Plage des Catalans, a sandy crescent tucked along Marseille’s coastline, holds a special place in my travel tapestry. I first visited this beach in the summer of 2003, a carefree stop during my early adventures in the city.
Back then, it felt like a haven—close to the bustling port yet offering a slice of Mediterranean calm. When I returned 20 years later, in the summer of 2023, I was taken aback by how small it seemed. Had my memory inflated its size, or had something changed? I stood there, puzzled, wondering if I’d mixed up the location or if real estate projects had nibbled away at its edges. Over two decades, it seems the developers have claimed their share, shrinking what once felt boundless.
Our latest visit came straight from an unexpected detour. After accidentally disembarking at Aix-en-Provence station (thinking it was Marseille), we ordered a Bolt ride and asked the driver to take us to the nicest beach he could think of. Plage des Catalans was his pick. Arriving from the inland station, the sight of the sea was a relief. The beach was okay—smaller than I recalled, hemmed in by buildings and a volleyball court—but it did the trick. We cooled off in the waves, the salty water washing away the day’s mishaps.
Plage des Catalans may not be the sprawling escape of my 2003 memory, but it still offers a taste of Marseille’s coastal charm. Whether time or developers are to blame for its modest size, it remains a spot where the sea meets the city—and where I’ve met myself, twice over, 20 years apart.