Car Rental at Marseille Airport

Airport travel guide

Restless, enterprising, and sometimes characterized as hectic, Marseille tends to be overlooked by international travelers who instead flock to its smaller, more serene neighbors, but this great southern city has plenty to enjoy if you give it a chance. A true melting pot, it is home to manifestations of different cultures, but also doesn’t lack in architecture and sophistication. For some, Marseille can also serve as a base for exploring the surrounding part of France. With that in mind, these are five of the most interesting attractions in and around it:

• Notre-Dame de la Garde. Marseille’s own Notre Dame might not be the oldest church in the city — it dates back to the mid-19th century — but is arguably the most impressive one. Spectacularly sitting on top of the highest spot in Marseille, the basilica is a great example of Byzantine Revival architecture and is characterized by its many statues, fine interior, and views of the city and the sea below.
• Longchamp Palace. Visiting Palais Longchamp in the 4th district of Marseille ticks off several boxes at once. Not only is this one of the most impressive buildings in the city, it is surrounded by a large park of the same name, and also provides a home to two of the city’s finest museums — the Museum of Fine Arts, arguably one of the best of its kind in all of France, and the Natural History Museum which is notable for an exhibition which focuses on accidental wildlife imports that have reached Port of Marseille over the centuries.
• Calanques National Park. This fantastic national park covers the coastline just south of Marseille. Enjoy soaking up the sun on the rocky beaches and beautiful hikes along the coastline with jaw-dropping views.
• Avignon. There are many lovely beach and resort towns near Marseille — Toulon and Martigues come to mind — but arguably the most interesting day trip destination is located about an hour’s drive inland. Home of the Avignon Papacy which aimed to upend the dominance of the Vatican City, Avignon is home to the iconic Palace of the Popes (one of the largest Gothic buildings in the world), as well as landmarks like the Avignon Cathedral and the remains of the Avignon Bridge. It is an excellent addition to your itinerary if you are spending a weekend in Marseille.
• Saint–Tropez. Synonymous with the classiness and leisure of the French Riviera, Saint-Tropez is arguably one of the most famous beach towns in the country. Located about a two-hour drive to the east of Marseille, about halfway between Toulon and Nice, it boasts not only a lovely (and, admittedly, often very busy) shoreline, but also a lovely Old Harbor area lined with colorful facades.

Top international routes

• Paris
• Ajaccio
• Algiers
• London
• Tunis
• Bordeaux
• Bastia
• Nantes
• Toulouse
• Brussels

Main airlines

Ryanair, Volotea, easyJet, Air France, Air Algerie, and Transavia

Terminals

Terminal 1 has Hall A and Hall B, while Terminal 2 is much smaller. The terminals and halls are close to each other, and you can easily walk between them.

Location

Marseille Provence Airport is about 23 km (14 miles) north of downtown Marseille, a drive that takes about 30 minutes. Motorways D20, D9, A7, and A55 are the main roads connecting the airport to the city. The airport is 26 km (16 miles) southwest of Aix-en-Provence and 85 km (53 miles) southeast of Avignon.

Most popular types of rental car

• Small cars - from $65 per day
• Medium cars - from $69 per day
• SUVs - from $68 per day
• Large cars - from $68 per day
• Premium cars - from $191 per day
• Station wagons - from $92 per day
• Vans - from $124 per day
• Convertibles - from $201 per day

Car rental desks

Most are inside the main terminal building.

Services and facilities

You’ll find many cozy cafeterias, brasseries, and restaurants, as well as stores, shops selling local handicrafts, and duty-free outlets for passengers leaving the EU. There are also several ATMs, a currency exchange, a first aid station, baby changing facilities, and showers. A left luggage service is on the ground floor of Terminal 1 in Hall A and is open daily from 5:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. You can find more information on the airport's official website.

Nearest gas station

Total gas station is located at 2 Aéroport de Marseille-Provence, within the Marseille Airport territory. It’s open from 6:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. on workdays and from 7:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. on weekends. There are many other gas stations nearby and on the way to Marseille.

Popular one-way rentals

• Barcelona (487 km / 302 mi)
• Nice (199 km / 124 mi)
• Milan (518 km / 322 mi)
• Paris (756 km / 470 mi)
• Venice (769 km / 478 mi)
• Toulon (88 km / 55 mi)
• Cannes (175 km / 109 mi)
• Nimes (122 km / 76 mi)