Marseille

Le Panier, the old city

Vanille noire glacé 

 Forty  years ago, we were warned by other travelers to avoid Marseille. It was apparently overloaded with criminals and scaliwags. I even recall shedding tears when a train conductor threatened to kick us off a train in Marseille. I was convinced if we disembarked we would immediately be robbed. Looking back, my fears were quite overstated, particularly given that I was living in Philadelphia at the time!

Marseilles is quite lovely really. It is on the Mediterranean Sea, has a sweet harbor and Vieux Port --- hometown to sailboats. It is multiethnic with an African market for vegetables (remember the Philly Italian market?) and a gorgeous old city with miles of brick streets in willy nilly directions, the buildings decorated with stunning graffiti.

There is also a swimming beach right next to one of the city's two protective forts.

Gina Snyder, our Philly connection here in Marseilles

Loving the grafitti in the old city 

From our budget hotel window

Vieuxport Port

Cathedrale la Major