July 2014

Fonfon au Vallon des Auffes

  • The best!
 
alexandre-pinna
 

The little fishing village of Vallon des Auffes is named after the spartum grass once used to make ropes and fishing nets. It shelters one of the finest old restaurants in Marseille, where the celebrated



It’s a pleasure to amble round the little harbour with its cluster of fishermen’s cottages (known as cabanons), close to the boats. Their world is preserved in this safe haven, protected from the sea’s angry swell on bad-weather days. Standing like a watchtower over this evocative scene is the Fonfon restaurant, where bouillabaisse has been cooked in family style since 1952 – a tradition now continued by Alexandra and Peggy Pinna. To savour your bouillabaisse here, with the windows open onto the oval of this sheltered inlet, is to partake of a myth. This fish speciality, a symbol of Marseille culture, may be eaten as a starter or main course, in which case it comes with five rockfish, croutons and the famous rouille sauce. Among Fonfon’s other specialities are clay-baked fish, scallops and grilled fish. Fonfon also now has three cabanons, midway between bijou hotel and luxury bed-and-breakfast, which can be booked by the night or by the week. Perfect for waking up as the small boats called pointus bring in the day’s catch. Open 7/7.



140 vallon des Auffes – Marseille, 7e - Tél. 04 91 52 14 38 - www.chez-fonfon.com