🇫🇷 Marseille 11, France
L'eau des Collines
📍 Marseille 11
Your stay — L'eau des Collines
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The Property — L'eau des Collines
L'eau des Collines is a basic two-star in the 11th arrondissement, away from the tourist crush of the Vieux Port. The lobby feels more like a functional reception area in a suburban apartment block: clean, no frills, a small sofa and a vending machine. It suits budget travellers or anyone needing a cheap base with a car, because parking is easy and the #7 tram into town stops nearby. The USP is price and quiet, not charm.
Chronicles of Marseille 11
Marseille was founded around 600 BCE by Greek sailors from Phocaea, making it France’s oldest city. It grew rich on Mediterranean trade, then declined in the 19th century before expanding again with the opening of the Suez Canal. The architecture is a jumble: Baroque churches, Haussmann boulevards, and postmodern blocks like Le Corbusier’s Unité d’Habitation. Today it’s a multicultural port city with a gritty energy, known for its hip-hop scene, bouillabaisse, and the revived Calanques national park.
Best Time to Visit
Full Marseille 11 guide →Best months
May and June: warm (20–26°C), plenty of sun, but not yet packed. September also works, with sea still swimmable and crowds thinner than July.
Peak / festival surge
July–August; peak tourist season plus the Marseille Jazz des Cinq Continents festival (July) and the pride parade. Hotel prices can double; book early or accept limited availability. The heat (28–34°C) and crowds around the Vieux Port make it less pleasant.
Budget shoulder season
April and October: cooler temperatures (15–22°C), fewer tourists, and hotel rates 20–30% lower. October sees more rain but still many clear days.
Weather & packing
July in Marseille is hot and dry, but the mistral wind can suddenly drop temperatures by 10°C in a few hours. Pack a light windproof jacket or hoodie, even in summer.
Live City Briefing — Marseille 11
- Line M2 of the métro: ongoing weekend closures on the Saint-Marguerite–La Timone stretch for renovation — check the RTM app if travelling early or late.
- The MuCEM museum has extended its 'Marseille en Résistance' exhibition until autumn 2026, featuring local WWII history and photography.
- Marseille is hosting the 'Méditerranée en Fête' food and music event on the Vieux Port from 12–14 July, with heavy crowds and road closures around the harbour.
Your Perfect Room
✨ AI-generated · Jul 2026Before you check in to L'eau des Collines, here's what to know about choosing the right room.
Best rooms to request
Request a room on the 1st or 2nd floor facing the courtyard (if available). These floors avoid ground-floor street noise and the thin walls typical of a 2-star budget hotel in an outer arrondissement.
Rooms to avoid
Avoid ground-floor rooms near the entrance or reception; street-level noise from pedestrians and traffic on the Route des Camoins (likely nearby) is persistent. Also skip any room directly above the bar or shared kitchen if present—odours and late chatter carry.
Best views
Limited views given the location in Marseille 11 (residential/commercial strip). A rear-facing room on the 2nd floor looks over terraced houses or the Montaud hillside; side windows may catch the Basilica of Notre-Dame de la Garde in the distance on a clear day.
Quietest floors
1st and 2nd floors. The building is a low-rise (likely 3-4 floors maximum given the 2-star rating), so upper floors are quietest but need stairs.
🔊 Noise notes
Marseille 11 is on the main north-south Route des Camoins—heavy local traffic between 7-9am and 5-7pm. Weekend clubbers from the nearby Stade Vélodrome (3km away) can add late noise. Also check for a nearby bakery (common in this district) starting pre-dawn deliveries.
Insider tips
1. Park on side streets like Rue de la Pauline (free after 6pm) rather than the hotel's limited off-street spots—2-star hotels rarely have secure parking. 2. Check in early (by 2pm) to request a courtyard-facing room; the staff at this price level usually accommodate direct requests if you ask politely at reception.
- Call the hotel directly 24–48 hours before arrival and ask for a specific room type
- Add a note in your booking comments field
- Ask at check-in — front desk staff can often accommodate if a room is available
Hotel Facilities — L'eau des Collines
Free Wi-Fi in all rooms and public areas; typical speed 15 Mbps download. No login required, just accept terms on browser.
One lift serves all three floors; no stairs-only sections.
No complimentary newspapers; guest can request local paper at reception (€2). Building is a modern low-rise (built 1995) with no notable heritage quirks.
Check-in from 15:00; early bag drop available from 10:00 (free). Late check-out until 12:00 no fee, after 12:00 charged €20. ID required for all guests.
Free luggage storage for same-day arrivals and departures; leave with front desk.
Step-free access via ramp at main entrance; lift to all floors; rooms on ground floor available pre-request. No adapted bathrooms; door widths 75 cm.
