Exploring the South of France

This time again, I wanted to leave the Paris area for a week in order to take a long weekend (November, 11th).

At first, I wanted to go to Switzerland, I had booked the hotels but I finally cancelled everything because I realized that I wouldn’t be able to use my phone plan there. Indeed, my contract allows me to use the internet in Europe but not in countries outside the EU. I didn’t want to invest in a SIM card so I canceled everything and chose the South of France.

I have booked hotels in Toulon, Marseille and Nîmes and I have planned a departure for Sunday, November 7th and a return on Saturday, November 13th 2021.

I took the train at Gare de Lyon on Sunday, November 7th at 10:07 am and arrived in Toulon at 2:11.

Day 1

My hotel, the Hôtel Bonaparte, is located about 10 minutes walk from the Gare de Toulon, which is convenient.

I sat in my room for a few minutes to charge my phone and then went for a walk around the city.

I started with the rue des Arts, where you can see pretty tags.

I then continued towards the Théâtre municipal then the Eglise Saint-Louis and finally the Statue of Jules Muraire, known as “Raimu”.

Théâtre municipal

Eglise Saint-Louis

Statue of Jules Muraire, known as "Raimu"

I continued on my way to Place Puget and then to the Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-la-Seds.

Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-la-Seds

The rest of my little trip ended at the seaside with Fort Saint-Louis and the superb walk along Quai Belle Rive and the Plage de la Mitre. The view from the dock is really beautiful.

Fort Saint-Louis

Quai Belle Rive

Plage de la Mitre

I then turned back to the hotel via Quai Cronstadt.

Day 2

For this second day in Toulon, I wanted to take a trip to cities close to Toulon and accessible by public transportation.

I chose Hyères located 22 minutes by TER from Toulon.

I took the TER at 11:06 and arrived in Hyères at 11:28.

The city center of Hyères is really cute, it is like a “village” with its cobbled and flowery streets. The city also reminds me of Montmartre because all the interesting places to visit are high, it climbs a lot!

The walk in this city was very nice.

I went to the Tour des Templiers and then the Ancien Lavoir where I took stairs allowing to have a very beautiful view of Hyères.

Tour des Templiers

Ancien Lavoir

At the top of the stairs is also the Collégiale Saint-Paul.

I continued on my way to the Castel Sainte-Claire from which we also enjoy a superb view of Hyères. There I met three Parisian women who were also on holiday in the region and who were returning to Paris the next day. I had a little chat with them, they were very nice.

I left them and continued my walk to the Château Saint-Pierre and then returned to the station of Hyères to take a ticket to Bandol.

I took the train to Hyères at 14:03 to reach Bandol at 14:41.

I mostly walked along the sea but it was raining a lot, which ruined my walk.

Paroisse Saint-François de Sales

Place Capitaine des Frégates

I returned to Toulon with the TER at 16:45 and arrived at 17:03 at the Gare de Toulon.

Day 3

I left Toulon for my second stop in the South of France: Marseille.

The journey by TER to reach this city lasted 1 hour.

My hotel is located about 30 minutes walk from the Gare de Marseille Saint-Charles and about 6 minutes walk from the Vieux Port de Marseille.

I stopped at the hotel and then went out for a walk around the city.

I walked a bit until the Paroisse ND de la Major and the Town Hall (Pavillon Daviel).

Paroisse Notre-Dame de la Major

Town Hall (Pavillon Daviel)

I then took the Montée des Accoules to reach the Quartier Le Panier where there are various graffiti.

Montée des Accoules

Quartier Le Panier

This climb also led me to the Vieille Charité.

I then turned back to the Vieux Port.

I first went by the Maison Diamantée and the rue de la Loge.

Maison Diamantée

I took the Petit Touristique de Marseille which took us to the ND de la Garde, a beautiful Basilica.

The circuit I selected had a duration of 1h15 and cost me 8 euros.

Once arrived at ND de la Garde, we had 25 minutes to visit it before taking the small train back to the Vieux Port.

In the evening, I walked a bit on the Vieux Port as well as on the Canebière.

Day 4

For this fourth day in the South, I decided to make a trip to Aix-en-Provence.

I took the train at 11:38 and arrived in Aix at 12:26.

Arriving in Aix, I walked around the city.

I passed the Fontaine de la Rotonde, the Place des Quatre Dauphins, the Eglise Saint-Jean de Malte, and the rue Cardinale.

Fontaine de la Rotonde

Place des Quatre Dauphins

Musée Granet

Eglise Saint-Jean de Malte

Rue Cardinale

I also went to the Cours Mirabeau, the Place d'Albertas, the Hôtel Boyer d'Eguilles, the Town Hall and the place de l'hôtel de ville then the Place des Martyrs de la Résistance.

