- Sights, scents, and flavors of the Mediterranean coast of France
- The sights — cities, villages, and the sea
- Historic and intriguing Marseille
- In the footsteps of Cézanne in Aix-en-Provence
- Nice is so very nice
- St. Paul de Vence – for the art lover in you
- A glimpse of glamour in Monaco
- The scents – lovely fragrances of Mediterranean France
- Perfumes in Grasse
- Making soap in Marseille
- The flavors — a taste of Mediterranean France
- Related posts:
Sights, scents, and flavors of the Mediterranean coast of France
Imagine the South of France. What comes to mind? Do you think of sea views and luxury beach resorts on the French Riviera or quaint villages of Provence and the historic port city of Marseille? Do you imagine taking in the fragrances of the sea and lavender fields? Perhaps you think about savoring traditional cuisine and fine wine on a terrace during a balmy evening. We enjoyed these and other sights, scents, and flavors during our exploration of the Mediterranean coast of France. Whatever you imagine, we found traveling in southern France was a treat for the senses.
This is the second in a series of posts about our journey with Collette along the Mediterranean coasts of Spain, France, and Italy.
Palms and the sea in Nice
The sights — cities, villages, and the sea
Our trip along the Mediterranean coast of France included parts of Provence (Marseille and Aix-en-Provence) and the French Riviera (known as Côte d’Azur in French).
Vista of the Mediterranean Sea along the French Riviera
Historic and intriguing Marseille
We began this portion of the tour in Marseille. We left Spain on a beautiful drive north along the coast from Costa Brava in northeast Spain, crossing the border and heading for France’s oldest city, Marseilles.
As someone who lives in Marseille told me, “Marseille is a way of life”. It’s the playing of pétanque (similar to bocce), the imbibing of pastis (an anise liqueur developed in Marseille as a substitute for the banned absinthe in 1915), the savoring of Bouillabaisse (for which Marseille is famous), and a certain joie de vivre. It is also a way of life that embraces the diversity of this melting pot on the Mediterranean and its rich culture, history, and art — giving an ample number of reasons for its designation as a 2013 European Capital of Culture. — TWS Highlights of Marseille
The Collette-organized walking tour with a local guide was a great way to experience the highlights of Marseille and what makes it special. The tour focused on three areas: Le Panier (the oldest neighborhood), the waterfront, and Vieux Port (the old port) showcasing the unique contrast of ancient history, modern architecture, and culture.
Boats in the old port of Marseille
The port area is bustling day and night. There are brasseries, restaurants, and cafes lining the harbor, many with outside seating — great for people-watching and soaking up the joie de vivre ambiance. The port area is also a venue for special events and concerts. There were exciting musical performances going on each night we were there.
Large screen projection — concert at Vieux Port
On a hilltop above the Old Port is the imposing 19th century Basilique Notre Dame de la Garde (photo below), sometimes called Marseille’s “Eiffel Tower”, which can be seen from many vantage points in and around the city. We recommend visiting (as we did on a previous trip) for its beauty and the fantastic views of the port and sea.
Basilica of Notre Dame seen from the port in Marseille
Walking through the narrow and sometimes steep lanes and stairways of Le Panier, this old neighborhood exuded the same character that I remembered from our visit several years ago. One of the oldest districts in France, Le Panier (named “the basket” because it was the location of the marketplace) was first settled by the Greeks in 600 B.C.
Peering down an alleyway of Le Panier toward the harbor
Le Panier’s spirit comes from its diversity of artistic expression in murals and in the galleries. Its residences and shops also captured my attention with their colorful facades and old-world character and decorations.
Pretty mural in Le Panier, Marseille
The city’s 2013 European Capital of Culture designation is especially apparent on the waterfront and the cultural area which was once deserted La Joliette docks. Notable sites on the waterfront are the Marseille Cathedral, Villa Méditerranée, and the MuCEM (Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilizations). MuCEM epitomizes contemporary Marseille and was the first French national museum to be located outside of Paris. Its exhibits reflect the richness and diversity of Mediterranean civilizations and it offers performances, concerts, films and other events.
Pedestirans on the waterfront esplanade – cantilevered Villa Méditerranée and MuCEM Marseille further on the left
Free time fun — boat tour of Calanques
During free time in Marseille, we took a three-hour boat tour exploring the Calanques of Marseille, the natural wonder of coastal limestone cliffs and interesting coves and caves up the coast from Marseille to Cassis, a lovely town that we visited several years ago. Unexpectedly, the trip got really exciting as the wind picked up and the water became very rough. In fact, we heard that cruises that were to leave port shortly after ours were cancelled due to high winds. We got soaked with splashing waves when we were outside in the front of the boat, so moved inside. It was a pretty rocky ride, but well worth it for the scenery and adventure. (Your trip might be much calmer!)