No on-site parking. Nearest public car park 'Parking des Collines' at 5 Rue de la Tour, €12 per 24h, 50 m away. No EV charging.
Fees, Taxes & Deposits
City / tourist tax: €1.10 per person per night (mandatory, payable on site)
Deposit & card hold: No deposit required for standard booking; €100 incidental hold on credit card at check-in
Money & Currency
Get a travel card →Euro, EUR
Use ATMs from major banks like BNP Paribas or Société Générale; avoid currency exchange bureaux at Marseille Provence Airport or tourist spots – they offer poor rates and high fees.
Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted in restaurants, shops, and supermarkets; contactless payments are common for amounts under €50; American Express is less accepted.
Not expected – service is included in the bill. For good service, round up the bill or leave 5-10% in restaurants; taxi drivers appreciate rounding up to the nearest euro; hotel porters: €1-2 per bag.
Eat, Shop & Travel on a Budget
Cheap car hire →An espresso at a corner café costs about €1.20–€1.50; a filter coffee around €2.
A sandwich and drink from a boulangerie or traiteur costs €6–€9.
A main course at a modest neighbourhood restaurant is typically €12–€18.
Paninis, socca (chickpea flatbread), and pizza slices from bakeries or casual stands – common around Place Jean Jaurès and Cours Belsunce.
Budget chains include Lidl, Aldi, and Leclerc; Carrefour is slightly pricier but also common.
High-street chains like H&M, Kiabi, and Zara in the Centre Bourse shopping mall or the Rue de la République area.
A single metro/bus ticket is €1.70; a 10-ticket carnet is €14.30; a day pass (Ticket Liberté) costs €5.20. From the airport, take the airport bus (€10.40) or the less frequent Carte Zou! TER train (€5.90).
Buy a carnet of 10 metro/bus tickets for day trips; shop for lunch at boulangeries rather than sit-down cafés; visit free attractions like the MuCEM terraces and the Parc Borély.
Good to know — Marseille 11
Type C/E · 230V
safe
$1 ≈ €0.88 · EUR
Where to Eat
Book a table →💡 Booking tip: For popular restaurants in Marseille 11, book at least a week ahead — especially for weekend evenings and during festival season.
Your arrival at L'eau des Collines
🕒 Check-in is from . Arriving earlier? Most hotels store luggage free — just ask at reception.
🚐 Pre-book an airport transfer →Getting Around
Find train tickets →Saint-Charles Metro Station (city centre) → B&b Hôtel Marseille La Valentine
💡 Take Metro Line 1 to La Rose station, then catch bus 92 to La Valentine. Single ticket works for both—validate on the bus. Avoid rush hour (08:00–09:30) as it gets packed.
Saint-Charles Station → La Fourragère (terminus)
💡 Get off at 'La Fourragère' and it's a 10-minute walk (about 800 m) to the hotel. Use the exit 'Boulevard de la Huzé' – any other exit adds distance.
Saint-Charles Station → Bourgogne (11th arrondissement)
💡 Cheaper than a taxi but slower. Stop 'Bourgogne' is 5 minutes on foot from the hotel. Validate your ticket on board – inspectors are common on this line.
Gare Saint-Charles → Rond-Point du Prado stop
💡 The Ibis is a 5-minute walk from Gare Saint-Charles, so take the metro from the station if you’re heading south. Buy a single ticket or a carnet of 10 for €14.30 – valid on tram, bus, and metro.
Gare Saint-Charles → Noailles (change for bus/tram to Marseille 11)
💡 The tram is slower than the metro but runs above ground, so you get views of the city. For Marseille 11, you’ll need to switch to bus 40 or 42 at Noailles – check the RTM app for real-time arrivals.
Saint-Charles station → Première Classe Marseille 11 (via Mazargues stop)
💡 Use single ticket; validate on both. Exit metro at Mazargues, then bus 22 towards Les Caillols. Get off at '11e Arrondissement' stop—the hotel entrance is 100m up the road on the left. Uneven pavement, so careful with suitcases.
Marseille Provence Airport (MRS) → B&b Hôtel Marseille La Valentine
💡 Get off at La Valentine stop, then walk 5 mins. Buy ticket from the machine at the airport—cash only, no card.
Marseille Provence Airport (MRS) → Marseille Saint-Charles train station
💡 Buy ticket at airport machine. From Saint-Charles, take metro Line 2 direction Bougainville to Mazargues, then bus 22 to stop '11e Arrondissement'. Alternatively, Uber from station costs ~€15.
Marseille Provence Airport (MRS) → B&b Hôtel Marseille La Valentine
💡 Use the official taxi rank outside arrivals—avoid drivers who approach you inside. Fixed price to the east side of the city is common, but confirm before getting in.
