I really am sorry for the lack of posting on here, I don't have any specific excuse other than that time is just flying by and life has been quite hectic. But I wanted to continue with my travel posts from Europe this summer, if for nothing else than having something to come and look back on every now and then.
So the second place our cruise stopped was Toulon in the South of France, although we actually didn't spend much time there, as we caught a train to the near-by little beach-side town of Cassis. The town is quaint, pretty and very cute. We wondered around the streets and in and out of the various little shops, picking up some delicious French bread and ice-cream for lunch. The town basically sits on the sea, and so we spent some time on the beach, soaking up the sun and having a dip in the sea, which was actually rather cold considering it's the Med. I really liked that Cassis was much less touristy than some of the bigger cities in Europe in mid-summer, and it never felt too crowded or commercialised. The beach front is packed with beautifully different coloured tall houses all along the shore, and a pretty promenade dotted with lots of shops and restaurants, it felt very authentically French.
We spent most of our day on a boat, going out to see the calanques, which are narrow, deep-walled inlets of water that have developed in the rock along the coast, and they are filled with calm, crystal clear water and some lovely beaches. We did a boat tour of the various calanques, which was a lot of fun because the water was quite rough and wavy, and so we were bouncing about on the boat, and then when we went into the calanques, which were surrounded by calm, turquoise waters and beach-goers all along the shores. The whole landscape of this rocky coast is absolutely beautiful and really quite awesome- the rocks are huge and tower over you, beautifully dotted with vegetation and cool changes in the rock from a history of water erosion and the works. I would highly recommend you go on one of these tours if you're ever in Cassis or the south of France, we literally just walked up to the port ticket office and asked for the soonest tour leaving, cause I think they are popular and happen quite frequently.
I had never been to France before, and whilst this was just a little snippet of the culture, I really enjoyed my time in Cassis, and was really taken by this sweet little town. It was quite quiet felt like a lovely place to relax and enjoy the stunning views, delicious food, and authentically french culture this lovely region has to offer.
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| Arriving at Toulon... |
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| Calanques |
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