A Travel Price Comparison for France Versailles vs. Marseille for Food, Nightlife, and Couples

Should you visit Versailles or Marseille?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Versailles or Marseille, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Versailles

Versailles is a beautiful, grand, and ornate palace. Versailles is considered by many to be an absolutely beautiful destination, too. It's also popular because of the museums. See Versailles travel costs.

Marseille

Marseille is a energetic and vibrant city. Marseille is also a very beautiful destination which attracts plenty of visitors. Since it has a quaint atmosphere, you'll want to spend time soaking it all in. Other reasons to visit include shopping, nightlife, and food. See Marseille travel costs.

Versailles and Marseille: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Versailles or Marseille?

You'll generally find more things to do in Marseille than Versailles. Marseille is bigger than Versailles, and it also has more attractions and activities for travelers. Marseille is better known for its food, nightlife, beaches, historical sights, shopping, christmas markets, and quaint atmosphere, while Versailles is more popular for its museums and attractions and impressive beauty. Versailles is more touristy than Marseille and is known for its long running history and its grand architecture. Marseille is well known for its unique history, its diverse population, and its authenticity. Also, Marseille is famous for The Vieux Port.

How is Versailles different from Marseille?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Marseille and Versailles. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Versailles or Marseille?

Versailles is a world-class destination for its museums and history. However, Marseille does not have museums and landmarks.

With plenty of landmarks, attractions, and museums, Versailles has many famous sights for visitors. The palace is filled with history and impressive items relating to the royal family. Within and near the palace you should make sure you see the Gardens of Versailles, Grand Trianon, the Hall of Mirrors, and the Royal Opera of Versailles.

Marseille does not have museums and landmarks.

Is the Food Better in Versailles or Marseille? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Marseille is an amazing city to visit for its local flavors and cuisine. However, Versailles is not known for its local cuisine and restaurants.

Known for it's food and restaurant scene, Marseille is always at the top of any foodie's travel list. It's famous for its bouillabaisse, which is a hearty seafood soup that was once affordable but is now quite pricey.

You'll find the standard options when it comes to food in Versailles. There are a couple of restaurants and cafes on the grounds.

Is Versailles or Marseille Better for Nightlife?

Marseille is an amazing city to visit for nightlife. However, Versailles is not known for nightlife and partying.

Marseille has a colorful and one-of-a-kind nightlife scene. Much of the city's nightlife is centered around being outdoors. Whether you're on the beach or hanging out at a rooftop bar, Marseille is a magical place.

Most people don't head to Versailles specifically for the nightlife scene, but you can find a few options. Most people visit as a day trip from Paris, but those who linger can grab a drink at a pub or bar.

Is Versailles or Marseille Better for Beaches?

Marseille is a nice place to visit for its beaches. However, Versailles is not a beach destination.

Marseille has a beach worth visiting. The city has nice beaches that offer both culture and diversity, which may be lacking some other coastal parts of the French Riviera.

Versailles is not a beach destination.

Is Versailles or Marseille Better for its Old Town?

Marseille is an amazing city to visit for its historic old town. However, Versailles does not have a historic old town.

Marseille offers visitors a world-class historical old town to explore. The Old Port is filled with shops and boutiques, and is the most scenic part of the city. It dates back to the Middle Ages and is filled with history and character.

Versailles does not have a historic old town.

Is the Shopping Better in Versailles or Marseille?

Marseille is a great city for shopping. However, Versailles is not a noteworthy shopping destination.

Shopping is a popular activity when visiting Marseille. The city has boutiques, farmers markets, and flea markets to explore, as well as any luxury brand you may want.

Versailles is not a noteworthy shopping destination.

Is Versailles or Marseille Better for Christmas Markets?

Marseille is a nice place to visit for visiting Christmas markets. However, Versailles does not offer Christmas markets.

Marseille has Christmas markets worth visiting. The old town has a Christmas craft market where you can buy toys, Christmas treats, or decorations.

Versailles does not offer Christmas markets.

Is Versailles or Marseille More Beautiful?

