Dates: March 10-12th
Nestled on the Mediterranean in the Provence region, Marseille is a relatively warm destination even in March. The only downside is that it can be a bit uncomfortable if you get caught in the strong Mistral winds.
Since Aliya was in town for Spring break, we decided to take a small trip out to Marseille for the weekend. We took an early morning train from Paris to Marseille at a top speed of 310 km/h. The TGV is really cool and still feels very fast even after a few trips on it. In a mere 3 hours we got from central Paris to central Marseille almost 800 km away. We arrived in Marseille right around noon and quickly checked into the Citadines Aparthotel near the Vieux Port (Old Port). The Vieux Port is one of the oldest ports in France and has been used since the Greeks first inhabited the area in 600 BC.
Marseille is home to some very interesting landmarks, the most interesting of which is Chateau d'If located on a small island just 20 minutes south of the city. Chateau d'If was the prison for the ficticious Count of Monte Cristo in the novel by Alexandre Dumas. Unfortunately, the Mistral winds were out in full force which resulted in very rough seas. The boat that normally takes tourists out to visit the Island was not able to stop at the Island so we had to continue on to the Frioul islands instead. While beautiful, it was difficult to ignore the strength (and cold) of the Mistral winds. I don't think I've ever experienced winds so stong. Even the locals found the weather triste (sad) and generally ventured out into the gusts when necessary. The good news is that the sky was blue and the Sun was shining; a definite solice to those of us not entirely happy in the winds.
Another highlight of our trip was a miniature train ride up to the Notre Dame de la Guard cathedral built atop the highest hill in Marseille. The view from this location was stunning; the hills on one side, the city in the middle, and the sea and islands on the other side. Marseille is truly blessed with a unique location in the South of France.