Iles de Frioul

I walked to the Vieux Port and took a boat to the Iles de Frioul, passengers having been dropped off at Ile d'If on the way.
I walked part of the length of Pomegues which was rocky with small coves and beaches on either side plus small forts or lookout posts.
Then I walked across the causeway joining the two islands to Ratonneau where, for lunch, I had aoili, a fish, with vegetables followed by a tarte tatin.
In the afternoon, I walked to one end of Ratonneau to the old batteries defending the entrance to the Port of Marseille which may have been used by the Germans in the Second World War.
After looking down at beaches and marinas towards the other end of the island, I returned to the Vieux Port and walked under the Ombriere, the mirror-ceilinged pavilion designed by Norman Foster on the quayside.
I returned to St Charles by Metro where I bought a mug as a souvenir of Marseille.
There were many Tunisians at the station going to support Morocco in the men's football semi-final at the Stade de Marseille.
The seedy reputatiion of Marseille, partly due to the French Connection, didn't seemed justified any longer. Maybe being European Capital of Culture in the past had helped. There were some beggars and rough sleepers but I felt safe walking through the Muslim quarter near the hotel.Read more