Touring from Marseille — Provence, Cassis & Aix-en-Provence
Marseille is France's oldest city and the cruise gateway to Provence. Ships dock at the commercial port, and your private driver-guide meets you directly at the cruise terminal. The city itself is worth exploring — the Vieux-Port harbour, the hilltop Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde with its panoramic views across the Mediterranean, and the vibrant Le Panier quarter, Marseille's oldest neighbourhood with its narrow lanes, street art and artisan workshops.
Beyond the city, Provence unfolds in every direction. The fishing village of Cassis is about 30 minutes east, with its pastel-coloured harbour, turquoise water and boat trips into the Calanques — dramatic limestone fjords that cut into the coastline of the Calanques National Park. Aix-en-Provence, the elegant capital of Provence, is about 30 minutes north and known for its tree-lined boulevards, Renaissance fountains and the studio of Paul Cézanne. For guests with a full port day, Avignon and its medieval Papal Palace are about 90 minutes away, and the lavender fields of the Valensole plateau (seasonal, mid-June through late July) make one of the most photographed day trips in all of France.
