Notre-Dame de la Garde
A basilica on the highest point of Marseille, a 149 metre limestone outcrop south of the Old Port, built on the foundations of an old fort. Locals call it la Bonne Mère, the Good Mother, and its gilded statue of the Virgin watches over the city and the sea.
- Where
- Marseille, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France
- Grade
- Well known
- Worth
- 10 points collected on site, plus 1 for its grade
- Coordinates
- 43.2839, 5.3712
Get the Notre-Dame de la Garde stamp
Open LOQAH when you are at Notre-Dame de la Garde. It checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp is yours: confirmed on site in gold and struck with the date. It goes into your Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur volume with your photos and a note.
Near Notre-Dame de la Garde
Old Port of Marseille 1.2 km
The harbour of Marseille since antiquity, at the foot of the Canebière, its quays given over mostly to people on foot since 2013. Fishermen still sell the morning catch on the waterfront, and a mirrored canopy by Norman Foster reflects the crowds below.
Mucem 1.7 km
A national museum of Mediterranean cultures in a glass cube wrapped in a lace of dark concrete, at the entrance to Marseille's harbour. A slender footbridge links its roof terrace to the old Fort Saint-Jean across the water.
Château d'If 3.8 km
A 16th century fortress on the tiny Île d'If, about 1.5 kilometres off Marseille, used as a prison until the end of the 19th century. Alexandre Dumas made it the jail of Edmond Dantès in The Count of Monte Cristo, and boats from the Old Port carry visitors out to it.
Calanques National Park 10 km
A national park on the coast between Marseille and Cassis, where white limestone cliffs are cut by narrow inlets of turquoise water called calanques. Hikers and boats reach coves such as Sugiton and En-Vau, and the park reaches out into the sea.
Sénanque Abbey 73 km
A Cistercian abbey of plain grey stone in a narrow valley near Gordes, founded in the 12th century and still home to monks. In summer the rows of lavender in front of its church make it one of the best known views in Provence.
Arles Amphitheatre 74 km
A two tiered Roman amphitheatre in the heart of Arles, with towers added in the Middle Ages when it was turned into a fortress. Nearly two thousand years on, it still fills with crowds for bullfights and summer festivals.
Porquerolles 76 km
A car-free island of about 12 square kilometres off Hyères, home to only a couple of hundred people. Bicycles and footpaths lead through pine woods and vineyards to beaches of pale sand and clear water.
Camargue 76 km
The delta of the Rhône south of Arles, a flat land of marshes, lagoons and salt pans between the river's two arms and the sea. White horses, black bulls and flocks of pink flamingos live here, and Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer sits on its shore.
More famous places to visit in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Questions
Where is Notre-Dame de la Garde?
Notre-Dame de la Garde is in Marseille, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France. The nearest other LOQAH stamps are Old Port of Marseille (1.2 km), Mucem (1.7 km), Château d'If (3.8 km).
How do I get the Notre-Dame de la Garde stamp?
Open LOQAH when you are at Notre-Dame de la Garde and get its stamp. The app checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp goes into your Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur volume, confirmed on site, with the date.
I have been to Notre-Dame de la Garde before. Can I still have the stamp?
Yes. Add it from Earlier trips in your Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur volume, with the date if you know it, or import your Google Timeline and LOQAH matches the places you were.
Collect your first stamp.
LOQAH is free on iPhone and Android, in India and 20 more countries, with more countries on the way. Stand at a place, collect its stamp, and keep every trip in a passport that grows.