Big name acts including Beyoncé, Céline Dion, or beloved Marseillais rap group IAM, have all performed at Le Dôme, one of southern France’s largest and most well-known concert venues. Its distinctive architecture, featuring a 88-foot (27-metre) arch, along with its list of famous performers, makes it the place to be on many a Marseillais Saturday night. Sing along to your favourite bands, watch ballet dancers float along the stage or take your kids to see Disney on Ice as you participate in the cultural life of France’s second city.
Visit during the day to take in the architecture of the building, opened in 1994 and designed by architect Denis Sloan. Appreciate the gentle curve of the roof, designed to bring to mind the hull of an upturned boat, which is why the dome was constructed by shipbuilders at the Saint-Malo shipyard. Take a slow walk around, but return in the evening, when thousands of music and dance lovers descend on the neighbourhood.
Get a sense of French tastes with a concert by Florent Pagny or Vanessa Paradis, or the Marseillais Enfoirés, or go see the world’s biggest stars perform on Le Dôme’s stage. Let the ambiance of the crowd wash over you as you take your seat with other fans, feeling the excitement as the lights dim. During intermissions get refreshments from the concession stands that dot the outer ring of the arena.
Le Dôme is in Marseille’s 4th arrondissement, in the Saint-Just neighbourhood. Take the metro there in 10 minutes from Marselle-Saint-Charles station, or walk in 40 minutes. Drive there in 10 minutes from the station, or in 24 minutes from Marseille Provence airport. Reach it in 25 minutes by bus from the Vieux Port. Limited free parking is available to concertgoers with tickets, with further metered and free parking on nearby streets. Le Dôme is fully wheelchair accessible.
