A view of le Vieux Port and la Cathédrale de la Major.We spent only a few hours in Marseille. Enough time to walk around the Vieux Port, climb up to Notre Dame de la Garde for the views, then back down to have lunch.
A cruise ship or ferry enters the port of Marseille.The weather was beautiful. The city reminded me a lot of San Francisco. Pastel colors, gorgeous bay, even an island prison. In the case of Marseille, it's the Château d'If, the place of the fictional imprisonment of Edmond Dantès, better known as the Count of Monte Cristo.
Le Château d'If seen from la Garde.The basilica of Notre Dame de la Garde sits 162 meters above the old port and commands spectacular views of the Mediterranean, the bay, the city of Marseille, and the surrounding limestone mountains.
Notre Dame de la Garde looks down on the Vieux Port.We parked our car very close to the Vieux Port, in an underground parking beneath a beautiful rectangular place called (I think) le Cours Honoré d'Estienne d'Orves. We ate lunch in a nearby restaurant and had, of course, a bouillabaisse.
La Canebière, one of the main drags in Marseille.After lunch we got back in the car and headed out of town eastwards along the coastal road.
Ah! le Château d'If...le Comte de Monte Cristo...Six volumes de la Collection Nelson that I read at sixteen,under the blanket,in three nights, with a flashlight, hiding from my mother. Edmond Dantes won my heart forever. So good to see a little bit of Marseille. Merci! from Claudia.
ReplyDeleteMarseille in the flesh was (for us) not as thrilling as it was in Marius, Fanny, Cesar (studio sets probably, except for the climb to Notre Dame on the hill). We also ate the requisite bouillabaisse at the Vieux Port. Many years ago now! I look forward to more photos from this area.
ReplyDeleteclaudia, I don't remember if I've ever read it, but I've seen several film versions. My favorite was one with Gérard Depardieu as Dantès.
ReplyDeleteanon, I've not really spent any time in the city. Something to add to the to-do list.
I liked the one with Depardieu. It was made for television.The first film I saw was with Jean Marais in 1955. I was very young.His Dantès stole my heart! Claude
ReplyDeleteThis last comment about Jean Marais/Dantès: I signed Claude by mistake. It's my name but I use Claudia to comment on blogs. I discovered you on BLOGGING IN PARIS. Another Claude...
ReplyDeleteClaudia