Versailles is a world-class destination for its scenery and beauty. Also, Marseille is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its scenery and beauty.

Versailles is considered by many to be an absolutely beautiful destination, too. The Palace of Versailles is famous for its grand beauty and opulent setting.

Marseille is also a very beautiful destination which attracts plenty of visitors. It's beauty comes from its historic architecture and beautiful neighborhoods.

Is Versailles or Marseille Better for Families?

Marseille is adequate for its kid-friendly activities. However, Versailles is not known for its family-friendly activities.

For families, Marseille is not always the best place to visit. Nearby beaches and an outdoor climbing area make it a diverse city to visit with kids.

Versailles does not offer many kid-friendly activities. While there are those unicorn children who fall in love with the grand setting, for most kids, a visit to Versailles can make for make for a long and draining day.

Is Versailles or Marseille Better for Couples?

Versailles and Marseille are both superb to visit as a couple.

Versailles is a great palace if you're traveling as a couple. It's opulence, grandeur, and history make this a wonderful place to explore as a couple. There are gardens and other unique settings that make Versailles very romantic.

Marseille is a very popular place to visit for couples. Strolling the boulevards and exploring the history and culture of this city make it a top couples' destination.

Is Versailles or Marseille Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Marseille is a nice place to visit for backpackers and budget travelers. However, Versailles is not a backpacker-friendly destination.

It's common for backpackers to visit Marseille. It has a decent number of hostels for a city of its size.

Versailles is not a backpacker-friendly destination.

Is Versailles or Marseille Better for Students?

Marseille is a great city for its student-friendly activities. However, Versailles is not popular with students.

Marseille is a great city to visit as a student. It attracts international students because of its rich culture, unique atmosphere, and lively bar scene.

Versailles is not popular with students.

Is Versailles or Marseille Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Versailles is an excellent place to visit for times when you don't have a car. Also, Marseille is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its public transit.

The public transit in Versailles can get you to most places easily. There are SNCF trains that travel from Gare Montparnasse to Versailles Chantiers train station and additional trains that travel between Gare Saint Lazare and Versailles Rive Droite.

You'll find some public transit in Marseille, but it may not be enough to take you everywhere. The city has trams, a metro, and buses that you can use to explore.

Is Versailles or Marseille a more walkable city?

Versailles and Marseille are superb when it comes to walkability.

Versailles is very walkable. It's approximately a 20 minute walk from the Versailles Chantiers train station to the entrance to the palace. Versailles Rive Droite is slightly closer.

Marseille is a very walkable palace. The Old Port (Vieux Port) is particularly walkable and is one of the best areas to explore on foot.

For even more information, also check out Is Versailles Worth Visiting? and Is Marseille Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Marseille or Versailles?

How long in Versailles or Marseille?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Versailles and Marseille. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in Marseille than in Versailles. Usually, 1-2 days is a good amount of time for Versailles, and 2-3 days is enough time in Marseille.

Families should spend more time in Marseille than Versailles. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in Marseille, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.

Couples should spend more time in Marseille than Versailles. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in Marseille that are perfect for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Marseille than Versailles if your budget allows for it. With a larger number of budget-friendly sights, good nightlife, and active things to do, anyone traveling on a budget would have a good time in Marseille.

One day in Versailles or Marseille?

You'll find museums around the palace of Versailles. One day is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that Versailles has to offer. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

With shopping and nightlife around the energetic city of Marseille, there's plenty to do. Anyone can find something fun to do here. Make sure you visit the old town while you're here. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than one day exploring.

A weekend in Versailles or Marseille?

You'll find museums around the beautiful destination of Versailles. This is a popular place to visit for a weekend.A weekend should give you a good understanding of everything this palace has to offer. This palace offers a variety of activities to choose from.

With nightlife and food around the destination of Marseille, there's plenty to do. Most visitors spend time around the old town while in the area. It offers something for everyone. Many people spend a weekend here. In a weekend, you should have a good grasp of this city.

Five days in Versailles or Marseille?

