Marseille is often overshadowed by its glitzy Cote dAzur neighbors.

But, as Sara Lieberman discovers, Frances once-infamous port city deserves a closer look.

There is, perhaps, no other city in France as controversial as Marseille.

Two photos from Tuba Club hotel in Marseille, including a guest room, and a beach lounge scene

From left: A guest room at Tuba Club, a new boutique hotel in the Marseille neighborhood of Les Goudes; Tuba Club guests can swim just off the rocks.Florian Touzet/Courtesy of Tuba Club

or ecstatic (“I LOOOVE Marseille!").

But even before I exited the train station, I suspected the place would seduce me.

While it’s only nine miles from central Marseille, it’s a world away from the graffiti-covered streets.

Two scenes from Marseille, France, including a small street in the Le Panier neighborhood, and a squash and crab dish at a restaurant

From left: An alleyway in the Panier neighborhood of Marseille, which is full of cafés and restaurants; butternut squash with crab and sea urchin at La Mercerie, a restaurant that specializes in natural wines.From left: Westend61/Getty Images; Adrian Bautista/Courtesy of La Mercerie

The hotel is the brainchild of Greg Gassa and Fabrice Denizot, who grew up together in Marseille.

Here, yellow-and-white-striped chaise longues reserved for guests set against a sparkling seaside backdrop.

It didn’t take long for Jess to grab the snorkel gear on offer and dive in.

The rooftop of Le Corbusier’s Cité Radieuse, in Marseille, France

The rooftop of Le Corbusier’s Cité Radieuse.Michael Grimm/Gallery Stok

This vast complex opened in 2013 and is spread across three buildings, including the 12th-century Fort St.-Jean.

(On a trip with uniformly excellent meals, this turned out to be the best.)

The garlicky prawns and fried fish balls were enough to officially seal the deal: Marseille, je t’aime.

A version of this story first appeared in the June 2022 issue ofTravel + Leisureunder the headlineFrench Twist.