I got stuck with a train ticket to Marseille for three days, but I am going to be there alone. I would rather stay someplace smaller, and take little trains around. What is within an hour ride that I could go to. No access to anything but my feet and public transport. Please help soon! Love to eat, and I am a photographer.

You are photographer, are you sporty enough like do a bit of hiking ? You don't have to be that sporty but you can use public transport and your own feet to get to the calanques. Base yourself in Marseille and get to Canlanque of Sugiton or of Callelongue. You can even take a boat to Frioul Islands (better than If Island).

Or take a bus from Marseille to Cassis, a small pitoresque port village as you say some place smaller. The calanques are found between Marseille and Cassis and from Cassis, you can reach that of Port-Miou, of Port-Pin easily and of En-Vau with a slightly more difficulty but for some spectacular view.

Google with above calanque names as keywords. Or here are some photos I have taken while hiking in the area at diffrent times.

http://s29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...d%20calanques/

http://s29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...%20Dec%202005/

I see on another thread you say you are a student. If you need a budget accomodation, in Marseille, Etap 1* (maybe 2*), by the Vieux-Port (exceptionally centrally located for one of the Etap hotels) and the room rate for 1 person is €49 (+9€ for extra person). If your baggage is not too big, you could walk from Gare Saint Charles, about 10 minutes. Otherwise take a metro.

If you decide to go to Cassis, budget hotels located near the port are Liautaud (I paid single €59, with the port view), Cassitel (port view possible) or Laurence (not much view) all about the same price range. Also to get from Marseille to Cassis, rather take a bus from Castellane - Prado bus stop to Cassis Gendarmerie. Better view than by train on the corniche route, cheaper than train (€2.70 vs €4.50) and the bus will get you in the center of Cassis 3 minutes walk to the port (vs Cassis train station is 2-3 kilometers away) .

Oh, Marseille - Cassis is about 45 minutes by bus.

Here are recent photos I just uploaded, from two weeks ago. Two of Maseille, otherwise all of calanques near Cassis.

http://s29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...%20Oct%202007/

hop TGVs to Aix-en-Provence or Avignon, both easily accessible

or take the short boat ride to the infamous Chateau d'If on an island you can see from town

and Marseille is a tremendously fascinating town - i stayed once long ago in the youth hostel right near a nice beach and not far from town center

The "little train" from the harbour
going to Notre Dame de La Garde gets you a spectacular view of Marseille and surroundings..

There are frequent buses that runs btwn Marseille and Aix en Provence and I think it's only a 30 mins ride. Also the price is much more reasonable than the train. If I am mistaken please correct me if I'm wrong. I did this route last July.

well there are also cheap regional trains that go to Aix-en-Provence from Marseilles which i was remiss to note - rather than taking TGV to the out of town Aix TGV station then have to take a navette to the town center yes by all means take the local train, which takes the old route, right into the heart of Aix.

Rainydae- thanks for prompting that - maybe buses are cheaper and just as convenient

For Avignon yes hop the TGV to cut travel time dramatically

Aix.