|
  | |  |
Edmond Dantes and Marseille
Entry 71 of 76 | show all | print this entry |
|
Geez all the photos. I have so many good photos from Marseille. I've ended up with a measely 44. And that was cut back by about 30! Having said that, Marseille is beautiful! Marseilles is the second biggest city in France, and has always been a port city, having one of the major ports in the Mediterranean since BC times.
We arrived from Nice on Sunday afternoon, about 5pm. After dumping our bags at the hostel, which was right near the train station (handy), we headed town the the city centre. The city is quite grand, with great architecture, big buildings, trams, and of course the centerpiece - Vieux Port. Vieux Port translates to 'The Old Port of Marseilles'. There are two forts on either side of the entrance to the port, which look stunning. I hadn't seen anything like it since Malta. And then there's the amazing Basilique Notre Dame de la Garde high up on the hill over looking the city. And finally, there's The Chateau d'If situated on a rock in a group of small islands just outside the harbour. Marseille is definitely an amazing setting.
We had a look around the port and up to Fort d'Entrecasteux which has a amazing view of Vieux Port and the city. Following this we made the hike up to the Basilique Notre Dame de la Garde, which is located on a hill high above the city. It's an amazing location and gave one of the best city views I have ever seen (doesn't compare the view from Mount Wellington though!). The basilica is impressive itself with a huge golden sculpture of Mary and Jesus glistening in the sun high above the hill. There is also a fair amount of scars from World War II. It was a nice hike up there in the sun too, located at 200m above sea level.
After a bit more of a wander we had drinks of the waterfront and then dinner at a small Italian restaurant. Marseille were playing in a big football match that night so the pubs were packed. The waterfront at Vieux Port is an amazing place to drink eat and socialise. And there's plenty to choose from. Our journey wouldn't have been complete without visiting the Bar de la Marine. This is bar is featured in the film 'Love Actually' where Cloin Firth gets his girl at the end of the film. The bar is exactly as it is in the film too! I love going film locations! On Monday we rose early with the aim of getting to the Chateau d'If for a look. Chateau d'If is famous for feauturing the Count of Monte Cristo. Originally a defensie Fort, the Chateau was transformed into a prison and housed some of Frances most infamous characters. With it goes some amazing stories too. We hopped on a boat quite early in the morning, meaning we beat the crowds. Not that Marseille is very touristy anyway. The Chateau was very impressive, with some really creepy cells, and an excellent exbihition on the history. The view form the top of the chateau was fantastic.
We only had enough time before our flight to check out the La Panier quater of Marseille, once back from the Chateau. The weather was fantastic again by the way. La Panier is one of the oldest parts of Mareille with narrow cobbled streets and lanes, churches, and some great architecture. We wandered around here for a few hours and had a bite to eat and icecream too. It is a fantastic area of Marseille with some interesting history. That pretty much sums up our long weekend in the French Riviera. It was a fantastic trip, partly because it was unexpected. I liked Marseille a lot more than Nice, mainly due to the history and sites. Also it was cheaper and less touristy. The city certainly had a lot to offer tourist though, and I could even see myself living there. It would be a good locations as it is close to the Alps and quite central to whole host of other great destinations.
More thumbnails ...
|
|
If you like this entry, search for other entries by stevea, from Provence, France or try a new search. |
| |
Back to Entry - Back to Home
|
6 votes 
