We are taking the RS Eastern France in May and staying an extra night in Marseille. For the free day we are thinking of a day tour to Aix-en-Provence and/or Cassis. Any comments or other recommendations in Marseille or nearby?
Posted by
New York, NY, USA
11294 posts
From, Marseille, you can easily go to Arles, Aix, Avignon, or Cassis. You can also stay in Marseille itself. Read more about these places and decide which appeals to you (they're very different).
I haven't been to Cassis, but I much preferred Arles to Aix, and somewhat preferred Arles to Avignon. Again, just my opinion - everyone has different reactions to these places.
Posted by
🏝️ Hobe Sound, FL⛱️
3279 posts
Visiting Aix, Avignon or Cassis are all great ideas and are easily doable. Or just stay in Marseille. Visit the new MuCEM - Museum of Mediterranean and European Civilisations - or the Museum des Beaux Artes. And definitely take a boat ride past Chateau D'If to see the calanques. Visit the fish market in Vieux Porte early in the morning. Roam through the streets just north of the port and visit some of the ateliers. Or just head out to one of the fabulous restaurants on the Corniche de JFK overlooking the Mediterranean and enjoy an absurdly expensive bouillabaisse, perhaps at Chez Fonfon.
I obviously like Marseiile and believe it's worth more than just one afternoon.
Posted by
Ohio
2161 posts
Hi Don, we did the Eastern France tour at the end of May 2015, great tour. I'd suggest spending the extra day in Marsailles. We had a short walking tour and just an hour or two to explore before the final group dinner. I would have enjoyed a bit more time to see the city. We really liked this tour and the various parts of the country we covered. Take a jacket for Chamonix and shorts for Vaison La Romaine. Hope you have a great time!
Posted by
USA
211 posts
I took this tour a couple years ago. Aix is nice. If you want to stay in Marseille, I'd recommend a 1.5- or 3-hour calanque cruise on the Med you can take right from the port there. Gorgeous scenery!