We will arrive in Marseille via cruise ship August 19 (Saturday) and be in port 0800 hr to 1800hr. We have been to Marseille on a previous trip and spent most of our time in and around the Vieux Port visiting churches, public spaces, cafes and enjoying great bouillabaisse (albeit overpriced). We’ve visited Paris several times as well as a trip to Normandy and have traveled in northern France via train from Paris to Strasbourg. We have not visited the South French Countryside. Should we consider a train to Aix-en-Provence or perhaps a Provence Wine Tour during our limited time in port? Could anyone suggest a private tour of the Provence region (with our without wine)?
Posted by
Chicago
8166 posts
This tour from Marseille of Provence has reviews from many travelers
https://www.tripadvisor.com/AttractionProductDetail?product=3547PROVENCEDAY&d=187253&aidSuffix=xsell&partner=Viator
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16895 posts
Saturday market day is the time to be in Aix-en-Provence and the train is an easy 35-45 minutes each way, but be sure of your return time. Unfortunately, I don't know of a good picnic spot in Aix, so don't buy things that will be hard to eat.
Or if the weather's hot, check whether you can get a boat ride to the Calenques that allows swimming. You do have to be a bit nimble to get off the boat and onto the rocks. Fire danger limits the number of hikers per day in high season.
Posted by
OP
Cincinnati, OH, USA
768 posts
Sounds like Saturday may be a fortunate bit of serendipity. Will the 19th be too late to experience the Lavender in Provence? If it is still in bloom and not yet harvested, will the train from Marseilles to Aix-en-Provence travel through the lavender fields? Is 10 hours ample time to make a leisurely visit? If we do this DIY, we’ll probably have to allow close to an hour (each way) from the ship to Gare de Marseille Saint-Charles, so our available time would be more like 8 hours.
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16895 posts
That will be plenty of time to explore the center of Aix, inside the ring road. Plan that you may get a bit lost as you just follow your nose, but the ring road makes a good landmark, defining a sort of "island" that you won't leave without noticing. BTW, maps do show a park outside the ring road, nearer to the train station, but it's not necessarily worth planning around. I just happened to eat my picnic on one of three benches at Place Bellegarde, in the company of a few whom I might fairly describe as drunks and druggies.
Café-sitting seems to be the main pass time in town. The recommended take-away Tunisian Patisserie Carthage has this location in Aix as well as one in the "Arab market" section of Marseille. Of course, the market sells all kinds of other goods and sprawls through several streets. Lavender products will certainly be for sale. Most of the lavender harvest is probably done by the end of July, and is concentrated a bit further north in Provence, so I don't think you'll see it from the train.