France seduces travellers with its charming medieval cities, alpine villages and Mediterranean beaches. Explore the south France, a trail to an unimaginable beauty in the old medieval streets, a dig in the fresh aqua air at the unique beach coves, a gentle touch of waves in the Mediterranean, birds chirping its way in the blue sky while you sip at the fairy tale cafes.
Marseille
Marseille, an attractive city to the south of France. At the heart of the city lies the beautiful old port, Vieux-Port. Mornings, the port is filled with fishermen´s to sell their catch. This city is a mix blend of old historic architectures with a modern touch. Situated at the top of the city, Basilique Notre Dame de la Garde is a magnificent cathedral which gives you a stunning panoramic views of its gorgeous foot, Marseille, the Sea, and the Vieux Port. There is a treat at every street corner; the old Marseille with its charming little restaurants, all typical yet incredible maintains diversity.
Places to visit in Marseille
Notre Dame-de-la-garde
The statue of The Lady Notre Dame-de-la-garde(Our Lady of the guard), known affectionately as the Good Mother which overlooks the harbour, is a key image of Marseille in France. It offers a great combination of beautiful architecture, the best viewpoint in the city, an enjoyable hike. The basilica is on top of a steep hill, which is accessible by buses, Ubers etc. For a brilliant view of Marseille— it´s worth going either on a clear morning or around sunset. Inside, is an early 19th century basilica with colourful mosaics, interesting detail, there are ship models hanging inside the church to testament, the church was seen as protecting the harbour and the patronage for the ones, who spent their lives as mariners. The church was a battle site for Marseille, in 1944 when Allied soldiers won the city back from the Nazis.
Parc national des calanques
Le Parc National des Calanques is an area of outstandingly beautiful limestone cliffs and inlets on the Mediterranean coast. The aqua blue of the Mediterranean sea contrasting with the orange-yellowed mounts and the green trees in the top is simply fantastic. There are also some areas, mainly with coniferous forest and patches of broadleaf trees. It is possible to take a brief boat tour around some parts of Le Calanques from the Old Port of Marseille or you can consider walking. My preference of course was walking over which I found this place as heaven on the earth. The calanques can be easily accessed from both sides, Marseille or Cassis. Wear comfortable shoes and have enough drinking water with you. Dive into the cool vibrant water on a scorching summer day and relax your muscles engaged through the hike.
Iles du frioul
The Frioul islands, are a great get away from the hustle bustle of the Marseille city. There are few calanques on this island, which are worth a visit. There are trails that take you up above the dazzling white cliffs and down along the azure water at the shore. If you’re in Marseille, you owe it to yourself to experience the natural beauty of this area, and a trip to the Iles du Frioul is a great way to satisfy your nature fix.
The Château d'If
The Château d’If is a fortress located on the island of If, the smallest island in the Frioul archipelago situated in the Mediterranean Sea about one mile offshore in the Bay of Marseille in south eastern France. It is famous for being one of the settings of Alexandre Dumas’ adventure novel The Count of Monte Cristo. Amazing picturesque and legendary fortress sitting on the white rock in the middle of the Marseilles’ bay. Beautiful construction, visit at your own pace, stroll in the small park, rest with a coffee.
Cathedrale de la Major, National Monument of France
A real intricately-designed cathedral is a remarkable setting overlooking the Mediterranean and the Port of Marseille. It’s unique Romanesque-Byzantine design makes it stand out among the surrounding buildings. Spectacular from the outside and well located by the sea so that you can really get the impression of the grandeur. The cathedral is not only an exquisite from outside, but also from inside, with its beautiful mosaic art over its floor and walls.
Palais Longchamp
The Palais Longchamp is a city park in Marseille. The palace was began to built in 1839 and was completed in 1869. The purpose was to celebrate the excavation of the Marseille canal. To transport water from the River Durance, this castle has been titled as “Castle Fountain” featuring statues of horses and waterfall. Linked to the two buildings, the Museum of Art and the Museum of Natural History of Marseille. The architecture of the fountain is beautiful and tranquil to seat and admire its beauty.
Cassis
Cassis is a Mediterranean fishing port and a low scale town in southern France. The town is about 1 hour from Aix-en-Provence and 45 minutes from the airport of Marseille. It is relatively small compared to the big cities on the Riviera, yet charming. The town is known for it´s pebbly beaches and its calanques, narrow inlets framed by steep, limestone cliffs. The harbor features pastel-colored buildings, sidewalk cafes and restaurants. Above all, is a fortress that is lit at night and gives a magical atmosphere to this lovely town. The town has two beaches– main beach near the harbor and the other is on the east of the harbour, which are picturesque. Clear turquoise water, surrounded by green cliffs. There is a good restaurant on the beach. Local vineyards are known for producing Cassis´s white wine. Trails run along the huge, rocky Cap Canaille headland for panoramic sea views.
Grasse
Grasse is a picturesque medieval town, in the hills north of Cannes. It is world famous for its age old perfume industry, and this heritage is well celebrated at the Musée International de la Parfumerie, in the town center. Famous perfumeries like Fragonard, Galimard offer industry visit tours. So, you can certainly stop by to add some beautiful fragrances to your collection. The town is dominated with lavender fields, so you shouldn´t miss a chance to view the never-ending and beautiful lavender fields, as also, to be lost in the pure essence of lavender.
Grasse Cathedral is another tourist attraction while its decoration bears paintings by Rubens.
My Personal Gallery
On my trip to this places, I was more than inspired by the culture, the landscapes, the picture-perfect beaches, the soft sand, the glitz, the glamour, the untouched islands, the virgin forest and the list goes on. This destination was by far one of my favourites and I wish to go there back to relive the calmness and peace that this place gave me.
Feel free to share your experience!
Author: Kinnari
Welcome! I am Kinnari, a 20 something Engineer from Pune, India. Presently residing in Germany, which got me an opportunity to explore the world around me! Staying far from my family also got me a chance to step into the kitchen and put my apron on! Altogether a big opportunity to share my experiences with you!
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