Tag: Marseille

After yesterday’s full day in Avignon, today was an easy day. In the morning I stayed at the hotel and wrote my blog. In the afternoon, I went to Mucem – the Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisations. I’d passed its striking building several times already. It’s on a scenic walk along the harbour. Every … Continue reading / view photos Marseille — Mucem

I’d been meaning to go Marseille’s central library and today I finally got round to it. Called Bibliotheque l’Alcazar, it was about a 15-minute walk from my hotel. On the way, I again passed the building that resembled the Arc de Triomphe. The library building was huge. Unlike Germany, there was no hassle getting into … Continue reading / view photos Marseille — culture and counter-culture

Architecturally, the Cathedral of La Major is apparently “Byzantine-Revival with Romanesque influences”. It was built in the 19th century after nearly 200 years without any new cathedrals being built in France. At the time, Marseille was expanding economically. The city developed quickly and its population grew. The infrastructure was modernised to support the expansion of … Continue reading / view photos La Cathédrale de la Major

After a 15 minute walk, I was in the Old Charity Centre. This was on my list but I hadn’t done any reading. I didn’t know what to expect. It turned out to be a 17-century baroque building in Marseille’s historic Panier district. Formerly an almshouse for the poor, the building now is a cultural … Continue reading / view photos La Vieille Charité

The Japanese hotel I’m staying at includes breakfast. They have a good choice of breads, cereals, salads, fruits, rice and some Japanese dishes. Today I enjoyed the Marmite I bought yesterday. Then I headed for Les Docks Village, which is within walking distance of the hotel. The docks are now the home of offices, shops … Continue reading / view photos Les Docks Village

An unmissable sight from just about anywhere in Marseille is the Notre-Dame de la Garde church (“Our Lady of the Guard”) perched on top of the highest spot in the city. Nicknamed “the good mother” by locals, the basilica has its origins as a humble chapel in 1214. Over the centuries, the building was expanded … Continue reading / view photos Notre-Dame de la Garde

The short walk from the station to the hotel yesterday didn’t give me a good impression of Marseille. So I was curious what the centre would be like. On looking at a map, I saw that I could walk to the centre whilst going along the harbour and seafront. Very soon after I left the … Continue reading / view photos Marseille — the Old Port and the Cours Julien

There hasn’t been too much method to my travels on this trip. I’ve just followed my gut. Over the years, I’ve probably made more trips to France than any other country. It helps that the Eurostar train connects the UK to France, which makes it a very pleasant journey. I’ve been to one or two … Continue reading / view photos Train to Marseille