Toulon, October 24th/2018

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Toulon has been the great bastion of the French navy since 1494, when Charles VIII chose its superb harbor as the site for a naval shipyard. Today, Toulon is homeport for the French navy's nuclear-powered aircraft carrier "Charles de Gaulle." The city is also the capital of the Var and provides an excellent gateway to the riches of Provence and the Cote d'Azur. To the north and west are medieval Provencal hilltop villages and superb vineyards. To the east lie the fabled coves and beaches of the Cote d'Azur, the setting for the legendary resort of St. Tropez. And everywhere there is the miraculous fusion of sky and sea that forms the essence of Southern France.

Toulon's Upper Town bears more than a strong resemblance to Paris - in the 1840s, the prefect of the Var was that same Baron Haussmann who gave the City of Light its elegant boulevards and architecture. Haussmann first tried his hand at urban renewal here in Toulon.

We will be in Toulon twice, once for each cruise. For the first cruise we will be doing a tour arranged by a cruise critic member,  Gregory Dahlem. There will be eight of us doing this private tour.

Tour Description

Meet your guide at the ship and drive to the elegant town of Aix, en-Provence. Travel back in time while visiting this cities architectural heritage and discover the treasures while walking around with your personal guide. You will visit some of the most noted landmarks in the city of Aix-en-Provence; the Cathedral ‘Paroisse Saint Sauveur’, the clock tower ‘Belfry’ of City Hall and the famous ‘Le Cours Mirabeau’, an avenue lined with 17th and 18th-century private mansions where you can sit in a café and have a coffee with the locals and people-watch.

Aix is a city of art and fountains. There are many shops with beautiful displays of pastries, fashion, and curiosities. The famous pastry calissons, a cookie or biscuit made from a sweet almond paste and dried fruits originated here in the 15th century. 

The tour continues to the small fishing village of Cassis. The beautiful harbor is lined with colorful restaurants and cafes that mirror onto the quiet waters of the small port with vintage fishing boats basking on the colorful reflection.