Boat tour of the Calanques
In the footsteps of Cézanne in Aix-en-Provence
On our way from Marseille to Nice (our next destination), we spent time in Aix-en-Provence where Jean-Philippe, our Collette tour manager, took us on a walking tour. Through the streets and squares, Aix exudes the charm and elegance in its eye-catching shops and fine restaurants and cafes. It’s possible to visit the studio of artist Paul Cézanne (which we did on a previous visit) or just feel his spirit as you walk in his footsteps. Look on the pavement for bronze markers with a “C” to identify 32 points of interest relating to Cézanne.
We had a fair amount of free time in the city, too. We found a lovely restaurant on cours Mirabeau to have lunch outside on a beautiful day. It happened to be Bastille Day and there was an extra feeling of celebration; a special treat was the waiters and guests erupting in a spirited La Marseillaise, the French national anthem.
Quaint street in Aix-en-Provence
At open markets in Aix-en-Provence you’ll find fresh produce, bread, flowers, spices, sweets, and other local products. There are fresh markets in many towns of Provence, but there’s a special charm to those in Aix.
Open air market on a lovely square in Aix
Nice is so very nice
One of the most famous areas of France, the French Riviera is coastal strip on the southeast coast of France along the Mediterranean beginning east of Marseilles and continuing to the Italian border. It fascinates with its gorgeous beaches, spectacular coastline, and fabled luxury. One of the most popular cities of the area is Nice.
Our two days on the French Riviera in Nice were very nice (I couldn’t resist), but I could definitely go back for more. I loved the quintessential French Riviera ambiance and vibrant old town, squares, and parks. We really felt the romantic vibe of the city, especially as we walked along the seaside promenade, watched the sunset on the pebbly beach, and explored the colorful squares. Our hotel was located on a tree-lined residential location convenient to key sights, shopping, restaurants, and the seaside.
On the beach in Nice at sunset
We enjoyed balmy weather in Nice; it was perfect for al fresco dining and strolling along the beach at sunset. A walk on the Promenade des Anglais,the paved promenade along the Baie des Anges stretching for 7 kilometers, is a must if visiting Nice, whether people watching, enjoying the sunset or sunrise, or viewing iconic luxury hotels and cultural buildings. We imagined what it would be like to attend the final 2 stages of the 2024 Tour de France, as we walked past stands and other visible signs of the race to arrive at the end of the week.
Scenes of Nice
There are plenty of cultural venues to visit including Musée Matisse and Musée National Marc Chagall for art lovers, and Musée Masséna for history buffs. Strolling the narrow winding alleyways of the old town, stopping for a coffee, glass of wine, or gelato is a totally enjoyable way to spend time, too. Nice was also a great location for the Collette optional day trip we took to Grasse and St. Paul de Vence.
St. Paul de Vence – for the art lover in you
St. Paul de Vence is a medieval hilltop town with a distinct artistic character. In fact, this picturesque town and surrounding area is said to have inspired great artists like Matisse. We wandered along the narrow streets line with many art studios and galleries on our way to the top to enjoy panoramic views of the lush countryside withe the sea in the distance. We enjoyed a quick lunch outdoors on a tiny quiet side street.
St. Paul de Vence
An art gallery in St-Paul de Vence
A glimpse of glamour in Monaco
There was beautiful scenery all along the way to our next destination ( Genoa, Italy) including our en-route visit to Monaco. Although Monaco is a sovereign city-state, it is considered part of the French Riviera.
Monaco, the world’s second smallest country (only Vatican City is smaller), epitomizes luxury living, wealth, and glamour and is characterized by views of glittering lights on the hillsides surrounding the harbor. It’s certainly no surprise why Monaco has been featured in many films including To Catch a Thief, and James Bond hits like Never Say Never Again and Goldeneye. — TWS A Day in Monaco
Port of Monte Carlo seen from Monaco City
We had been to Monaco before but really enjoyed the Collette experience that let us see different things and enjoy a different perspective. As part of our Collette tour we took a ride on the “Little Train” that runs from the place square in Monaco City and takes a scenic route through Monte Carlo up the hill past high-end designer stores to the famous Monte Carlo Casino and then back to Monaco City. It was a fun ride. On a previous trips when we were docked at the port during a Viking Mediterranean cruise, we found another way to get up to Monte Carlo that you might like to try if wanting to visit the casino from the port.
