Back Roads of Provence: Part 5 – Marseille

Part 5 in the series, Backroads of Provenece
By Diane Covington

Though the bustling city of Marseille is not on a ‘back road’ of Provence, it is definitely worth a visit.  Just a short drive (or train or bus ride) from Aix, Marseille is the oldest city in France, founded by the Greeks in the 6^th century BC.

There are stunning views of the Mediterranean from many parts of the city.  But the most dazzling view is from the basilica Notre Dame de la Garde, a neo-Byzantine style cathedral, 154 meters high, with a gilded statue of Mary on top.  The interior of the cathedral has been restored and the frescoes are breathtaking.

The corniche, or coastal road, winds out of the city to the Calanques, cliffs that jut into the sea–popular for diving, hiking or swimming in the summer.  We stopped in the little village of Goudes for lunch at La Marine des Goudes.

Then a leisurely drive back up the corniche to settle into our Hotel Beauvau Vieux Port, right on the harbor, before the adventure of tasting an authentic bouillabaisse later that evening.

We took in the Vincent Van Gogh/Monticelli exhibition at the Centre de la Vieille Charite museum.  The work of  Monticelli, a native of Marseille and a master of the Provencal school, had a significant influence on Van Gogh.  The exhibit had 20 paintings by Van Gogh and 60 by Monticelli.  I found it very moving to stand in front of a Van Gogh, the paint swirled thick and showing his fast strokes, and see his name scratched in the left top corner, simply ‘Vincent’.

The exhibition shows the painters’ work side by side, allowing visitors to compare their respective styles.   It continues until January 11^th, 2009.

Back at our hotel, we could watch the comings and goings of the ships in the harbor. I love to watch the fishing boats come back in the morning, just like they’ve been doing for centuries.  They set up a table and unpack their haul of the day and then sell it right there.  Talk about fresh fish!

It was just a short walk to Le Miramar, renowned for its bouillabaisse.

If you’re planning on trying bouillabaisse, a few tips.  Don’t eat any bread and go lightly on the courses that come before.  It is a lot of fish!  We had six different types of fish in ours, and I could have easily split a portion, though I don’t know if that is allowed.  (And asking for a ‘doggie bag’ is definitely a ‘faux paux’.)

Somehow there was room for the apple tart at the end, a delectable light tart with thin pastry and lots of caramelized apples.

We decided to continue our adventure by going back to the back roads.  So stay tuned.  More fun to come.