The Port in Marseille
The countryside breezed by while we were on the train from Paris to Marseille. All went well until our Airbnb accommodations just didn’t work out. Andrea called up her husband, John, and they booked us in at the Radisson. It was a gorgeous hotel right on the port. When we arrived the hotel upgraded us to a suite. Stepping out onto the balcony, we saw boats all in a line waiting for spring and their turn to be boarded and access the Mediterranean Sea. Thank you soooo much! It dawned on me that all of the hotels we had stayed at this trip upgraded us in some way. Thank you Lord, for all of your blessings.
Our first full day in Marseille, we started our day at the Notre-Dame de la Garde Basilica. It is built at the top of a hill, so the grandness of the church acts as a beacon of the city. The views are incredible.
We had taken a taxi on the way up (very thankful for that decision), but walked the steep roads downhill. Along the way we stopped for a bite and a few patisseries. Andrea had said she wanted that French picture of herself carrying a whole loaf of bread so when I saw some fresh loaves in a basket behind the counter, I surprised her with one and snapped the shot. Pretty sure, Fierce ate most of it, but we were all full of smiles and French bread.
Winding our way to the port, we walked its full length to a side street in La Panier, a section of town with lots of old streets and unfortunately, closed shops. We were right next to the Cathedral de la Major, so we popped in and took a quiet look inside.
Architecturally, I really like the stripes on the exterior amongst the arches and beautiful painted domed, ceilings.
The sun was warm on our faces as we walked a long courtyard to a spot where you can sit with your legs kicked out over the edge just above the rocks. The Cathedral in the near distance, a modern museum and an old fort right behind you, with the sea in front was beautiful. A few lone boats strolled in and out of the port and we filled our senses with it all.
We followed the old rampart wall until we found an entrance to the fort. It had a quaint feel with large open areas to walk. Climb a few floors up and you can look out at the Mediterranean. There were two old cannons left from days when they guarded the port. Now they are retired and enjoying the peaceful fruits of their battling days.
We found the cutest place for dinner and had delicious French food. We both tried the Bouillabaisse Soup which has a half potato, whole fish cut into two pieces and a few mussels. The fun part came in when they gave us the crostini bread, garlic and a tasty spread. First you rub the garlic on the bread, then spread the sauce over that and then place it spread side down into the fish soup. Let it soak a bit and presto, deliciousness!
