Plages du Prado (Marseille)

The Plages du Prado are Marseille's main city beaches, a 26-hectare seaside park along Avenue Pierre Mendès France in the 8th arrondissement, between the Corniche Kennedy and the Pointe Rouge. Sand and pebble beaches alternate with large lawns, and access is free all year. They suit families, picnickers, swimmers and anyone wanting a beach afternoon without leaving the city.

Built from metro spoil under Gaston Defferre

In the late 1970s, under mayor Gaston Defferre, about 20 hectares were reclaimed from the sea using spoil dug out while building the city's two metro lines. The work also protected the coast road, where waves driven by the mistral used to break over the traffic.

26 hectares of lawns and beaches

The finished park covers about 26 hectares along 3.5 km of coast, with around 5 hectares of lawns and planted areas. The Prado Nord and Prado Sud beaches alternate with open grass used for picnics, sunbathing and evening walks, with views towards the islands off Marseille. Multi-sport areas and water-sports access sit along the front, and the Escale Borély complex of restaurants and shops faces the sea.

Fête du Vent kites and beach soccer

The park draws about 3.5 million visits a year and hosts events of its own. Kite clubs from nearly ten countries gather each September for the Fête du Vent, held since 1987, and a seasonal stadium on the sand was enlarged to 8,500 seats for the 2008 Beach Soccer World Cup.

Parc Borély and the beaches towards Pointe Rouge

Parc Borély and its château lie 500 m inland, so a walk through the park pairs naturally with an afternoon on the beach. The Plage de l'Huveaune is 500 m away and the Plage de la Pointe Rouge 2 km south, on the coast road towards the Calanques. Weekday mornings are the quietest time in summer.