March 14 - Marseille Vieux Port

This week we had a our first visitors to the Villa!! Hanna, Patrick and Michael, and Pam our friends from Toronto.  They had an interesting flight to get here, and their bags had an even more interesting trip, but they arrived safe and sound.  Our first trip was to Marseille to see the old port area.  Marseille is the oldest city in France and has been a port for 2600 years.

There is another area where the smaller boats are parked, it is around the corner in the swamp.

Fort St. Nicolas

Fort St. Jean.  The two forts are build on either side of the entrance to the old harbour.  Both these forts were built to protect the harbour from the residents of Marseille.  The cannons pointed towards the town, not out to sea.  The two ports were built by Louis XIV, just after an uprising against the local governor.

The Palais du Pharo, built as an imperial residence for Napoleon, but never occupied by him.  He was "replaced" in 1870 as the seat of government.

A small enclosed portion of beach (Plage des catalans) belonging to the restaurant we were shown by some locals.

Chillin' waiting for our food.

After lunch a stroll on the beach.  Nice sand, not rocky, the Mediterranean is still cold mind you.

An interesting view of St. Victoire, the 5th century abbey on the hill.

Its all so very very French.