France

Marseille

V_drmgm

 lives at a different pace to the rest of France. It's undeniably beautiful, yet also inherently shabby, with a rough edge that reveals a darker underbelly. Despite the port city's luxurious Mediterranean backdrop, there's a sense of grit and grind that separates it from the mundane playgrounds of the wealthy that define much of southern France.

This has an effect on how the city comes to life after hours – its underground nightlife has evolved with the same raw defiance that defines its streets. Post-COVID, the scene has been dominated by audacious sound systems and collectives like Metaphore Collectif, whose experimental, gabber-fuelled DIY raves and parties foster a strong sense of community in inclusive spaces that feel both deeply local and globally connected.

From DIY clubs and basement jazz cafés to delicious diasporic food spots, Marseille shines as France's premier nightlife destination. 

 is a DJ, cultural critic and academic researcher who co-runs the 

ollective, which hosts Marseille raves/club nights soundtracked by rap and club music with an experimental edge. Below, he shares his nighttime guide to the city he calls home.

Mame Diarra is a Senegalese restaurant in the heart of Noailles. If you are with a group of friends, looking for a cool spot to eat before a long night, this is the spot. Amazing food, generous portions, big tables and a huge screen constantly playing the latest West African music videos from YouTube. 

Whereas most natural wine bars tend to be interchangeable products of cultural homogenisation, La Passerelle seems to care little about the new standards of the hip bourgeoisie. Started over twenty years ago by a group of friends, La Passerelle looks more like a literary café at the crossroads of Mediterranean cultures, where musicians, artists and pretty anyone come for a good chat (and a lot of wine). 

If a diner and a PMU (French sport bar) blended together, this is what it could look like; casual and welcoming, good fun but nonetheless a super cool spot to eat, drink, mingle and unwind. Meghan, the Scottish owner, will serve you her simple yet delicious take on Mediterranean cuisine, unless you’re here to play pool in the backroom while drinking demies and pastis.

This must be my more mature, simple yet elegant, to go to spot. The one that allows you to wear your favourite pair of white trousers. La caravelle is a lowkey cocktail bar established above some restaurants of le vieux port. They have jazz bands and musicians playing every week, very decent drinks and a cool balcony with a great view.. but what I like the most is the laid back, hushed yet vibrant atmosphere that does feel like being on a 16th-century wooden boat.

Many hyper-controlled venues have been cosplaying as rave lately. Metaphore is what a real DIY space looks and feels like. Started almost ten year ago, this semi-legal warehouse hidden in the middle of an industrial area offers multiple spaces to dance, chill and socialise. The dark room is properly lightproof, equipped with a well balanced function one system that allows night long dancing away from the outer world. This is a place for experienced and respectful partygoers where you will meet the local underground community as much as people from around the world. Saturday nights are usually club nights, open to a wide range of sounds. Sundays are dedicated to live music, from more acoustic and melodic to more experimental and electronic performances.

L’arraché is the Marseillaise equivalent of a Chicago jazz bar during the prohibition. When raving or clubbing feels a little too much, going to l’arraché can be a great option. This underground bar, associatif. nearby la plaine hasn’t changed much over the past thirty years. Low ceiling, big smoke, crackling bi-bop tapes selected by one of the two sixty year old Corsican owners while the other one is handing you your bottle of beer, some people dancing, some playing chess, and literally everyone smoking. As some Time Out journalists would say - this is a ‘unique experience’, just make sure to shower before bed.

Mame Diarra

Related Guides