Marseille France

I was told that Marseille didn’t have much to offer but we spent a week here and loved it. Local old places to see are limited other than the local Notre- Dame de la Garde. We stayed again a few miles from the old part of the city, which is centered on the old port (a 5 minute subway ride). The people were all nice to us non French speakers. Marseille is the the 2nd largest city in France and the 3rd largest port in Europe, but all that size and sea activity is some distance away from the “old port”. Day trips to 4-5 villages in the Provence area, a boat ride up the coast (went right by the island of d’If- old prison island made famous by Count of Monte Cristo), a food tour (of course), along with a bunch of laid back time enjoying the rooftop balcony, and the week was over. First place we’ve been that we didn’t go to any museum (Woo Hoo). No nude beaches but I’ll keep looking. Off to a country place in the Tuscany region of Italy (renting a car- that will be interesting). Forgot to mention- you may have wondered about my shorter haircut in the pics. While Beth was getting a pedicure in Madrid I wandered around and stumbled on a barber shop- no miscommunication- they just didn’t have my length in the electric clippers so I decided to go shorter for the summer- as I was leaving I found it was a barber college I was in- $3 for the cut. Paid little-got a lot taken off!!

Another rooftop balcony

View from other side of apartment-a big church

While fruity looking he was a good food guide-born and raised in Marseille

Countryside on tour through Provence

2 pics of Town of Les Baux in Provence (22 permanent residents)

Old Roman entrance to town of Saint Remy in Provence

Saint Remy statue of painter Vincent van Gogh where he was in the mental sanatorium and painted many of his best works.

Saint Remy drive

Tour guide Lucy in town of Gordes. She was a sweety 

2 pics of town of Gordes in Provence 

Beth takes pics of our food for her blog. I guess I was too late for my pic of this great dessert in Gordes

Four more pics of Gordes

Provence town of Rousillion

3 pics of ocher mine in Rousillion. Ocher was used for dye and still is some but this mine is closed

Provence countryside 

Provence town of Lourmarin

Old port of Marseille 36 year anniversary dinner and last night in Marseille 

Marseille beachisland of If where the old prison is, made famous by the book- Count of Monte Cristotypical affluent neighborhood in Marseille 

 Notre- Dame de la Garde  the Marseille Cathedral is the seat of the Archdiocese of Marseille.many sailboats docked at the old portisland of If on left with old prisonboat ride along shoreline- a little chillyCalanques National Park as seen from boat rideCalanques National Park- cool cloud looks like a tornadoMarseille from the water2 pics of Notre- Dame de la Gardepic of old port from Notre-Dame

WWII scars on Norte-Dame