Get to know the city of Marseille and the charming old town of Aix en Provence, two iconic cities rich in history and culture.
First, you’ll drive to Marseille for a panoramic drive during which you will enjoy viewing many of its most notable sites. You’ll arrive via the Corniche J.F. Kennedy, a lovely route which follows the natural coastline and offers views of the islands. Your coach will make a quick stop below the hill where the Notre Dame de la Garde Basilica rises over the city. You’ll have time to take some pictures from the coach and learn that that it was built in the mid-19th century in the Romano-Byzantine style on a site that has been a defensive observation post since prehistoric times. The architecture boasts magnificent domes, multi-colored stone, and golden mosaics.
Continuing on, you’ll drive through the shopping district, and made another stop for photos in the Palais Longchamp, a fantastic 19th-Century complex of stately museums, elegant fountains, and an expansive Zoological Garden. The entrance to Longchamp Park is guarded by four stone lions, and provides an unforgettable setting for a photo.
Leave Marseille behind, you’ll make the forty-five minute drive through the scenic Provençal countryside to the charming town of Aix-en-Provence. Upon arrival, you’ll first have some free time to enjoy lunch in one of the many cafés on the famous Cours Mirabeau and perhaps do a bit of shopping. Following this, you’ll rejoin your guide for a walking tour that will bring you past some of this medieval city’s main sites. Navigating down Cours Mirabeau, one of the most popular and lively areas in town, you’ll discover this wide avenue decorated with fountains and shaded by rows of trees is the central hub of Aix. Another landmark site you will see is the Saint Sauveur Cathedral, a unique building due to its combination of architectural styles that date from the 5th to the 17th century.
Following your guided tour, you will board your coach for the return to Toulon.
