The Mucem and the harbour at sunset, Marseille

Marseille · Provence

Bodyguard and close protection in Marseille

France’s oldest city and second largest. We protect executives, families and guests in Marseille, Aix-en-Provence and along the Provence coast.

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Autorisation d’exercice CNAPS n° AUT-006-2124-09-09-20250998257

Photo: Sebastien Le Derout / Unsplash

Marseille

A port city, read correctly

Marseille moves fast. Business districts, a working port, busy stations and some of the most beautiful coves in Europe all sit within a few kilometres.

That mix rewards preparation. We study your hotel, your meetings and your routes, and we keep movements simple and predictable for you, and unpredictable for anyone else.

We plan your movements across Provence as carefully as in the city: Aix, Cassis and the coast road. Our agents hold the CNAPS professional card.

Services

Our services in Marseille

Close protection

Protection for executives, VIPs and families in Marseille, Aix-en-Provence and Cassis.

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Business visits

Discreet presence for site visits, meetings and dinners, with planned routes between venues.

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Arrivals and cruise calls

Meet and assist at Marseille Provence airport, Saint-Charles station and the cruise terminal.

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Risk assessment

A review of residences, venues and routes before your visit to Provence.

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Executive transportation

Chauffeured cars and drivers in Marseille from vetted, licensed local partners, coordinated with your protection team.

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Local knowledge

Marseille, prepared in advance

Arrivals and departures

Marseille Provence airport (MRS) at Marignane, about 27 km from the centre, with business aviation
Marseille Saint-Charles TGV station
Marseille cruise terminal and the Vieux-Port
Helicopter transfers on request

Where we work

Vieux-Port and the Panier
La Corniche, Roucas-Blanc and the Prado
Euroméditerranée business district
Calanques, Cassis and La Ciotat
Aix-en-Provence and its bastides

Calendar to plan around

Aug to May: Football season at the Orange Vélodrome
Apr to Oct: Cruise season at the port
June: Marsatac festival, Parc Borély
July: Festival d’Aix-en-Provence and Jazz des cinq continents
October: Fiesta des Suds

Risk awareness

What we plan for in Marseille

Every city has its own risks. These are the ones we prepare for most often here.

Busy stations and harbour areas
Thefts from vehicles and phone snatching
Match day crowds around the Vélodrome
Long transfers between Marseille, Aix and the coast

A business day in Marseille

Business visits to Marseille usually start at Marseille Provence airport in Marignane, or at Saint-Charles station, about three hours from Paris by TGV. From either, the centre is close, but the motorways into the city are slow at peak hours.

Meetings often take place in Euroméditerranée, the business district behind the Joliette docks, home to shipping and service companies. Site visits may lead to the port areas, the industrial zones around the Étang de Berre and Fos-sur-Mer, or offices in Aix-en-Provence.

We plan each move with timings and a second route. In the centre, cars wait at planned points and we walk where walking is quicker, around the Vieux-Port and the Panier for example. Lunch at the harbour or on the Corniche is chosen with the exits in mind.

Marseille rewards habits that are simple and predictable for you, and unpredictable for anyone watching. On longer stays we vary routes and times, keep the programme within the team and avoid parking the same car at the same door every day.

Cruise calls and days ashore

Marseille is one of the main cruise ports of the Mediterranean, with ships calling from spring to autumn. Large ships berth at the cruise terminals north of the Joliette, some distance from the centre.

A day ashore is short, and it is fixed by the ship’s all aboard time. We meet you at the terminal, keep the day on schedule and bring you back with a margin. Busy sites such as Notre-Dame de la Garde, the Mucem and the Vieux-Port are visited at quieter hours where possible.

Popular programmes include a boat trip into the Calanques, lunch in Cassis or a visit to Aix-en-Provence. We plan the route, the timings and a fallback for each, since traffic and weather can change the day.

Phone and bag thefts are the most common risk for visitors in crowded areas. A discreet agent, a car close by and a clear plan keep you well away from them, so the day stays what it should be: a pleasure.

The Calanques, Cassis and days at sea

The Calanques national park stretches from Marseille to Cassis: white limestone cliffs, narrow coves and very few roads. Most of it is reached by boat or on foot.

From June to September, the massifs can be closed to the public on days of high fire risk, and some coves, such as Sugiton, require booking in peak summer. Boats may still sail along the coast on those days, but going ashore can be forbidden. We check the official status the evening before and plan around it.

The Mistral, the strong north wind of Provence, can make the sea rough within hours. When it blows, we move a boat day to a calmer one, or replace it with lunch in Cassis or La Ciotat by road.

