If you are crossing the Mediterranean Sea, there is a good chance that the city of Marseille or another city on the French Riviera will be a port of call. Marseille is often the city for cruises to the historic Provence area of France and offers easy access to fascinating cities such as Aix-en-Provence, Avignon, St. Paul de Vence and Les Baux.
Visit Marseille
When your ship sails to Marseille, one of the first things you will see is the Château d’If, which is a small island located about 1.5 miles from the old port. The fortress on the small island held many political prisoners during its history, including the French revolutionary hero Mirabeau. However, Alexandre Dumas made Château d’If even more famous when he included it as the place of the prison in his classic 1844 novel, “The Count of Monte Cristo.” Local tour boats take visitors to see the island, but cruise ship passengers get a wonderful view when sailing to or from Marseille.
Three things come to mind when the word Marseille is mentioned. Foodies will know that bouillabaisse is a fish stew that originated in Marseille. The second is that Marseille is the same name as France’s poignant national anthem, “La Marseillaise.” Finally, and of greatest interest to travelers, are the historical and touristic aspects of this captivating area. The city dates back more than 1,500 years, and many of its structures are well preserved or have retained their original design.
Marseille is the oldest and second oldest city in France. Historically it has served as an entry point for North Africans entering France. As a result, the city has a relatively large Arab population. Those who watch old movies and read mystery novels can recall stories and images from the French Foreign Legion and recall the exotic tales of this exciting port city. The city is guarded by the church of Notre-Dame de la Garde (Our Lady of the Guard), which stands above the city. The city is full of other fascinating monuments and architecture, and seeing a panoramic view of the city from this church is well worth the trip to the top.
Marseille has many other historic churches that visitors can explore. Saint-Victor Abbey dates back over a thousand years and has a fascinating history.
Stop in Aix-en-Provence.
On a cruise to the French Riviera, ships often offer shore excursions to Avignon, Les Baux, St. Paul de Vence, and Aix-en-Provence. A half-day shore excursion to Aix-en-Provence is completely enjoyable. Buses take guests to the old city of Aix, which is an hour’s drive from the boat. This city is famous for being the home of the French impressionist Paul Cézanne. It is also a university city, with many young people who keep the city alive.
Aix was originally a walled city with 39 towers. It now features a circle of boulevards around the center, with trendy shops and sidewalk cafes. If you’re lucky, you’ll be there on market day, and the streets are packed with shoppers from the surrounding countryside. The flowers, food, clothing, prints, and other items you can find at a home yard sale are plentiful. It is lovely to walk through the streets with a guide and visit the Saint Sauveur Cathedral. This church was built several hundred years ago, so you can see the 6th century Christian baptistery and the carved walnut doors from the 16th century side by side inside the church.
After about an hour of touring with a guide, you will have free time to explore Aix-en-Provence for around 90 minutes. Of course, you may want to try one of the famous Calissons de Aix, so head to a bakery and buy some. You could use a whole day just to wander around the market, but when you’re on tour, time is limited to browse some of the stalls. Many groups of tourists meet at the Great Fountains of the Cours Mirabeau. It was built in 1860 and is located at the ‘lower end’ of the Cours at La Rotonde.
Make time for sightseeing
One of the best things about a cruise is seeing a wide variety of sights without having to pack and unpack. One of the worst things about a cruise is not having enough time to explore fascinating cities, like Aix-en-Provence, in more depth. Of course, if you don’t need to do that bus, there’s no telling how many Calissons it might consume, and some commuters might still be wandering the streets absorbing the sights, sounds, and smells of Provence.
