Marseille & safety - need input

[Hokulele]

DH is looking at a job on Marseille. We'd live there for one year. We've been looking into moving to Europe for a while, and I'd love to live in Marseille.

However, it has been a long time since I've been to the south of France. (15+ years) When I was there, everything we heard / read said that it was unsafe. Sure enough, we had more than one bad experience while we were there.

So now I'm wondering what is like in Marseille, safety-wise. We have two DDs - they will be 6 and 3 when we live there. We don't speak French - although if this job offer comes through I plan to do a crash course for DH, me and the kids (not that that will give us any fluency).

What is the crime situation like in that area? Does anyone have advice/experience/further resources to recommend?

Thank you!

[Needle in the Hay]

Hi, there are definitely safe areas, even in/near the center and there are absolutely areas I wouldn't live in. We lived for 3 years next to Notre Dame de la Garde and it was a nice area, a ten-minute walk from the Vieux-Port. However, when we moved about twenty minutes from Marseille (by car) I was more than ready! We lived in a great little town on the sea for five years and loved it. We moved when my husband found a job in another area, but have many fond memories of living down there. You can PM me if you'd like more info.