Villas on the Corniche, in Roucas-Blanc or around Cassis offer privacy and sea views. Before you arrive, we review their access and surroundings, and we agree the daily arrangements with your house staff.

Aix-en-Provence, the bastides and the Luberon

Aix-en-Provence lies about 30 kilometres north of Marseille, close to the airport and to its own TGV station. Its centre, around the Cours Mirabeau, is compact and easy to enjoy on foot.

In July, the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence brings opera to the courtyard of the Archbishop’s Palace and to other venues across the town. Evenings end late and empty into crowded streets. We plan the seats, the arrival and the walk back to the car.

Around Aix, many guests stay in bastides and wine estates. Day trips reach the Luberon villages, Les Baux, or Avignon during its theatre festival in July. Country roads are narrow and unlit at night, so we plan the return before dinner begins.

Distances look small on the map but add up. A day combining Marseille, Aix and the Luberon can mean several hours on the road. We build the programme so that you spend your time where you want it, not in the car.

Why 1831 PRÉTORIEN

Why clients choose us in Marseille

Experienced professionals

Led by experienced close protection professionals. Preparation and discretion come first.

CNAPS authorised

Operating authorisation n° AUT-006-2124-09-09-20250998257. Every agent holds the CNAPS professional card.

Prepared in advance

Each mission in Marseille starts with a risk assessment, route planning and venue checks.

Discreet by standard

No client names, no images, no noise. Details stay within the assigned team.

Your team

A team sized for Marseille

We size each team to the risk, not to a template. A single agent suits most business visits. A team leader with two or more agents covers families, public figures and busy event weeks. Residence cover adds agents in shifts, day and night.

Every team has a team leader who reports to our operations management, run by experienced close protection professionals. Agents hold the CNAPS professional card and are chosen for the mission: languages, dress code and local knowledge of Marseille.

Protection and transport are planned together. When you book executive transportation, the drivers supplied by our vetted, licensed local partners are briefed with the team.

Method

How a mission in Marseille works

Enquiry
You share your dates in Marseille, your programme and any concerns, by form or by email.
Assessment
We assess the risks of your stay: venues, routes, events and timing.
Proposal
You receive a clear written proposal: team, schedule and fees.
Mission
The team is briefed and deployed. You keep one point of contact from arrival to departure.

2025: Year of our CNAPS authorisation.
100%: Of our agents hold the CNAPS professional card.
1: Point of contact, from your first enquiry to the end of the mission.
0: Client names ever published.

FAQ

Questions about close protection in Marseille

How much does a bodyguard cost in Marseille?

Fees depend on the number of agents, the hours, the risk level and travel in Provence. We send a written proposal after a short call.

Do you cover Aix-en-Provence and Cassis?

Yes. We cover Marseille, Aix-en-Provence, Cassis, La Ciotat and the whole of Provence.

Are your agents licensed?

Yes. The company holds CNAPS operating authorisation n° AUT-006-2124-09-09-20250998257 and every agent holds the CNAPS professional card.

Can you meet us at the cruise terminal?

Yes. We meet you at the terminal and stay with you for the day ashore, with a programme planned in advance.

Do your agents speak English?

Yes. Our teams work in French and English.

Is Marseille safe for visitors?

Most visits pass without incident, and the Vieux-Port, the Corniche and the centre are lively, busy places. As in any large port city, some districts have no place in a visitor’s programme and petty theft is common in crowds. We choose hotels, routes and timings with that in mind.

Can you plan a boat day in the Calanques?

Yes. We plan it with your boat operator, check the national park status the evening before and keep an alternative ready in case the Mistral or a fire closure changes the day.

Can you cover a match at the Orange Vélodrome?

Yes. Match days bring large crowds and heavy traffic around the stadium and the Prado. We plan the arrival, the seating area and the departure, and we leave at the time that suits the crowd, not only the final whistle.

Do you cover the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence?

Yes. We plan performances, dinners and the late return with you, whether you stay in Aix or in a villa elsewhere in Provence.

Can you meet business jets at Marseille Provence airport?

Yes. Marseille Provence handles business aviation. We meet you on arrival and take you by a planned route to Marseille, Aix or the coast.

How many agents do I need in Marseille?

It depends on the risk, the programme and the number of people. Many visits need one agent. Families, public figures and event weeks usually need a team. We recommend a size after the assessment and explain why.

Can you also arrange a car and driver in Marseille?

Yes. We arrange executive transportation in Marseille through vetted, licensed local partners, coordinated with your protection team.