Travelers: Sarah Espeute in Marseille
French designer & artist Sarah Espeute lives and works in Marseille where she creates series of paintings and embroidered objects as collections called "sensitive pieces of art". We collaborated with her to create our dream dinner scenario, inspired by our eternal love for the Mediterranean, we imagined this dreamy dinner with friends after a long warm day swimming at the sea, drinking wine and cava under the sun. We were also curious about her life in Marseille: below, her favorite spots to eat, swim & be inspired.
Marseille. 8 am, where to wake up?
On my terrace!
I'm having a coffee in the sun, it's one of my favorite moments.
How is Marseille an inspiration for you as an artist?
I grew up in Provence, I am familiar with the culture and the landscape but Marseille is something else. It is a mix of several cultures that makes Marseille so special and unique! I think that is what inspires me the most: the cultural diversity of Marseille.
Favorite neighbourhood?
It’s really difficult to answer because every neighbourhoods in the center are different and complement each other. It’s not so big, you can easily visit the center on foot. My favorite neighbourhoods are the “Vieux Port”, “Réformés”, “Noailles” in the 1st arrondissement, the “Panier” in the 2nd, Le “Camas” where I’m living, in the 5th, “Cours Julien”in the 6th and “Endoume” in the 7th.
Where is brunch?
“La Cantine de Nour d'Égypte!” It’s an Egyptian cultural center and a restaurant. It’s a lovely place with a cosy ambiance. Inside, the decoration is ragged with vintage objects and oriental furnitures. There is also a large terrace upstairs covered in winter and open in summer. The traditional dishes are handmade, everything is good! I have a preference for "Nour Plate of Egypt", an assortment of Egyptian tapas. And what's great is that they serve all day without interruption (except Sunday it's closed). A great place to eat at any time with the most total relief!
Any shopping spots only locals would know?
Maison Empereur is a must-go store in Marseille! It is the oldest hardware store in France! It has existed since 1827, in this magical place you can find everything: kitchen utensils, household linen, dishes, soaps, old children's toys, DIY materials... they sell modern objects as well as models of old objects that are still manufactured. In addition to the shop, there is a tea room upstairs with a museum section which traces the history of some old French traditional objects. It's a real journey back in time. I often go there to buy gifts or to please myself. And right next to the hardware store, in a very narrow street, there is another fantastic store that has existed since 1815, it is the pharmacy-the herbalist shop of Père Blaize. They offer thousands of products, medicinal plants, herbs and natural formulas that they make themselves. I go there especially to buy my herbal teas! And in the same district in "Noailles", at the “Saladin” shop, I buy my spices, dried fruit and olives (the essentials for an aperitif in the south of France), another store that takes you on a journey.
Your all time favorite restaurant for lunch?
We go at "Chez Fun Funk" in the "Belzunce" neighbourhood almost for every lunch! It’s really close to the train station. When you enter to Fun Funk, you enter into the world of Karim (the manager)! A turntable at the entrance, with lots of vinyls, vintage objects and games everywhere! It is a warm restaurant, always cheerful with good music and it’s delicious at an affordable price. Iza is the chef, she is Indonesian and cooks with so delicious flavor that changes every day. They have invented their own specialty that you will not find anywhere else: the makrout cheesecake, a dessert that mixes American culture and Oriental culture. It's a real pleasure to go there, Karim and Iza have become real friends!
In the same district I also like to go from time to time to "Couscous sur le pouce" (on the go), a Tunisian restaurant which serve delicious couscous and tagines in record time! They are super fast and the price is very very affordable!
Best street food for a casual bite?
In the district of "Cours Julien" (6th), there are many bars and small restaurants. I particularly like to go to "Chez Gilda" to eat panisses, a culinary specialty from the south-east made from corn flour. With a plate of grilled octopus and squid, and a glass of white wine, it's excellent! ;) We eat there on the go at the counter, the restaurant is very small. It's the perfect place when you're feeling hungry in the evening.
Best untapped beach?
In Marseille what's great is that you can swim near the city center. There are very accessible swimming spots. My favorite place is at the "Anse de la Fausse Monnaie" (7th) just below the famous and starred restaurant "Le Petit Nice". It is not a sandy beach, only rocks, but there the rocks are flat enough to lie down and sunbathe. There are not many people and the water is very beautiful. It's perfect to refresh quickly without going too far.