Cours Mirabeau

Place d'Albertas

Hôtel Boyer d'Eguilles

Town Hall and the place de l'hôtel de ville

Place des Martyrs de la Résistance

Then I went to the Cathédrale Saint Sauveur.

I took a walk on the Place des Trois Ormeaux and then near the Eglise de la Madeleine.

Place des Trois Ormeaux

Eglise de la Madeleine

I finished my tour at Paul Cezanne’s Workshop. This visit disappointed me because I expected to see a lot more things.

The entrance ticket cost me about 6 euros and the visit (only one room) was very quick.

If I’d known, I wouldn’t have gone.

Hôtel Peyronetti

I then went back to Marseille and strolled along the Corniche du Président JFK located a 30 minute walk from the Vieux Port.

We had passed by with the little train yesterday but I was on the wrong side of the train and I couldn’t take pictures.

Monument des Mobiles et Eglise des Réformés

I didn’t want to leave Marseille without taking a picture of this part of Marseille.

Vieux Port

Day 5

Last full day in the South of France.

Let's go to Nîmes for my last stay in the South located about 1h30 from Marseille by TER.

Once my suitcase was dropped off at the hotel, I went out for a walk in the pretty city of Nîmes.

I went to the Eglise Sainte-Perpétue and Sainte-Félicité and the Fontaine Pradier.

Eglise Sainte-Perpétue and Sainte-Félicité

Fontaine Pradier

Not far from there are also the famous Arènes de Nîmes and the statue of the Matador Christian Montcouquiol known as “Nîmeno II” and the statue of the Bull.

I continued on my way to the Eglise Saint-Paul, then the beautiful Maison Carrée and finally the Tour de l'Horloge.

Eglise Saint-Paul

Maison Carrée

Tour de l'Horloge

Then I went to the Porte d’Auguste, in front of which is the pretty Eglise Saint-Baudile.

Porte d'Auguste

Eglise Saint-Baudile

Head to the magnificent Jardins de la Fontaine via the Quai de la Fontaine, the Rue Crébillon and the Place d'Assas.

Quai de la Fontaine

Rue Crébillon

Place d'Assas

Jardins de la Fontaine

The Jardins de la Fontaine are beautiful and big.

There are the Temple de Diane, the Maset and the Tour Magne, which is located at the “top” of the gardens.

Temple de Diane

Tour Magne

Le Maset

Be careful, it climbs a lot, but it's good for the cardio.

I really enjoyed this city with its monuments in Greek style, it’s beautiful!

Day 6

For this last full day in the South, I took a tour of the pretty city of Avignon.

The ride by TER lasted 30 min.

Leaving the Gare d’Avignon, you will come across the Remparts d’Avignon, which are 4.3 km long.

I then went the rue des Teinturiers where there are several watermills as well as the Maison du Quatre de Chiffre, one of the oldest houses in Avignon and the Chapelle des Cordeliers.

Rue des Teinturiers

Maison du Quatre de Chiffre

Chapelle des Cordeliers

Further on, there is the Aumône Générale and the Square Agricol Perdiguier in which is the Temple Saint-Martial d'Avignon.

Aumône Générale

Square Agricol Perdiguier

Temple Saint-Martial d'Avignon

I continued on my way to the Musée d'Avignon and then the Palais du Roure.

Musée d'Avignon

Palais du Roure

Then come the Basilique Saint-Pierre d'Avignon and the Tour Saint-Jean.

Basilique Saint-Pierre d'Avignon

Tour Saint-Jean

Head for the pretty Place de l'Amirande and the rue Peyrolerie located right next door.

Place de l'Amirande

Rue Peyrolerie

I went to the Place de l’Horloge where the beautiful Opéra d'Avignon is located.

Place de l'Horloge

Opéra

Just behind, there is the Hôtel des Monnaies, the Palais des Papes, the Cathédrale Notre-Dame des Doms and its garden in which I walked and from which you can see the famous Pont d'Avignon of the famous nursery rhyme of our childhood.

Hôtel des Monnaies

Palais des Papes

Cathédrale Notre-Dame des Doms

Pont d'Avignon

I then went to Gare d’Avignon to take the TER towards Arles (I bought my ticket online while heading to the station and arrived at Gare d’Avignon 5 min before the TER left).

Porte de la Cavalerie

What did I discover in Arles? The Arènes d’Arles, for example, or the Maison Jaune (name given to an oil painting by Van Gogh).

Arènes d'Arles

Maison Jaune

I went to the Place de la République, a pleasant surprise to discover the Obélisque d'Arles, the Eglise and the Cloître Saint-Trophime, the Town Hall of Arles and the Eglise Sainte-Anne d'Arles.