Marseille, France seems to have a negative reputation as being one of the most dangerous cities in France. I am here to say that it is a little rough around the edges, but Nik and I had a great time visiting Marseille. Especially when you throw in a concert from Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band.
Getting to Marseille
The Springsteen concert was originally scheduled for a date in May 2024 but had been postponed and rescheduled for May 31, 2025. It was about a month before then that Nik and I decided to make the trip to Marseille happen. We booked a dog sitter through TrustedHousesitters, found some concert tickets on StubHub and booked a roundtrip train ride from the Nice-Ville Train station.
We arrived a day before the show and enjoyed exploring the city before seeing Springsteen in Marseille.
The Venue
Due to timing and the heat, we opted to take an Uber to get us close to the Orange Vélodrome, the venue for the concert. We got dropped off a short walk from the venue in area that was lined with restaurants, some of which had outdoor seating and easy counter ordering for drinks. Nik and I got a drink and hung out for about 45 minutes before heading to the stadium. We struck out getting merch as most of the styles we wanted had run out of our sizes.
The Orange Vélodrome is a classic European football stadium that underwent renovations completed in 2014. While the exterior boasts a modern design, the interior still shows signs of its age.
We were in a section straight across to the back of the stadium in plastic seats bolted to the cement. The entries to sections are very limited to keep soccer fans separated and leaving after the show was a disaster because only one exit point was open for the large crowd.
The day before the show, and even the day of, ticket prices on the secondary market dipped a bit. Some of those seats were closer to the stage but off to the side, possibly with limited views. In the end, I was happy with the seats we had offering a clear view of the stage and the screens.
The Show
This tour was dubbed the “Land of Hope and Dreams Tour.” Each show on the tour opened with Bruce giving extra commentary on the state of America and the current Presidential administration.
Close to three hours later and the show was over. No regrets. No surrender.
Always go to the show. I’m so glad we made Springsteen in Marseille happen.
It definitely sounds like all the effort was worth it. I agree with you about Marseille, too. It is rough around the edges but that’s also what gives the city its charm. What a great city to eat in, though! I don’t miss the States and I have no regrets about leaving, but I am with you feeling emotional about the loved ones I’ve left behind there and some of the challenges they are facing.