Marseille

Second largest city in France and a great place to visit.

We stayed here three nights in the IBIS Hotel in the centre of Marseille on

Rue Colbert. There is no parking with the hotel but just around the corner on Rue De La  Republique is a  private indoor car park.

Link to  Marseille Tourist office

Beaucaire & Tarascon

These are two villages on opposite sides of the River Rhone.

Tarascon with its grand castle "Chateau de Tarascon" almost untouched by time.

On the opposite side of the river is Beaucaire with its canal and rather run down castle with falconry display daily, over looking the castle at Tarascon.

Chateau de Tarascon

Both castles are worth a visit.

This is a good place to use as a base when visiting Avignon, The Pont du Gard & Chateau Des Baux. We stayed at L'Oliveraie Hotel
 

Chateau Des Baux
This is the simply magnificent remains of a Chateau that survived many different owners and wars since the Middle Ages. You can explore the towers and alcoves for hours, all the while taking in the breathtaking panoramic views of the olive groves way below and the surrounding mountains. Dress properly for this excursion as many of the climbs to the towers are quite precarious, and when you get to the top, you’ll find yourself whipped by high winds, threatening to blow you off.  Medieval weaponry such as catapults that will dwarf you when you stand next to them also add to the atmosphere here.

The connected town is fairly touristy, but the steep and winding slopes of the authentically recreated, labyrinthine cobblestone streets will transport you back in time as you wander from shop to shop; no cars are allowed on these streets, which makes for a pleasant wandering experience.

Link to Chateau Des Baux

Honfleur

A lovely old fishing village just across the estuary from La Havre, over the Pont de Normandy. Well worth a visit  with its quaint setting and harbour side restaurants. This is a good place to stay on your return journey or your arrival in France, with it being just 40 minutes from the ferry port over the Pont de Normandy

Link to Honfleur Tourist Information.