Hi guys, as above really, I’m looking for some decent/safe parking for saturday & sunday night near to Marseille.
I’ll be leaving Madrid friday evening & loading near Marseille monday morning. The only place I can think of is Cim Valles but ideally I’d like to be closer to Marseille to have a fair bit of time left to get up through France after loading on Monday. Bit of a nightmare as I know all the area from La Jonquera to Marseille is rather dodgy to say the least 
There’s a new secure truck park at Beziers on the A9 but that would still leave you with a couple of hours drive before you got to shady town. There’s a Wreford’s unit and driver always parked for the weekend at Gignac services, on the A55 a few km after Fos heading towards Marseille, always a different driver but they’ve been doing it a few years now (guess they’re waiting for a trailer), plus a few trucks of other nationalities, so should be okay. Otherwise there’s the parking at Vitrolles, but last time I was in there it wasn’t up to much. Personally I’d park at Gignac and wander over for a chat with the Wreford’s bloke. From there to Marseille is a 10 minute drive Monday morning.
~ Craig
Just curious, why would you run empty from Madrid to Marseille ?. That’s a long way empty.
I remember a Murfitts wagon and drag being relieved of a load of tyres whilst parked at marseille overnight, it was 1 of the DAF’s so may have even been Simon mod?
there is a routier at St Martin de Crau open all weekend.
on way from Montpellier past Arles, before you enter the peage follow the signs for St Martin de Crau and take the national road that runs parallel to the motorway, i use the place when going to italy and its got good food and decent showers
Ex Haulier:
Just curious, why would you run empty from Madrid to Marseille ?. That’s a long way empty.
I ran empty from Porto to Milan on De Rooy. It made the planners in the office look busy.They could pick their phone up when the boss appeared & say the immortal words." Where are you ?"
Andy,do not get anywhere near Marseillle,it is a dump,and full of dodgy characters,not safe for anyone,let alone a foreign hgv,the best bet is any Rouitier,that is open,the Vitroles is the nearest one to the city,and the Gendarmes patrol there all night,and it has ladies of the night,if you fancy a night cap.
I had to tip near the centre,the place is like Beirut,the factories are barbed wired,and burnt out or stolen cars in the streets,there are a few Foreign Legion trianing camps in the area,the fights in the bars are well known,and the drinking on their time off.
I was getting on the bay to tip,and several criminals were walking past my wagon,eyeing it up to rob it,i could not wait to get out of town.It is full of ugly people,like a horror movie,and the FBI``s and CIA`s most wanted,most have no paper work or ID/passports,as they are on the run for murder in another country that they escaped from on a boat.
When I did Marseilles for Malta Cross we used to drop our trailers in the docks & park the units on the Quai de Belges right on the pavement by the yachts & book into an hotel for a few nights & go out on the town. The Foreign Legion guys were based in Corsica & used to come to town on leave - they own that town! I guess things have changed. Later I worked for a Swiss outfit & parked overnight on the national route at a Routiers about 30kms from Marseilles on the right, probably all gone now?
Ex Haulier:
Just curious, why would you run empty from Madrid to Marseille ?. That’s a long way empty.
I think he works for some sort of exhibition company.
skids:
I remember a Murfitts wagon and drag being relieved of a load of tyres whilst parked at marseille overnight, it was 1 of the DAF’s so may have even been Simon mod?
It wasn’t me.
That’s the first time I’ve seen that particular story too.
Marseille would be way off route for anywhere that I know of, where we loaded tyres from and to.
I have had lots of different experiences of the Marseilles area, most were good apart from mosquitos whilst parked outside an oil refinery.
There were lots of decent places around Berre Letang, Fos sur Mer and Marignan. Vitrolles is ok during the week but closes on Saturday lunch as per arcotel rules. I think Arles has closed
I have often said to friends that I have walked into bars and restaurants all over the world, but never been as scared as in San Fransisco or Nottingham 
It surprises them when I say Marseilles has never been a problem and personally I think Le Havre is worse as that is the only place I have been robbed 
As Malc said above Vitrolles centre routier is actually shut during the weekend, so not much good to you. Vitrolles isn’t really the best area either, high unemployment in that part and our depot there is the most secure in the whole of France, (and that’s way better than the old STEF place down in Les Arnavaux).
Like the wiser chaps have already said keep away from the town and dock areas and you’ll be okay. Some of the villages on the nationals 20km away are fine, and you shouldn"t struggle to find somewhere to park.
Where are you loading? I lived in Marseille 10 years ago, and still get back there regularly to see the Mrs’ family.
~ Craig
Good town .Sometimes I would park the unit along the coast at Cassis but problem was in the morning woke up in the middle of a market & they’d tied guy ropes to my mirror arms.
harry:
Good town .Sometimes I would park the unit along the coast at Cassis but problem was in the morning woke up in the middle of a market & they’d tied guy ropes to my mirror arms.
Your not good at getting hints, are you 
Simon:
harry:
Good town .Sometimes I would park the unit along the coast at Cassis but problem was in the morning woke up in the middle of a market & they’d tied guy ropes to my mirror arms.Your not good at getting hints, are you
Not for the first time, earlier same thing happened on the Left Bank in Lyon & many years later a Monday morning in a town on the Bordeaux road.
I parked overnight on the patch in Cassis because there was a prototype French Army Magnum parked there, it had sliding doors. It left early in the morning…
Our customer’s spot in Marseille is located on a side street on the north side of town, near a load of high rise flats which are home to some of its more “challenging” residents.
The place is like Fort Knox. There are no windows facing onto the street and the only opening is a narrow glass fronted door which is protected by a heavy duty security shutter at night.
The drill is, on arrival, park the truck with the cab level with this door, so that the office staff can keep an eye on the cab whilst the driver is handing in paperwork/shaking hands/drinking coffee.
During tipping, which is on street, the driver is advised by the staff to regularly walk round the truck to deter urchins, preferably armed with a baseball bat.
I need no prompting to do this, having had the cab cleaned out here about 10 years ago. I was on the back (handball tip back then) and the little buggers were in and out without a sound 
I hate Marseille,it is full of ■■■■■■■■■ criminals,it is like they have escaped from the prison and are loose on the streets.I never took my eyes of the truck while unloading.