Begin your half-day sightseeing tour of coastal Provence in Marseille Vieux Port (Old Port). In the afternoon, meet your friendly guide and grab a seat in the comfortable minivan for the scenic 45-minute ride along the Route des Crêtes towards Cassis. En route, you’ll stop at Cape Canaille, situated on one of France’s highest sea bluffs, where you can soak up the splendor the Côte d’Azur, the Gardiole mountain range and the Gulf of Cassis.
Next head down into Cassis, an ancient Provençal fishing village and a highlight of the Côte d’Azur. Wander around the lovely harbor, delighting in Cassis’ classic Provençal architecture, and take a cruise (optional) to view the region’s three famous calanques. Often called the ‘fjords of the French Riviera,' these wild and beautiful limestone rock formations distinguish this stretch of Mediterranean shoreline.
Then return to Marseille for a historic sightseeing tour. From your seat, take in scenes of Provençal city life as you make your way to the magnificent Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde, a Neo-Byzantine Catholic church that towers above the city. From here, you’ll glimpse panoramic views of the cerulean Mediterranean Sea and the Chateau d’If, famous as the island fortress in The Count of Monte Cristo. Stop by the 11th-century Abbey of St Victor before heading back to your departure point in the Old Port. Your tour ends here in the evening.
