In Marseille it is easy and simple to rent a car: the whole range of international and local car rental companies is presented both at the airport and at the main station of the city. However, it is better to book a car in advance: firstly, it will be cheaper (you can “catch” offers from 40 EUR per day for an economy class car): secondly, it will guarantee that you will get a car of the chosen category upon arrival.
The principles and rules of renting a car in Marseille do not differ from the general French ones – which cannot be said about the peculiarities of local traffic. Even Parisians, who are used to everything, are afraid to drive in Marseille – in addition to the complex system of roads and frequent traffic jams, the life of a visitor is complicated by the dashing manner of local drivers.
In general, you should consider renting a car if you plan frequent trips out of town or settled far from the center – in other cases, public transport is easier, cheaper and quieter.
Parking in Marseille is another headache for a driver. Although paid parking lots are expensive, and free parking lots are poorly located and always busy, this problem can be circumvented with the Pass XL weekly pass – in addition to public transportation, it entitles you to use intercepting parking lots for free (their list and location can be found on a special page of the RTM website).