Provence and Marseille in Pictures

The next stop on our cruise was Provence, France. I've never been much interested in France for some reason. Perhaps it's a result of a negative experience studying French as a freshman in high school, perhaps it's because fine art and religion is pretty much lost on me. But I was happy to go, as new experiences are always a big, fat WIN.

First we visited Aix en Provence, the capital of Provence, which was a charming town with very interesting architecture and fountains.

The Saint Sauveur Cathedral

After a walking tour of the town, we had one of the best meals at a courtyard cafe. AMAZING bruschetta.

Next we were off to visit the Notre Dame de la Garde. We spent a LOT of time on buses in Provence, and I think any return visits will be longer on walking and shorter on traffic.

The Notre Dame bell tower

I was impressed by the architecture at Notre Dame, as the buildings are beautiful, and the views spectacular.

A few of the bay, including the Château d'If

We drove past the the Château d'If, the setting for Alexandre Dumas novel The Count of Monte Cristo. They allow visitors now, and I wouldn't mind touring the fortress at some point.

I'm in no great hurry to return to France unless the opportunity presents itself in conjunction with some other travel opportunity I'm really excited about. Next stop: Barcelona!