Marseille (Provence), France
The largest port on the Mediterranean, Marseille is France's second largest city and a virtual melting pot of peoples and cultures. It is also a place of striking contrasts, from the fishing boats and pleasure craft of the picturesque Vieux Port to the modern Canebiere. Dominating the harbor is the infamous Chateau d'If, the rocky prison from which Alexandre Dumas' Count of Monte Cristo escaped. Marseille is also your gateway to Provence. Explore the countryside around Arles and Avignon, immortalized in the canvases of Van Gogh, Cezanne, Matisse and Picasso.
Points of Interest
- Aix-en-Provence
- Avignon
- Marseille and Notre Dame de la Garde
- Pont du Gard
- Arles
- Lourmarin
- Roussillon
- Les Baux de Provence
More about Marseille (Provence), France Points of Interest
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Aix-en-Provence -
The former medieval capital of Provence boasts a 12th-century cathedral, Saint-Sauveur d'Aix, an Archbishop's Palace and a medieval clock-tower. Fun for shoppers, there are many markets and shops to browse.
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Avignon -
Avignon is home to the Palace of the Popes, which has been the residence of nine popes from 1309 to 1378, during their exile from Rome, plus the arched Pont d'Avignon bridge, which dates back to 1171.
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Marseille and Notre Dame de la Garde -
Enjoy Marseille's Cornice coastal road, the bustling Le Vieux Port, the neo-Byzantine Cathedral de la Major, and the 19th-century Notre-Dame de la Garde, a beautiful Basilica overlooking the city.
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Pont du Gard -
This world famous three-tiered ancient Roman aqueduct bridge, dates back to 40 A.D., and crosses the shallow Gard River. It used to carry around 44 million gallons of water a day from Uzès to Nîmes.
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Arles -
Founded by the Roman Emperor Julius Caesar in the year 46 B.C., this picture-perfect town was home to Vincent Van Gogh for nearly one year, during which he painted over 100 canvases from 1888 to 1889.
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Lourmarin -
Lourmarin sits at the foot of the charming Luberon mountain range
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Roussillon -
One of the prettiest villages of the Luberon range, lively Roussillon is situated in the heart of one of the biggest ochre deposits in the world, boasting cliffs made of yellow, red and white sands..
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Les Baux de Provence -
It has a spectacular position in the Alpilles mountains, set atop a rocky outcrop that is crowned with a ruined castle overlooking the plains to the south.
