View over the Pharo Palace

From here, through the fence on your right, you have a great panoramic view of the city and the Old Port. But that’s not all! Look further out to the left and you’ll see a stunning palace with an orange roof overlooking the sea – that’s the Pharo Palace. This beauty was built by Napoleon III for his wife, Empress Eugenia, but she never even set foot inside! Construction started in 1858 and finished 13 years later, right after the fall of the French Empire. So Napoleon III never got to see it completed! The palace eventually became city property, but it never lost its charm. It housed the city’s School of Medicine up until 1997, when it was turned into a conference center and the administrative headquarters of the Aix-Marseille University. On the left, much closer to you, is the imposing Saint-Nicolas Fort. Built in the 17th century under Louis XIV, it’s the city’s second fort, along with the Saint-Jean Fort. The official story says the King built it to protect the city, but some say the real reason was to keep a closer eye on the people of Marseille and eventually reassert his control! You see, it overlooks the entire Old Port, built right across from the Saint-Jean Fort. Fun fact: it only took 4 years to build! It was used as a military prison until the end of World War II  and today it’s divided in two: one part houses the military social club and mess hall, i.e. where soldiers eat, and the other part is open to guided tours offered by the tourist office.