Marseille

We caught our first look at the Mediterranean on a weekend trip down to Marseille at the end of September.  We spent a short time at Cassis, a small coastal town thrity minutes from Marseille before getting to our hotel.  Cassis is very beautiful, built into a small cove with crystal clear waters.  We were surprised by how busy it was, since we were under the impression touirst season was about over, but loved it anyhow.  Marseille is definately a highlight of our time spent in France.  It was nice to be in a big busy city for a bit, much different than our little town of Gigondas.   The diversity of culture is fantastic, and the marine environment is intoxicating.  There are endless dining options, and we had a delicious dinner at a Moroccan restraunt of chicken tagines.  

 

In the morning we woke to the noisy pier-side market, booths full of provençal soaps, linens, honeys, and all sorts of wonderful delights.  But one cannot escape the smell or draw of the fish stands, proudly displaying the catch of the day.  The selection was incredible, so many fish we had never seen before.  It was quite fantastic to see people buying their fish for dinner there, a totally different experience than buying from the seafood section at the grocery store.

After some navigating difficulties, we made our way out of Marseille to the nearby airport, where we picked up Sarah's parents, Chris and Mick, who came to visit us from Colorado.  We haven't been out of the US for too long really, but it was so great to see family!