Marseille Provence Airport (MRS) → Hôtel F1 Marseille 11 (20 Rue de la Ciotat)
💡 Fix the fare before you get in. The meter can run you higher than the fixed rate to the 11th arrondissement. The hotel is about 7 km east of the airport.
Marseille Saint-Charles → B&b Hôtel Marseille La Valentine
💡 Take the TER to Aubagne station (10 mins), then bus 91 eastbound to La Valentine. Cheaper than a direct bus and often faster—check the SNCF app for real-time departures.
Marseille Provence Airport (MRS) via Vitrolles Aéroport station → Première Classe Marseille 11
💡 Take shuttle bus from airport (free) to Vitrolles Aéroport train station, then regional TER to Saint-Charles. Then metro/bus as above. Cheapest airport option but least convenient—only use if budget is tight or you have light bags.
About Marseille 11
Wikipedia ↗
Marseille (Occitan: Marselha; see below) is a city in southern France, the prefecture of the department of Bouches-du-Rhône and of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Situated in the Provence region, it is located on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, near the mouth of the Rhône river. Marseille...
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best rooms at L'eau des Collines?
Request a room on the 1st or 2nd floor facing the courtyard (if available). These floors avoid ground-floor street noise and the thin walls typical of a 2-star budget hotel in an outer arrondissement.
Which rooms should I avoid at L'eau des Collines?
Avoid ground-floor rooms near the entrance or reception; street-level noise from pedestrians and traffic on the Route des Camoins (likely nearby) is persistent. Also skip any room directly above the bar or shared kitchen if present—odours and late chatter carry.
Is L'eau des Collines noisy?
Marseille 11 is on the main north-south Route des Camoins—heavy local traffic between 7-9am and 5-7pm. Weekend clubbers from the nearby Stade Vélodrome (3km away) can add late noise. Also check for a nearby bakery (common in this district) starting pre-dawn deliveries.
Which rooms have the best views at L'eau des Collines?
Limited views given the location in Marseille 11 (residential/commercial strip). A rear-facing room on the 2nd floor looks over terraced houses or the Montaud hillside; side windows may catch the Basilica of Notre-Dame de la Garde in the distance on a clear day.
What are insider tips for staying at L'eau des Collines?
1. Park on side streets like Rue de la Pauline (free after 6pm) rather than the hotel's limited off-street spots—2-star hotels rarely have secure parking. 2. Check in early (by 2pm) to request a courtyard-facing room; the staff at this price level usually accommodate direct requests if you ask politely at reception.
What time is check-in at L'eau des Collines?
Check-in at L'eau des Collines is from null. Check-out is by null.
Does L'eau des Collines have Wi-Fi?
Free Wi-Fi in all rooms and public areas; typical speed 15 Mbps download. No login required, just accept terms on browser.
Is there a city or tourist tax at L'eau des Collines?
€1.10 per person per night (mandatory, payable on site)
Where can I eat cheaply near L'eau des Collines?
A sandwich and drink from a boulangerie or traiteur costs €6–€9.
What is the cheapest way to get around from L'eau des Collines?
A single metro/bus ticket is €1.70; a 10-ticket carnet is €14.30; a day pass (Ticket Liberté) costs €5.20. From the airport, take the airport bus (€10.40) or the less frequent Carte Zou! TER train (€5.90).
When is the best time to visit Marseille 11?
May and June: warm (20–26°C), plenty of sun, but not yet packed. September also works, with sea still swimmable and crowds thinner than July.
Top Attractions in Marseille 11
💡 Arrive by 7am for the freshest selection and to see the auction. No obligation to buy—just walk through and watch.
💡 Start near the Vieille Charité (a free courtyard in a 17th-century almshouse) and work your way downhill towards the port. Avoid the main tourist street (Rue de la République) and stick to the smaller alleys.
💡 The free section includes the Jardin des Migrations — a wild garden with views. Walk the footbridge to MUCEM’s rooftop for free; you don’t need a museum ticket to use it.
💡 Start at Place des Pistoles and follow the pedestrian signs for 'Vieux-Port' to avoid getting lost. Stop at a local bakery for a cheap pain au chocolat.
💡 Drop in for the free Sunday if you can, but even on a weekday it’s worth a quick 45-minute visit. The Roman garden outside is free always.
💡 Free permanent collection only. Check the website for the free day of the temporary exhibitions (usually first Sunday of the month). Give yourself at least an hour and a half.
💡 The Roman wreck and the detailed model of the city are highlights. Allow 90 minutes. Closed on Mondays like most French museums.
💡 Wander side streets off Rue de la République for quieter courtyards. Grab a panisse (chickpea fritter) from a local stall for €2.