Spring all over Europe seemed to be taking a long time to kick in, so our time in Marseille did not see many tourists, nor a whole lot of warm weather. We did, however, enjoy the sun, exploring the city by foot and the delicious food.
Being a port town, Marseille, is a marvellous place for seafood and early morning one can smell fresh seafood being sold along the water. The seafood is literally straight off the boat, most of it is still moving when it is purchased.
If you are a fresh seafood fan, a trip to Toinou, will satisfy your appetite. Great for a summer dinner, maybe not so great for when it's a bit chilly (as the restaurant doesn't cook anything except for the chips) and you aren't a die-hard raw seafood fan (like me). The seafood is taken straight off the ice (see the selling stands behind Geoff in the photo) and put straight onto your platter.
A short boat ride from Marseille, one can take a trip to Ile d'If, an isolated island which used to keep prisoners among its stone walls.
The island is famous for being the location of which the famous book by Alexandre Dumas, The Count of Monte Christo, is based.
Back on shore, we set off on foot to explore more of Marseille. We decided to try and work off the croissants and macaroons we had been indulging in since we landed in France and walked to the highest point in Marseille to the Notre Dame de la Garde church.
The steep rise through the residential streets of Marseille were worth it for the views at the top (below you can see Port Vieux).
And the spectacular interior of the church adorned with coloured and gold motifs, and strong nautical theme throughout, something we had not ever encountered before inside a church.
Back down, in the city, we took a break for a drink at a rustic café/bookshop. Just how cafes should be.
Setting on foot again, we visited Cathedrale de la Major
Classically French with it’s black, moody interior, we dined most of the night as the only table there (the French eat late, we noticed their next booking was at about 9pm) and had the undivided attention of a lovely waiter, who did not speak a word of English. Seeing was we knew only very, very basic French we had fun trying to establish conversation and also read the menus.
The food on the menu was a little more elaborate than just chicken or fish, and our French phrase book didn’t even have some of the words that appeared on the menu. After half an hour of pouring over and guessing the menu, we ordered and were pleasantly surprised to find wonderful dishes infused with Thai flavours. Our cappuccinos at the end of the meal, served with cream and a tiny raspberry nestled on top, finished off our unique dining experience at Carbone and in Marseille.
