Hi

I'll be in Marseille soon for the first time. Do you have any recommendations, favorite restaurants/places to visit, shops, in that town ?

Thank you for your advice.

Marie

If the weather is still good and you enjoy spectacular scenery, I would strongly recommend going to one of the calanques - the rocky inlets on the coast between Marseille and Cassis. I went to the Calanque de Sugiton a couple of weeks ago and it was simply stunning. I sat on a tiny beach, swam and ate figs. Bliss.

Thank you Sam for your answer. Anymore advice?

Marie

If a foreigner the French Foreign Legion has its recruiting office right by the colorful old port i believe and is accepting applications daily i believe. Here's your chance to travel free!

Visit the Château d'If, where the legendary Count of Monte Cristo was held for those 20 years. The church of Notre Dame de la Garde is interesting, and there's a fabulous view from the adjacent plaza.

If you know of santons, you might schedule a visit to the atelier of Marcel Carbonnel, which includes a fine santon museum.

Beware of tourist-trap restaurants near the old port.

Take a ride to Cassis. We spent a day there last year and enjoyed this charming quaint town. There's lots of shopping, great views of the harbour and wonderful restaurants.