Port du Vallon des Auffes, Fishing harbour in Marseille, France
Port du Vallon des Auffes is a small fishing harbour in Marseille, tucked into a narrow rocky inlet just below the Corniche Kennedy road. Colorful fishing cabins line the water's edge, and a stone bridge with three arches spans the entrance to the harbour basin.
The bridge crossing the harbour was built in the 19th century as part of the construction of the Corniche Kennedy road, led by engineer Jean-François Mayor de Montricher. A war memorial at the harbour entrance was inaugurated in 1927 by President Gaston Doumergue to honour soldiers of the Army of the Orient, and is now a protected historic site.
The name of the port comes from "auffe," a plant once used to make ropes and nets for fishing boats. The traditional pointed boats of Provence, called pointus, can still be seen tied up along the docks today.
The harbour is easy to reach on foot from the Corniche Kennedy, and bus 83 from the Vieux-Port stops nearby. The narrow lanes around the harbour basin include steps, so comfortable footwear is a good idea.
Chez Jeannot, a family-run restaurant operating at the harbour since 1949, is known for its wood-fired pizzas and is one of the oldest pizzerias in Marseille. Just nearby, L'Epuisette is a Michelin-starred restaurant built directly over the water.
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