This airport aims to have no one wait more than 10 minutes. It succeeds

The airport

Marseille Provence Airport (MRS).

Marseille Provence Airport, France.

The flight

Helvetic Airways (on behalf of Swiss International Air Lines) LX 581 from Marseille to Zurich, Switzerland (ZRH).

The arrival

The exterior of Marseille Airport is softened with greenery.

Public transport in Marseille is cheap and efficient. I take the metro two stops from the city centre to Gare Saint-Charles, where Marseille’s main bus terminal is located. There’s no need to book ahead for the airport bus. Just pay for a €10 ticket by tapping with a credit card. The ride is a smooth, air-conditioned, 30-minute journey with no stops.

The look

After three years and an investment of €210 million, a Foster + Partners design has reorganised the function of the airport. There is a central entry, check-in and security area and a major revamp of Terminal One’s interior and visitor experience. This translates to floor-to-ceiling windows flooding the spaces with daylight and views of the pretty hills of Vitrolles. A timber canopy and light, natural colours echo Provence’s sea-and-stone landscape and create a calm, serene environment. A central space links the original 1961 terminal designed by Fernand Pouillon with the 1990s additions by Richard Rogers, which were renovated in 2019.

Check-in

I’ve checked in online so all I need to do is drop my bag, but when I get to the airport, I unthinkingly head to the check-in queue at Swiss Air instead. There’s no one else in line, so I sail right through. After that, I simply swipe the boarding pass using my phone to access the security area.

Security

Marseille has more than 10 million passengers a year, but its setup looks well-equipped to handle many more. The airport’s goal is for 90 per cent of passengers to wait no more than 10 minutes to pass through security. On the day I travel, there are no queues, and I am airside in minutes. Goal achieved.

Food + Drink

I visit the airport only 10 days after the renovated terminal’s official opening (June 2024) and, like many major building projects, the construction deadline was optimistic, with many finishing touches and some spaces to be completed. But there is no shortage of places to eat and drink. I browse the stylish L’echappee Provencale, a grocer and cafe where you can shop for olive oil, Calissons sweets and other local delicacies, then order an organic coffee and a salad at Pret a Manger, known for its vegetarian and vegan-friendly food. There are more healthy options at EXKi at the boarding gates. In the international (flights outside the Schengen area) section, the Marseille Market includes well-known local operators such as patisserie Bricoleurs de Douceurs, ice-cream makers Emki Pop and French sandwich maker Croquorico. Across the airport, Monop’daily has snacks, sweets and cold drinks.

Retail therapy

After you exit security, you’re straight into duty-free. Before you get into the standard international offerings, the Provence section offers a tempting overview of the best of the region, from pastis to La Cagole beer, tapenade, tins of seafood, jars of bouillabaisse, olive oils, foie gras, and lavender products. Beyond duty-free, shopping options are also hyper-local, from Fragonard perfumes to The Place, a boutique for Marseille fashion. If the airport wanted to offer a real sense of the region, it has succeeded.

Passing time

The light, airy interior of Marseille Airport.

Relay stores throughout the airport sell exclusively French magazines, newspapers and books, which rules out browsing for me, but the low, comfortable sofas for lounging and plentiful charging stations are tempting. I opt for the ultimate analogue entertainment – flight landings and take-offs against a backdrop of Provencal hills.

The verdict

Just as stylish as you’d expect, Marseille’s airport is another sign that the city and the region are ready to take a bigger slice of the travel and tourism pie.

Our rating out of five

★★★★

The writer travelled as a guest of Switzerland Tourism.