Where do we watch the sunset?
To have a beautiful sunset, you have to go to the 8th district of Marseille, to the "Goudes"! It is a small mythical village of fishermen which is located, as we say here "at the end of the Marseille world" because the road is a dead end, it stops at Goudes, up to the Calanques national natural park. The view of the sea is magnificent and very clear to admire the sunsets. The people of Marseille love this place.
Needing inspiration. Any art galleries, museums or inspirational place to go?
To find inspiration, I go to the famous library "L'Alcazar" on the Cours Belsunce (1er). It is a former performance hall, emblematic in Marseille which has made famous artists like Dalida, Yves Montand or Fernandel. After 2004, the site was converted into a municipal library. It is also an exhibition hall, often for photography exhibitions.
I also go to secondhand book stores. In the "Cours Julien" neighboround there are so many. I love buying interior design books from the 80s and 90s.
Where do we go for dinner with friends?
There is a great restaurant in my neighborhood (the Camas (5th) where we love to go with our friends who live in the same neighborhood or when our friends from Paris come to see us, it's called "Le Trois Quarts". It is a really excellent bistronomic restaurant with original dishes which change often, they also offer very good organic wines to accompany the dishes, it is a very friendly place with also a terrace.
and for a date?
For a romantic dinner, without hesitation: "Le Cercle Rouge"! It is a magical Corsican restaurant in the "Réformés" district (1st). There’s a hidden patio very quiet and so romantic! They also offer very good cocktails. And in winter, they light the fireplace with a candle-lit atmosphere, it's the perfect evening for a date ;)
Any tourist traps to avoid?
The pizzerias! There are many that are not good! I recommend these: The pizzeria "La Bonne Mère" at the foot of the basilica "Notre-Dame de la Garde", there is also the pizzeria "L'Eau à la Bouche" in Endoume in the 7th arrondissement, also "Chez Etienne "in the" Panier "district (2nd), or" Chez Sauveur "near the Cannebière in the 1st.
Where would we find you on a day off?
With friends who live near the "Goudes"! We spend the day together playing basketball, pétanque or a stroll in the Calanques. We have a barbecue and then we go for a swim. Every weekend it's the holidays!
Where would you find the most creative people in Marseille and why?
In Marseille, there are many places of art like Coco Velten in Belsunce (1er). They program a lot of events there, it is a really nice place to discover new artists and have fun. There is also Montévideo in the 6th district which offers a program of artists from the contemporary scene every Wednesday evening. Performances, readings, shows, concerts, exhibitions, screenings, conferences.
Where should we explore to get a good sense of Marseille’s artistic identity?
La Friche la Belle de Mai (in the 3rd district)! It is a large cultural industrial area with a huge rooftop terrace that brings together artistic and cultural workplaces, performance halls and exhibitions. This place is a very important cultural center which represents the cultural effervescence of Marseille.
The thing you miss most when you’re away?
I guess it is the sun and the blue sky of Marseille. It is a very beautiful azure blue, so clear. There are not many cities in the south of France and even less in the north which offers such a pleasant climate. This is also why I live here!
A souvenir to bring home?
First, Marseille soap, the real one! Be careful not to buy it in tourist shops, they are industrial soaps with additives. Buy it at Maison Empereur, they offer several local brands. Second, the “Navettes”! It is an emblematic Marseille cookie with orange blossom. The best are at the "Four des navettes" at the end of rue Sainte in the 7th arrondissement. And to finish, a bottle of Pastis, Marseille's favorite anise drink for an aperitif. It is absolutely necessary to taste "Pastis de la Plaine" which you can buy at the "Distillerie de la Plaine" in the 6th district, a 100% artisanal production made in Marseille.
Marseille’s best kept secret?
The rooftop of the Hotel Hermès! It is hidden between the old port and the "Panier" district. When you see the hotel, you really don't want to go in there but when you take the hotel elevator and you arrive on the roof, it's really worth it! You can drink cocktails and eat tapas there while admiring the superb view of the old port. It is only open in summer, from Thursday to Saturday evening. This is the top secret place ;)
