Marseille Excursions

For a Half Day

Le Chateau d'If and le Frioul: Boats leave regularly throughout the day from Vieux-Port to If (tel: (04) 9159 0230; www.monum.fr), some 3km (2 miles) off the coast. François I discovered the rocky island in 1516 and had a fortress built there, which soon became an infamous prison for galley slaves and ruffians, then thousands of Huguenot prisoners. Its most famous inmate, in fiction, was Alexandre Dumas' Count of Monte Cristo. It is an impressively bleak spot which commands great views of Marseille. The Frioul (once an independent republic) is bigger and has bars, restaurants and shops. Take a hike to the Hôpital Caroline, a disused hospital that was used during the plague epidemic in 1720. Allow one day if visiting both islands. There are several daily departures from the quai des Belges on the Vieux Port (tel: (04) 9155 5009).

For a Whole Day

Cassis and the Calanques: The Calanques, just outside Marseille, are a vision of turquoise waters, steep limestone cliffs falling abruptly into the sea, typical guarrigue vegetation and secluded coves and creeks. The area is ideal for swimming and hiking (but beware it can get terribly hot in summer, so make sure you have plenty of water with you, and apply sun cream regularly and generously), and is popular with climbers and divers. Check out Sormiou, Morgiou, En Vau or the more upmarket town of Cassis, which has plenty of restaurants and cafes for the weary hiker.

Aix en Provence: A thriving university town that has managed to keep a very Provençal atmosphere, Aix has been as popular with artists (Paul Cézanne and Emile Zola lived here, to mention but a couple of them) as with tourists, who never fail to marvel at the very civilized pace of life here. Sit at a café on the cours Mirabeau (Aix's main street) and just watch life go by for a while before exploring the maze of little streets in the old part of town. For more information www.visitprovence.com or check out Columbus Aix-en-Provence city guide.