Marseille · Cours Julien & La Plaine

La Mercerie

Cours Julien bistro in a former haberdashery shop, keeping the original wooden shelving and vintage decor.

About La Mercerie

Cours Julien bistro in a former haberdashery shop, keeping the original wooden shelving and vintage decor. The menu balances traditional Provençal dishes with creative small plates designed for sharing. Natural wine selection is extensive, with many local producers represented.

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The details

Practical bits

WalkingMinimal walking

The place

Getting there

Address

9 Cr Saint-Louis, 13001 Marseille, France

Neighborhood

Cours Julien & La Plaine →

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Good to know

Tips, answered

Order three to four small plates per person for the full experience, and ask the sommelier to pair wines by the glass with each course.

Plan for about 1h 45m.

La Mercerie is in the Cours Julien & La Plaine neighborhood of Marseille. The address is 9 Cr Saint-Louis, 13001 Marseille, France. The area is well-served by metro.

This works well at any time of day, though mornings tend to be quieter. Weekdays are less crowded than weekends.

Closed on Tuesday, Wednesday. Check the official website for holiday closures and special hours.

Around the corner

Nearby in Cours Julien & La Plaine

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Park & Garden

Palais Longchamp

Palais Longchamp stands as Marseille's most impressive architectural statement, built in 1869 to celebrate the arrival of canal water from the Durance River. You'll find a magnificent cascading fountain at the center, flanked by curved colonnades that sweep toward two pavilions housing the Fine Arts and Natural History museums. The exterior spectacle costs nothing to see, while museum entry runs about 6 EUR each if you're interested. Walking up to the palace feels genuinely grand: water cascades down multiple tiers while carved animals and allegorical figures watch from the stonework. The colonnades create perfect symmetry, and you can wander freely around the entire structure. Behind the palace, landscaped gardens offer a quieter perspective with fewer tour groups, plus you get that classic postcard shot looking back at the colonnades framing the central fountain. Most visitors spend too much time debating the museums and miss the real attraction: this is about the architecture and gardens, not the collections inside. The Natural History museum feels dated, while the Fine Arts has decent Provençal paintings but nothing exceptional. Come for the exterior, bring your camera, and save your museum euros for the MuCEM down at the port.

45 minutes to 1 hourExplore

Museum

Musée des Beaux-Arts

The Musée des Beaux-Arts is located in the left wing of Palais Longchamp, showcasing one of southern France's finest collections of European paintings from the 16th to 19th centuries. You'll find works by Rubens, Perugino, and lesser-known Provençal masters like Pierre Puget, whose sculptures are genuinely impressive. The palace itself, built in 1869 to commemorate bringing water to Marseille, is a significant feature with its elaborate facade and grand staircases. You'll enter through soaring rooms with ornate ceilings that frame the artwork beautifully. The layout flows chronologically, taking you from Renaissance portraits through Baroque masterpieces to 19th-century Provençal landscapes that capture the Mediterranean light perfectly. The building's original decorative elements compete with the paintings for attention, creating an almost overwhelming visual experience. Most visitors spend time photographing the architecture as much as studying the art. Honestly, half the appeal here is the palace architecture rather than the collection itself. While the Rubens pieces are excellent, many rooms feel sparse and the contemporary exhibitions can be hit or miss. Entry costs 6 EUR but it's free the first Sunday of each month when locals pack the place. If you're short on time, focus on the main galleries and then explore the gardens and fountains outside, which are definitely worth spending extra time on.

1.5 hoursExplore

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