La Rue Saint-Ferréol is one of the central shopping streets in Marseille. Closed off to cars and vehicles, the pedestrianised street is lined on both sides with famous retail brands selling clothing and apparel, homeware, electronics, souvenirs, and more. Scattered throughout, you’ll find plenty of dining spots and cafés to rest your weary legs for a while.

If you’re looking to avoid the crowds and have the street mostly to yourself, it’s best to come to La Rue Saint-Ferréol. You can come here on a weekday morning if you want to avoid the crowds. Alternatively, choose a Saturday afternoon if you want to enjoy a lively crowd – this is the time when young people gather on Rue Saint-Ferréol.

La Rue Saint-Ferréol in Marseille - one of the highlights of 10 Most Popular Streets in Marseille (Read all about Marseille here)

photo by Patrick Nouhailler (CC BY-SA 3.0) modified

What to buy on La Rue Saint-Ferréol?

You’ll find a large variety of textile, fashion, jewellery, leisure shops, bookstores, and department stores on La Rue Saint-Ferréol. The highlight of this shopping area is Galeries Lafayette. Here, you’ll find a full range of luxury goods from clothes to homeware.

Notable clothes and apparel shops on La Rue Saint-Ferréol include Mango, H&M, Zara, and Pull & Bear. Sporting goods are well represented with shops like Le Coq Sportif and JD Sports. There’s also a shop dedicated to Marseille’s football team, OM Marseille. It’s one of the best places in the city to pick up football jerseys and memorabilia. For cosmetics and perfume, you can check out the Sephora and Adopt perfume stores.

If you’re looking for groceries and fresh produce on La Rue Saint-Ferréol, the Market Marseille Centre Bourse is your best bet. This large supermarket has a huge range of products, including some great value baked goods and easy lunch options like takeaway pasta and sushi.

What else can you do on La Rue Saint-Ferréol?

The street is also interesting for its architecture. You’ll discover some beautiful facades along the way, some occupied by shops, others by cafés or banks. Port Antique park sits at the northern end of La Rue Saint-Ferréol, which has archaeological remains of Greek and Roman origin. It’s also home to the Marseille History Museum (Musée d'Histoire de Marseille), which contains 2,600 years of historical artefacts.

For a spot of culture, head to Musée Cantini on nearby Rue Grignan. This small but well-curated museum focuses on art from the early 20th century. Within the 4 exhibition rooms, you’ll find artwork from luminaries including Degas and Cézanne.

photo by Patrick Nouhailler (CC BY-SA 3.0) modified

Where is La Rue Saint-Ferréol?

La Rue Saint-Ferréol is in the centre of Marseille, a few blocks back from the Old Port (La Vieux Port), making it very convenient if you’re staying in the city. In fact, if you’re staying in the city centre, it’s most likely that you’ll walk here. This shopping hot spot is connected to the other well-known shopping area: La Canebière. You can easily enjoy shopping on both streets in the same afternoon. 

To reach the north end of La Rue Saint-Ferréol, take the metro to Noailles station. To reach the south end of the street, it’s best to alight at Notre Dame du Mont. From either station, you can reach your destination in 5 minutes. You can also take the city tram to Cours Saint Louis, just north of the shopping area, or to the Rome Davso station and walk to the mid-section of La Rue Saint-Ferréol in 2 minutes.

photo by Yuichi Shiraishi (CC BY 2.0) modified

La Rue Saint-Ferréol in Marseille

Location: Rue Saint-Ferréol, 13001 Marseille, France

Paul Smith | Compulsive Traveler