Monte Carlo Casino
A walking tour of Monaco City, nicknamed “The Rock” for its clifftop position above the Mediterranean Sea, gave us a glimpse of changing of the guards at the Prince’s Palace and then a self-guided tour inside the opulent royal residence. Another landmark on the tour is the Cathedral of Monaco where Grace Kelly and Prince Ranier were married and where they are buried.
Prince’s Palace in Monaco
Lunch tip: We had some time to have lunch after our guided tour of Monaco City. There are quite a few restaurants and cafes near the castle, but we had a recommendation for a quick lunch to go down the hill to Le Marché de la Condamine, a large indoor food market where there was a diversity of food vendors to choose from.
The scents – lovely fragrances of Mediterranean France
Perfumes in Grasse
Truth be told — I don’t often wear perfume, but I do enjoy catching a waft of a beautiful fragrance. At Fragonard Perfumery in Grasse (north of Nice), part of the optional Collette day trip from Nice, not only were we treated to a variety of lovely scents, but we got to come up with our very own personal scents. We were instructed in the process of perfume making by a trained perfumer known as le nez (the nose) because of their expertise in the art and science/knowledge of producing fragrances. Lilacs was the floral part of the fragrance composition that we worked with.
Perfume making at Fragonard in Grasse
Making soap in Marseille
Have you heard of Marseille soap? Soap-making has actually been a heritage trade of Marseille for over 600 years. We took a short ferry ride from Quai du Port to the other side of the port to visit a soap museum on Quai de Rive Neuve. It was fun and interesting activity. There’s a short demonstration about how the soap is made and then we had the chance to take a long bar of fresh soap and created our own design/shape and imprints. And of course, we took our personal soap creations (not shown in the pics) home as a souvenir of Marseille.
Marseille soap museum
The flavors — a taste of Mediterranean France
Cuisine in the south of France – Ravioli à la Niçoise, zucchini flowers, Calissons d’Aix, mussels in a creamy garlic sauce, seafood stew, panisse
Bouillabaisse (seafood stew — particularly known as a specialty of Marseille), mussels, panisse (like French fries, but composed of ground chick peas), and Ravioli à la Niçoise (ravioli pasta with beef and vegetables) were our favorites. We also enjoyed zucchini flowers as a starter at dinner in Nice. In the collage above, the fresh zucchini flowers were at the open air market in Aix-en-Provence.
For something sweet, try delicacies like Calissons d’Aix or the many varieties of nougat — just two of the region’s specialties. They are key elements of the traditional 13 desserts of a Provençal Christmas.
Outside dining in Marseille
Restaurant tips:
During your free time for meals, consider these restaurants. We enjoyed dining outside at each of them.
Dinner at La Maison de Marie, 5 rue Masséna, Nice — The restaurant’s beef ravioli recipe and seafood stew are shown in the photo above.
Dinner at Le Safari, 1 cours Saleya, Nice — Their Ravioli à la Niçoise is a different, but just as wonderful, version of the beef ravioli dish at La Maison de Marie.
Lunch at Le Singe Vert, 15 cours Mirabeau, Aix-en-Provence — Lovely location and nice selection of salads and vegetarian, seafood, and beef dishes.
Lunch at Le Bouchon Provençal, 6 place Aux Huiles, Marseille — We had salads and panisse which was perfect for lunch.
Dinner at Sur le Port, 54 Quai du Port, Marseille — Mussels are a specialty here.
Souvenir tip: As mentioned above, perfumes and soaps are great souvenirs. Olive oil, wine, herbs and spreads are also nice souvenirs of Provence.
Culture tip: When anywhere in France, be sure to greet shopkeepers, restaurant staff, and others with bonjour (hello/good day) or bonsoir (good evening). It is a sign of respect and makes for a good start to your interactions.
South of France place of interest tip: Between our previous destination, the Costa Brava region of Spain and our next destination, Marseille, we traveled inland to Abbaye de Fontfroide near Narbonne for a tour and a lovely lunch of locally-produced food and wine. The 9th century abbey and its grounds are beautiful with a large garden and views of the hilly countryside.
Abbaye de Fontfroide
Au revoir, France! Now on to Italy, the third country visited on our Collette Mediterranean Coastal Journey tour.
Disclosure: Thanks to Collette for sponsoring us on this Mediterranean Coastal Journey. We loved it!
