Marseilles - Is this considered Provence Region?
 

I know this is dumb but is Marseilles considered to be part of the Provence region?

I will be in Marseilles for 1 day in July and would like to know where are the "must see" towns and anything else special that I should experience.

Is taking the train the best option to visit other towns?

I appreciate any input.

Technically it is but I have heard provençals in the other department not refer to it as provence. Nimes is not provence but in the Gard but all are in the South. Someone living there will post and give you their insights if they are not American. I go by my friends there. Regardless it is the South and all have something to see and enjoy.

Marseille is definitely in Provence--in fact, it's the second largest city in that region (Nice is the largest). In one day I'm not sure what other towns you would have time to visit, but Avignon and Arles are possibilities by train, as is Aix. Visiting most of the villages would require a Arles is very interesting and probably the most old-Provençal of the three I mentioned, and you could have an excellent day there seeing the Roman arena and theater, the church of St-Trophime, and the folk-art museum, among other attractions. If you should be there on a Saturday you could take in the vast open-air market.

Yes, Marseille is in Provence. There are a lot of neat things to see and do for your 1 day there. Make sure you take a boat out in the harbor to the Chateau D'If - setting for Alexander Dumas' "The Count of Monte Cristo". Also, try some spicy bouillebaise (like a gumbo) along the fishing port area.

Trains are easiest in terms of getting around from city to city. You might consider a train ride from Marseille to the charming city of Arles (50 mins away) to see where Van Gogh painted some of this famous masterpieces. Also, Aix-en-Provence is only 1 hour away N from Marseille and former home of Paul Cezanne. Aix is a great city with lots of fountains and wide pedestrian boulevards with shops lining the way. The Pont Du Gard (the famous Roman wide-span arch bridge) outside of Nimes is definitely worth a visit, as is Nimes itself. There are daily busses out to the Pont du Gard from the bus depot, near the Nimes train station.

Marseille is the second largest city in France. Nice is much smaller.

I thought Lyon was the second-largest city.

My money is on Underhill - Lyon is second.

Lyon and Marseilles have a longstanding dispute about which is the second biggest city in France. I think Lyon is a lot prettier!

Lyon is France's second major city, Marseilles is Provence's first, I believe.
france61, there are no dumb questions, it's how we learn.

Marseilles is definitely part of Provence.

If you just have one day, I would suggest that you visit the Citadel. You take a boat from the port. You will spend too much time getting there if you try to visit the towns of Provence. You need to come back on another trip for that.

Okay I looked it up. I was looking at 1999 data and supposedly Marseille was 2nd. I found some 2001 data and Marseille is listed as 3rd with Lyon second. So Underhill/ Chatnoir are right. Maybe it will flip again this year :)

Here are the top 5. Keep in mind this is the the urban area including burbs, not just residents inside city limits.

1 Paris
2 Lyon
3 Marseille
4 Lille
5 Toulouse

<<is Marseilles considered to be part of the Provence region?>>

Yes!

Of COURSE it's provençal - isn't it where bouillabaise originated?

I usually hightail it out of Marseilles airport to other destinations, but according to a lot of articles I've read, there has been a lot of revamping of Marseilles recently and at least parts of it are akin to the SoHo section of NYC, with lots of new galleries and shops and wine bars and such. It seems to be experiencing a renaissance, at least in parts, which is quite different from the notion that I've hd of Marseilles for years, as a kind of gritty port town with iffy security.

I avoided Marseilles for years believing it unsafe. We had a wonderful time there this year.

OF Course it's Provence but with a difference, you do not get Bouilliabaisse and socca in Provence in the other departments, even though it is the Bouche de Rhone, it's more a gateway to Cote dÁzur

to get a great view of the city , go to the Basiiligue de Notre-Dame-de-la-Gardeat 500 ft in the south of the town, The Musée des Beaux Arts, has my favorite Daumier as well as a large Italian and Flemish but mostly the city's famous artists. The Chateau d'If is an island castle where Alexander Dumas placed his fictional, man in an iron mask....It sounds awful but Pied et paquets are not greasy, they are delicious, a Marseille specialty.

Gee, this question got a bit off track. It doesn't matter to me if Marseilles is the 2nd largest city in France.

I just want to know what I should see for my one day 7/4 - Sunday)while my cruise ship is in dock. Do not want private driver or tour group. Marseilles does not particularly interest me so I just wanted to walk around on this day in port and catch some sites.

Thanks all.

Sorry France81 didnt mean to hi jack your thread.. just sorta happened! :) Have a nice day in Marseilles!

FYI Marseille is the official capital of Provence, or rather Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France's 2nd most populated region, that stretches from Marseille to the Italian border and including two departements of the Southern Alps. Marseille is not as stunning as, say, Paris, or even Lyon. It's full of charm but not beautiful in the conventional sense of the word. It's quite expansive by European standards and traffic is... well, very Marseillais. Thank God, they have an efficient subway system, that I would recommend you use. FYI, Marseille's soccer team have just qualified for the final of one of the European cups. The final takes place in Sweden, but expect a dead city on May 19 from 8 to 11 PM, and, if they win, forget about sleeping!

Which part of Provence do I get to visit the lavender and sunflower fields? Are they in bloom this time of the year. I am wondering if I can just squeeze in a trip to Provence from Paris before proceeding to Barcelona.
Can someone tell how I can do this without renting a car, just by train or plane.

Seeing lavender and sunflowers without a car won't be easy. best bet would be to take a guided tour, many of which offer "lavender specials" - it's not ideal, but about the only way to do it without a car of your own. For more info on when it is in bloom, where to go etc, there is a great web site http://www.routes-lavande.com/

-Kevin