The live-work diaries: A long stay in Marseille

“I’ve moved around cities my whole life, and I believe it’s important to take your time somewhere new, and build your own life and routines,” says photographer Ike Edeani. Born in Nigeria, he moved to the U.S. 25 years ago, and has called Brooklyn home for the past decade—and is passionate about experiencing other cultures. He’s just back from a long stay in Marseille, where he and his director-producer girlfriend Lily Wan did just that, taking a full month to see what it’s like to live in this trending city in the south of France.

“It was strategic, in a way, because we wanted to see if we could ever live in Marseille more permanently. Lily and I have friends there who have come from all over the world,” he explains. This, of course, is when long-stay vacation rentals come into their own, offering professionals and families the chance to try on a different life for size—and many Vrbo properties offer discounts when you book for a week or more.

For Ike and for Lily, who runs a production company based in New York City, this extended stay was about more than just trading New York winter for Mediterranean sunshine. Long famous for its culturally diverse and creative spirit, Marseille has inspired artists, writers and creatives for generations—and is now renowned for its eclectic culinary landscape, contemporary jazz scene, plus its growing community of immigrants working in the creative industries. (It even boasts the world’s coolest neighborhood, according to Time Out magazine’s 2024 list.) 

“We’re lucky to already have a great community of friends and colleagues in Marseille,” says Ike, so they made sure to find a vacation rental with room to entertain as well as to work remotely, and checked the box on Vrbo’s “monthly discount” filter to find properties offering savings on long stays. “I’m always drawn to properties with history and character, rather than modern apartments,” says Edeani. “We chose a beautiful, spacious house with an amazing outdoor patio, which we made really good use of.”

As it was an extended trip, location was a priority, and they settled on coastal Malmousque, a historic, cultural neighborhood. “It’s right on the water, which we both loved, and minutes away from a café that became our daily spot, and a grocery we were in every day,” he says. “It was really nice, building our routines in this new area.”

So, how did the experiment play out? “We loved our time in Marseille, and I think we got a pretty good balance between working and also experiencing everything that the south of France has to offer,” he says. “We also felt healthier, even eating bread and cheese—the quality of the produce is so good. We came back to New York really energized, feeling like we achieved what we wanted to,” he adds. “My only regret is that we didn’t have longer.”