Voyages around France: The Calanques.....

Small islands with fortresses near the port of Marseille.

Last Sunday we loaded up everyone in 2 cars and headed south towards the Mediterranean Sea and an area called the Calanques. This part of the coast just east of Marseille is known for its very scenic area where tall cliffs drop straight down into the ocean. There are many small inlets that dot the landscape with nice little beaches and harbors at the end of these inlets. The real fun part of this trip is the long walk to these inlets after you park your car. Then you start your walk through the hilly city, then up and down rocky paths worn down by the thousands of people who visit this area every year.

This part of the Calanques right next to the town of Cassis took a good 30 minutes from town to walk which was an up and down journey until we reached our destination. I would have to say the hike was worth it because of the great views and the nice little beach that greeted us when we arrived.

We decided to make the drive through Marseille and the old port on our way to Cassis. This part of the city was very busy and full of tourists dining in the restaurants, shopping in small markets and boarding some scenic boat cruises. The old port was in use more than 2500 years ago by the Greeks who started a settlement there. Today the city of Marseille and its suburbs are inhabited by about 1.6 million people.

This was another trip in which alot of photos were taken so I've posted some now and will upload a few more in my next entry.

HEAT: Just a note that this area and other parts of Europe are now feeling some of the heat that folks back home have been dealing with all summer long. Yesterday the temperature reached 40 Celsius on our thermometer which translates to 104 Fahrenheit. Makes a person wish he lived closer to the beach....like right next to it. :-)