Marseille and Aix-En-Provence
Shore excursion from port of Toulon or La Seyne-sur-Mer, France
- Duration 8h
- Activity level low
What you'll do
Our Shorexc guide will meet you at the Port of Marseille where we board an air conditioned coach to take a guided tour of Marseille and onward to Aix-en-Provence.
The tour of Marseille, a major French maritime city, begins with a visit to the Basilica of Notre Dame de la Garde, situated on top of a hill. The Basilica was built on the site of an ancient chapel and consists of two buildings the lower chapel/crypt which is built into the rock and the upper church which is decorated by mosaics.
The tour then continues along the Corniche (J. F. Kennedy Avenue) until we reach Castle Borely where we can see the castle and gardens from the outside.
After a 40 minute drive we then arrive at Aix-en-Provence. This tour begins with a visit to the famous Saint-Sauveur Cathedral and its gardens, which date back to the twelfth century. The Cathedral was built on the site of a Roman temple dating back to a period between the eleventh and thirteenth centuries. It has a Gothic portal decorated with carved doors and is flanked on the north by an unfinished tower.
Then we take a beautiful walk through the old historic quarter (one & half hours) before reaching the famous Quartier Mazarin, a residential district created for the bourgeoisie of Aix en Provence by the brother of Cardinal Mazarin in the latter half of the seventeenth century. The tour ends with some free time to enjoy shopping in the pedestrianised streets of Aix where you can find many marvelous local craft shops.
We will then return to the Port of Marseille so you can re-join your ship for onward passage to your next port of call.
Details
- DURATION: 8 HOURS
- NO SUPPLEMENTS
OBSERVATIONS
- Stores are closed on Sunday.
- Easy / Panoramic / Cultural Level
- Comfortable shoes required.
- Clients with reduced mobility should keep in mind that access to Notre Dame Cathedral is exclusively up stairs.
- This excursion is not recommended for people with reduced mobility, people who require the use of wheelchairs or who travel with baby carriages, due to the irregularity of the terrain.
Meeting point
- Port of Toulon: The guide will wait for you at the exit of the TOULON CÔTE D'AZUR terminal
- Port of La Seyne: It is very IMPORTANT not to get on any courtesy bus! The guide will wait for you 300 meters approx. to the left, just behind the barrier.