But my day wasn't spent in Marseille itself, but rather on a set of small islands only 2 nautical miles off the coast: the Frioul islands. This will be the setting for the first walk of the self-guided holiday.
The islands are almost haunting: desert landscapes of bare limestone, with the very few plants that can withstand the parched, salty, and windswept conditions. In fact the only tree I saw (are there others on the island?) was a pine tree, set as a sprawling bush and not higher than 1 meter, making its way horizontally along the ground.
And the sets of dilapidated forts and buildings on the island create the ambiance of a warzone. It was in fact a warzone. Bombed by the allies at the end of WWII as Marseille was being liberated, the "Hopital Caroline" -- once a highly advanced hospital for treating contagious disease -- is in shambles, and soon to be renovated.
Peering through a stone gate, the famed Château d'If is framed. Château d'If is set on an island as well, slightly closer to the coastline. The island harbouring the castle does not have a port, just a small quay allowing for passengers to disembark. Yesterday the seas were rough, and there were no stops for the Château d'If...
The port of the Frioul islands has several restaurants to choose from, and here's my grilled tuna steak from yesterday.
The two islands, both only 2.5km long, are separated by the dyke seen below. The village itself seems like a cheap set of lego blocks set in various shades of orange and beige, while the islands' buildings, all in various states of disrepair and with no discernable rules of architecture, are lined in some places with military fences, and off limits.
But that takes nothing away from the majesty of its coastline, hidden coves, and views of the Mediterranean at large.
