cultural and civic third place”.
La Fabulerie, a genuine digital factory and cultural third-place, has been setting the pace of cultural life in Marseille since 2010. This magical place houses a coworking space, a café and a gourmet canteen, as well as numerous workshops, conferences, interactive games… All with the aim of helping youngsters discover digital creation and Marseille’s heritage!
Located under the glass roof of the former reception hall of the Hotel Astoria, La Fabulerie is a veritable urban laboratory. Today, the structure is a major player in the digital enhancement of heritage collections. La Fabulerie is also a space for professional training in digital skills. A good address to share.
📍10, Boulevard Garibaldi – Marseille 1e
Wellness in Noailles
1. Hammam Rafik
Noailles is a treasure trove of good places to eat and drink. But in the heart of Marseille, you can also relax. Take a break in a Hammam that respects the purest Oriental tradition and leave the Hammam Rafik clean and relaxed. Scrubs, massages, treatments… Don’t leave without a delicious Oriental pastry and a glass of tea!
📍1A Rue de l’Académie – Marseille 1e
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