Travelling to Provence with her husband, Amy Kleppinger had some ideas about what to expect. She knew the food would be amazing, the lavender fields might be blooming. They hoped that the towns would be full of history and charm. However, they didn’t expect to come across one of the …

Access to the Calanques National Park is controlled again this summer due to damage to the ecosystem caused by the burgeoning number of visitors and increasing fire risks.  The Calanque de Sugiton, which used to attract up to 2,500 people daily, is limited to 400 entries. Pre-booking one of the …

Access to the Calanques National Park is controlled this summer due to damage to the ecosystem caused by the burgeoning numbers of visitors and increasing fire risks.  The Calanque de Sugiton, which used to attract up to 2,500 people daily, is limited to 400 entries in peak season. Pre-booking one …

Cassis is a picturesque town a little over 90 minutes from Sablet snuggled at the bottom of a steep bowl of land along the Mediterranean Sea between calanques (small coastal fjords with tall cliffs), about 25 km east of Marseille. Picture Perfect Setting The village of Cassis is set on …

Just imagine this being the view from your lunch table. That’s the pleasure of being in Les Goudes, an enjoyable boat ride from Marseille’s Vieux Port. An 8-euro one-way ticket takes you out through the Vieux Port, past Fort Saint Jean and MuCEM, out to the open sea where the …

The Fjords of Provence Just east of Marseille lays the charming coastal town of Cassis, nestled at the bottom of steep, vineyard-covered hills that come almost to the sea. It’s so adorably cute that you might think you are walking into a postcard. There’s nothing better than a stroll through …

Contributor blog post by Jill Cowdry: As days become warmer, it’s impossible to resist the urge to get out – attention turns to more exercise and a spring swim in the med.  A short drive from Aix en Provence or Marseilles the magical Calanques are a special place to walk, breath …

It is too bad that some visitors shy away from France’s second biggest port, scared off by Marseille’s somewhat edgy reputation. In the past, they might have been right, but now it would be a crying shame to miss the museums and the shopping in Marseille. When you go this …

Cassis is located just east of Marseille and is very famous for the adjacent large towering white cliffs.  The cliffs are equally stunning as those found along the English Chanel in Normandy. There are beautiful inlets called les Calanques that are accessible mostly by boat, or in some cases by …

Summer has been in full force on the French Riviera for many weeks now. One of my boys has been on holiday for 5 weeks and the other 2 weeks, but I’m only just beginning to find the time to make the most of it myself.  We’ve had scorching temperatures …