I liked Lyon quite a bit, but I fell in love with Marseille!
The rail journey between the two cities was short and pleasant, but I took a later train than I should have, and by the time I reached Marseille I was rather tired. I decided to take it easy, opting only for a late lunch at and a stroll around the Vieux Port.
Lunch was mediocre, though the wine was fine, and I found the old port exciting in spite of (or possibly because of?) the fact that it is rough-edged place. Slightly seedy, perhaps but strong on atmosphere.
The old-fashioned sailing boat in the distance on the right and the tour boat Edmund Dantes on the left excited me, the first because, if touristy, it was quite pretty and the second because I planned a cruise in a day or so to the Chateau d'If, the tiny isle on which Dantes was imprisoned in the swash-buckling novel The Count of Monte Cristo.
And then there was this:
A gigantic mirror hanging above an open area right next to the water. Designed by the famous Norman Foster, I found it a tad wacky, but delightfully festive!
After my introduction to the heart of Marseille, I returned to my hotel, only a ten minute walk away from the Vieux Port, more than content with my brief introduction to the city.
The next morning I was out early, to grab my seat in a minivan tour. Our guide Nathalie was a very attractive and fit older woman (though not nearly as old as I) with excellent English, and the seven other travelers were all from Malta, family with one of the brightest "tweens" I've ever spoken to - good company! Not always the case in minivan tours, alas and alack. A sophisticated small city and a charming fishing village were the targets for the day.
The first is a place that has been called "the city of 1,000 fountains," Aix-en-Provence, where our guide for the day lives - the largest fountain, Fontaine de la Rotonde, is pictured below.
I had visited Provence slightly more than 20 years ago, but stayed in Avignon and took only half-day trip on my own, to Orange. I had wanted to include Aix on that trip, however I made up for it, too briefly, on this journey.
Our guide led us towards the Place de la Ville, but stopped at a few spots first, one of which was a typical small square, cobblestoned, called Place Albertas. The building pictured is a 17th century "hotel particulier" - an elegant town house.
Then I stepped in to ruin the picture.
Nathalie pointed out several different doors of residences decked with small statues, to frighten evil away according to her.
She also drew our attention to religious statues set into the walls of houses, usually on a corner, explaining that during plagues,
Next, the edge of Place de La Ville - and on market day!
Our lovely guide Nathalie chats with some of the Maltese.
Others might prefer veggies - look at the peppers!
The Hôtel de Ville itself - two views
An ancient Roman column, reminding us that centuries ago occupied this area, southern Gaul
I loved every minute of this tour, but more than anything else, for me Aix is the city of Cezanne! His name is everywhere.
You can walk the Cezanne Trail, and important spots along it are marked by a shiny, tiny gold plaques in the cobblestones.
One such place is the building where he went to school - a plaque reminding us marks the spot.
There is even a fountain with a bas-relief of Cezanne...
The artist who created it? Jean Renoir. Here's a closer look.
Last but not least a statue of Cezanne, striding onward.
As we drove out of Aix, Nathalie pointed out Mont Sainte-Victoire, which the great artist painted countless times (according to Wikipedia "over 60 times" but you never know).
******
On to the seaside village of Cassis! Before Nathalie drove us there we stopped far above the village.
This spectacular view of the coast and the Mediterranean alone would have "made" this tour for me.
Back down from the heights, welcome to Cassis...
Here we were given our choice: wander through the village, shop, eat lunch, enjoy the beach...
or take a boat tour to three of the "calanques," or inlets, ranging from modest to mountainous, very inexpensive, 45 minutes...the prime reason I chose this particular tour, so off I sailed - our trusty craft, below
And off we went
the first calanque is little more than an indentation between low hills, with its own marina and the only one that is accessible by automobile.
the second, a bit less domesticated - the first photo is of us heading in, the second heading out.
The third was more like the calanques I had read about, more dramatic than the first two
There was even a cave - and unusual rock formations.
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