Marseille

Our visit to Marseille didn't turn out quite the way we expected. We had hoped to see friends, but some of their friends had tested positive for Covid, so we opted not to take the extra risk. But we did take the boys to the Vieux Port.

Marseille... which has become Hollywood, it seems

What tourists look like during a pandemic

Le Vieux Port and Notre Dame de la Garde

City Hall

 It was hot, hot, hot, and the people of Marseille flaunted the regulations requiring masks downtown, so we didn't stick around too long.

Glanum

On our way to Marseille Saturday, we stopped by the ruins of the Roman city of Glanum, located just outside St Rémy de Provence. 

 The city began as a Celto-Ligurian fortified settlement between the 4th and 2nd centuries BC before coming under Greek influence and then becoming a Roman city around 27 BC. The town was abandoned in 260 AD when it was overrun by foreign tribes.

Typical road in southern France

The Jules Mausoleum

The Triumphal Arch

The ruins of Glanum

Remains of a twin temple

Public baths

Benjamin reading Latin inscriptions

Californian miniature golf

I'm not really sure how the boys ended up being 12 & 14 before we ever played miniature golf as a family. Benjamin was rooting for real golf, and Noah didn't want to go at all, but we had a great time at this American-themed course.

 

Noah made the only hole-in-one of the game

And Frédéric was the big winner

 

Vélorail

When driving around the area where we were vacationing, we saw a sign for a vélorail. This is a decommissioned bit of train tracks that's now used for cars that you pedal. The attraction was supposed to be that it took you by a Roman bridge, and was a nice way to see the scenery.

We thought the boys would be pedaling for us, but one of the rules is an adult has to be in a front seat by the brake at all times.

The other reality was that the path wasn't very scenic, stunk a bit, and was full of flies. 

But at least the boys got their exercise; so did Frédéric.

The Roman bridge was actually near the entrance, so we could saved our trouble and just taken a photo, without the ride.

 

Cirque de Mourèze

On Tuesday, we visited the Cirque de Mourèze. A "cirque" is "an amphitheater-like valley formed by erosion." There are several of these in Reunion Island, but until this trip, we didn't realize there were any in mainland France.

 

 

Several art exhibits were installed outdoors.

"C'est complet.. revenez demain" by Pouf et Pouf

"Un monde libre et transparent" by Armelle C.

Me & Frédéric, and view of the town of Mourèze

Mourèze, seen from the observation deck

The path to the observation deck was a little tricky

Typical French antique shop

Antique Mediterranean Garden in Sète

After visiting the port of Sète, we continued to the Antique Mediterranean Gardens. The gardens display and explain the use of different plants in Antiquity. I think our visit might have been better if it hadn't been quite so dry, or if the area hadn't been in a drought and they'd been allowed to water the gardens.