Travelers enjoy the museums when visiting the grand palace of Versailles. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision. Most people head to the area for the museums. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

Marseille, a popular city, is full of activities for travelers. Visiting the old town is also a must. Most people find that five days is more than enough time to see everything. Your budget might influence how long you stay.

A week in Versailles or Marseille?

Versailles is a popular choice for travelers. One week is usually plenty of time to spend here with extra days to spare. With this much time, visitors often visit nearby destinations or take day trips. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.

Marseille is a popular place that is full of things to see and experience. One week is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Sightseeing Tours in France, The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in France, The Best Food and Culinary Tours in France, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in France.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Versailles and Marseille, we can see that Versailles is more expensive. And not only is Marseille much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Marseille would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Marseille and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Versailles would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Versailles than you might in Marseille.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Versailles Expensive? and Is Marseille Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Versailles or Marseille?

Marseille has a larger population, and is about 9 times larger than the population of Versailles. When comparing the sizes of Versailles and Marseille, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.

When is the best time to visit Versailles or Marseille?

Both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. And since both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.

Should I visit Versailles or Marseille in the Summer?

The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Versailles and Marseille. Furthermore, the beaches and the family-friendly experiences are the main draw to Marseille this time of year.

In July, Versailles is generally cooler than Marseille. Daily temperatures in Versailles average around 20°C (68°F), and Marseille fluctuates around 24°C (75°F).

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Marseille this time of the year. In Versailles, it's very sunny this time of the year. Versailles usually receives less sunshine than Marseille during summer. Versailles gets 239 hours of sunny skies, while Marseille receives 366 hours of full sun in the summer.

In July, Versailles usually receives more rain than Marseille. Versailles gets 58 mm (2.3 in) of rain, while Marseille receives 14 mm (0.6 in) of rain each month for the summer.

Should I visit Versailles or Marseille in the Autumn?

The autumn brings many poeple to Versailles as well as Marseille. The natural beauty of the area are the main draw to Versailles this time of year. Additionally, many travelers come to Marseille for the shopping scene and the natural beauty of the area.

Versailles is cooler than Marseille in the autumn. The daily temperature in Versailles averages around 13°C (56°F) in October, and Marseille fluctuates around 16°C (61°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Marseille. In the autumn, Versailles often gets less sunshine than Marseille. Versailles gets 126 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Marseille receives 205 hours of full sun.

Versailles usually gets less rain in October than Marseille. Versailles gets 55 mm (2.2 in) of rain, while Marseille receives 78 mm (3.1 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Versailles or Marseille in the Winter?

Both Marseille and Versailles are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. Many travelers come to Versailles for the museums and the cuisine. Also, many visitors come to Marseille in the winter for the shopping scene and the cuisine.

Be prepared for some very cold days in Versailles. In the winter, Versailles is cooler than Marseille. Typically, the winter temperatures in Versailles in January average around 5°C (40°F), and Marseille averages at about 7°C (44°F).

Versailles usually receives less sunshine than Marseille during winter. Versailles gets 56 hours of sunny skies, while Marseille receives 150 hours of full sun in the winter.

In January, Versailles usually receives more rain than Marseille. Versailles gets 55 mm (2.2 in) of rain, while Marseille receives 47 mm (1.9 in) of rain each month for the winter.

Should I visit Versailles or Marseille in the Spring?

Both Marseille and Versailles during the spring are popular places to visit. Many visitors come to Versailles in the spring for the natural beauty. Also, most visitors come to Marseille for the beaches and the natural beauty during these months.

In April, Versailles is generally cooler than Marseille. Daily temperatures in Versailles average around 11°C (52°F), and Marseille fluctuates around 13°C (56°F).

In Marseille, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the spring, Versailles often gets less sunshine than Marseille. Versailles gets 173 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Marseille receives 245 hours of full sun.

Versailles usually gets around the same amount of rain in April as Marseille. Versailles gets 50 mm (1.9 in) of rain, while Marseille receives 48 mm (1.9 in) of rain this time of the year.

Typical Weather for Marseille and Versailles