What's on in Marseille, France through the year

Busy — Christmas holidays in France, school holidays in 6 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in January.

Still on: The mistral (1 Dec – 30 Apr (usually))

Busy — Winter (February) holidays in France, school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in February.

Still on: The mistral (1 Dec – 30 Apr (usually))

Busy — Winter (February) holidays in France, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in March.

Still on: The mistral (1 Dec – 30 Apr (usually))

Busy — Spring holidays in France, school holidays in 5 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in April.

Still on: The mistral (1 Dec – 30 Apr (usually))

Busy — Spring holidays in France, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in May.

Busy — school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it, one of its best months for weather

• Rule

  Calanques summer access rules

  1 Jun – 30 SepClosuresRisk

  From 1 June to 30 September the prefecture rates the massif for fire risk daily and closes every trail on red and black days. Sugiton is capped by free permit through high summer; the map goes up the evening before. Source ↗

• Festival

  Festival de Marseille

  14 Jun – 8 JulMajor festival

  Three weeks of dance and live art spread across a dozen venues from the Friche to the beaches, in June and early July. Much of it plays outdoors and late, which is the only sensible hour by then. Source ↗

• Season

  Sea warm enough to swim

  15 Jun – 10 Oct · usually

  The city swims from the Corniche and the Prado beaches from the middle of June into October. A hard mistral drops the water several degrees overnight and empties the coves for a day or two.

Busy — Summer holidays in France, school holidays in 6 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in July.

Still on: Calanques summer access rules (1 Jun – 30 Sep), Festival de Marseille (14 Jun – 8 Jul), Sea warm enough to swim (15 Jun – 10 Oct (usually))

Busy — Summer holidays in France, school holidays in 6 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in August.

Still on: Calanques summer access rules (1 Jun – 30 Sep), Sea warm enough to swim (15 Jun – 10 Oct (usually))

Busy — school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it, one of its best months for weather

Nothing new starts in September.

Still on: Calanques summer access rules (1 Jun – 30 Sep), Sea warm enough to swim (15 Jun – 10 Oct (usually))

Peak crowds — Marseille-Cassis road race, All Saints (autumn) holidays in France

• Festival

  Marseille-Cassis road race

  25 OctMajor festivalCrowdedClosures

  Twenty thousand runners go from the Velodrome over the Col de la Gineste to Cassis on the last Sunday of October. The coast road and half the eastern exits are shut until the early afternoon. Source ↗

Still on: Sea warm enough to swim (15 Jun – 10 Oct (usually))

Peak crowds — Foire aux santons, All Saints (autumn) holidays in France

• Festival

  Foire aux santons

  20 Nov – 31 Dec · usuallyChristmas & New YearCrowded

  The santon makers set up on the Cours d'Estienne d'Orves from late November, the oldest fair of its kind in Provence, and the navettes come out of the oven at Saint-Victor alongside it. Source ↗

Peak crowds — Foire aux santons, Christmas holidays in France

• Season

  The mistral

  1 Dec – 30 Apr · usuallyWind seasonRisk

  Three days at a time of hard, cold, clean wind, most often between December and April. The boats to the Frioul and the Calanques stop, and the light afterwards is the best of the year.

Still on: Foire aux santons (20 Nov – 31 Dec (usually))