Finding activities that children can enjoy while traveling can be a challenge. Fortunately, Marseille family travel will entertain children and their parents alike. 

Museums with Children

The Préau des Accoules , housed in an 18th c. observatory, aims to engage even the youngest visitors with stories, music, drawing and other kid-friendly activities. The site works in partnership with other museums in Marseille to present art and culture through authentic artifacts yet keeping in mind a child's attention span and interests. Parents will like the fact that entrance to the museum is free for the whole family.

Animals

The Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle de Marseille presents a Noah's Ark of animal life from around the world and it is free on Sunday mornings.

The Zoo de La Barben , a 45-minute drive from Marseille, has over 600 animals, most born in captivity, roaming over the hills of Provence. Visitors can walk the paths between exhibits or hop on the little green train. Bring a picnic lunch or eat at the snack bar.

Pink flamingos don't just live on front lawns! The Parc Ornithologique de Pont de Gau , near the town of Les-Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, is located on the other side of the Rhône delta from Marseille in the wild and beautiful Camargue. Flamingos are just one of hundreds of species of birds, many of them migratory that show up at the park at various times of the year.

Just for Kids

In between the museum visits, kids need play time (it goes with the territory) and Marseille has some ideal places for running, jumping and swinging. Start with Pastré Aventure or Parc Grimpozarbres (Treeclimber Park), two jungles of arboreal activities (rope bridges, climbing walls, and covered slides, to name a few) located approximately 10 or 15 minutes, respectively, from the city center. Both adventure parks carefully restrict challenging and riskier activities to areas where only older children are admitted, without watering down the fun for the littlest Tarzans.

Seaside Fun

Marseille is on the Mediterranean, and even though its beaches do not have the same reputation as those on the nearby Riviera, there are still some decent, safe places for swimming and snorkeling. Pointe Rouge beach has a sandy beach and play area with plenty of restaurants nearby. The Prado beaches, a little closer to town, are pebbly but also have playgrounds. Catalan Beach is closest to the city center and gets crowded sooner. It has the shallowest swimming area.

The fictional Count of Monte Cristo was imprisoned in the Chateau d'If, a short boat trip from the Vieux Port. Longer boat trips cruise the rugged coastline making stops at beaches that are only accessible by boat or on foot.