Nightlife

Where do the various types of people go to party in Marseille?

College-Age Crowd. Marseille is a University town, which means that there is a large population of 20-30 somethings and that bars and clubs are catering to them. The main campus of the University of Provence-Marseille is housed right next door to the central train station: Gare St. Charles. Thus, the neighborhoods of the Old Port, the Panier, and the Canebiere are where you are most likely to find students on a night out.  A large second campus is located at Technopole de Chateau-Gombert (Metro: La Rose) and the neighborhoods to the south of la Rose are filled with places to go at night.

Adult Crowd. If you are looking for the slightly more mature (age-wise) crowd, try Place Thiers, just on the south side of the Old Port. Also try the places on the side streets off Canebiere. The restaurants and bars in that neighborhood are a bit more upscale (read: pricey) but the atmosphere will be more to your liking.  The Metal Café is said to be the hottest club in town, catering to artists, celebrities and athletes who come to drink and dance. It is located at 20 rue Fortia. Walk south from the Old Port on Rue Fortia to the third block.

Gay and Lesbian Scene. The gay scene has a couple of long-standing locales, again near the Old Port. I am told that the Get Bar-MP Bar at 10 rue Beauvau and the New Can Can at 3-5 rue Senac offer hot drinking and dancing venues. Check them out at www.get-bar.com and www.newcancan.com. For a lesbian crowd, try Les Droles De Dames at #40 Rue Ferrari,  Metro: Notre Dame du Mont-Cours Julien www.lesdroles2dames.com. In addition to these spots, there are clusters of gay and lesbian nightclubs and dance clubs in the area around the Metro Noailles.

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