It is the second largest city in France and the largest commercial port. Marseille remains a capitol of southern Europe, cosmopolitan and exuberant, with it’s picturesque old port, it’s Bouillabaisse and it’s folklore. Marseille does not open itself up to visitors spontaneously.
The commercial port, the airport, the oil industry and the large population all play an important part in the economic role of the whole of Provence.
We went to Marseille on our own this morning….with 3 hours to see what we could. Two wonderful things happened…….
1. We found a soap shop……….for which Marseilles is famous!
Just to walk in the front door of this shop was fun because the smells were so fantastic!!! Many different kinds of soap……….the most popular being Lavendar, of course!
2. We found the local fish market on the harbor and were fascinated to watch this unfold!
The fish market was so unique…and not too smelly! The men were in their fishing boats by the wall of the harbor….untangling fishing line and cleaning up from their excursions. Their wives were standing nearby –selling the fresh fish at their tiny booths as people walked by to examine each catch. You’ll see from our pictures the variety in the market today. From huge chunks of tuna to fresh eels to large and small snails and sardines…the fish market had it all! And there were hundreds of small, sidewalk cafes on the harbor…ALL selling fresh fish! It was a lovely sight to behold!
We also saw the Basilica Notre Dame de la Garde – a 19th century church that sits on a hill overlooking the city. Then, the Basilica St. Victor…….Marseille’s oldest church and was originally an monastery. It has the appearance of a fortress and includes a crypt and a catacombs. We also walked up the broad boulevard of La Canebiere. It is the undisputed hub of the city and was modeled on the Champs-Elysees in Paris. This street has everything from hotels to cafes to shops!
This is our lunch break and then we are off to Aix-En Provence for the late afternoon and evening! It is 74 degrees and sunny today……..Ahhhhhhh!
At this point I'm kicking myself for not jumping on board! It looks like so much fun & so beautiful! And, again, you guys are doing a FAB job blogging! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteHey....I'M kicking you for not jumping on board! It's just the type of stuff that you would love!!! Would've been a fun trio!
ReplyDeleteI loved our Marseille blog. You really get the feeling of the fish market, etc....
Kind of a dirty city all around......but some cool parts, too.
You are so sweet to follow this along! I think of all of the followers...you win the prize for "most devoted." HA!
Love you much!
Who knew sardines were so BIG???
ReplyDeleteThose sardines are way bigger than your thumb! Cool pics you two. What was that eel on that table? Trust me on this one, I ain't cleaning anything that looks that slimy, but if you panko an fry it, I'll give it a shot.
ReplyDeleteYes, Timmy.....those were REAL eels!!! Yuck.
ReplyDelete