Gay saunas in Marseille

Marseille now has two gay saunas, both right in the city centre: Les Thermes, on Rue Mazagran in the 1st arrondissement, a stone’s throw from the Canebière, and the Sauna Club Salvator, on Boulevard Louis-Salvator in the 6th arrondissement. Le Cargo, long cited as the third, has closed: if a directory still lists it, it is no longer up to date.

The two are quite different, and the right choice depends mainly on the time of day. The Salvator comes alive in the afternoon: open every day from 12 noon to 9 pm, spread over three floors, it attracts a clientele of rather mature regulars who come for the peace and quiet. Les Thermes, refurbished after seven months of building work, covers over 600 m² with a swimming pool, hammam and Finnish sauna, and stays open until 2 am every day: it’s the place to be in the evening.

As for prices, entry to Les Thermes costs €20, €12 for under-25s, and €5 for them on Tuesdays. At Le Salvator, expect to pay between €13 and €19 depending on the time slot. The Thermes also host parties almost every evening of the week: free hot dogs on Mondays from 7 pm, ‘buy one, get one free’ on Wednesdays, a naturist party on Thursdays from 7 pm to 2 am, and ‘Black-Out’ on Fridays in the cruising areas.

A tip from Salvator’s regulars: Sunday afternoons are the busiest time, whilst Tuesdays and Thursdays are the quietest. Don’t forget your slippers, as they aren’t provided: the stairs between the floors are steep and often damp, and the venue isn’t accessible to people with reduced mobility.