Marseille (France)
Marseille is located on the Mediterranean coast, it was founded by the Greeks in 600 BC, so the city is already over 2600 years old. It is the largest port in France.
The city is divided into 16 zones, the first and most ancient zone is the Old Town area, adjacent to the harbor of the Old Port. It is located in the hills. The Church of St. Victor (its foundation was laid back in the 5th century) and the Longchamp Palace, which houses the Museum of Fine Arts and the Museum of Natural History, have been preserved here. Marseille’s main street is La Canabiere. Above the Old Port, a little to the south, rises the Cathedral of Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde (the highest point of Marseille). It was built in 1853-1864.
Worth a walk through the Botanical Garden in Boreli Park. Boreli Castle houses the Museum of Mediterranean Archeology. 3.5 km from the entrance to the port is the famous island of If with a castle described in the novel by Alexandre Dumas.
But Marseille is not only monuments of the past. This is a modern city. On Fashion Street you can see the entire ready-to-wear collection. The festival of Russian theater is held here every year from March to April.
In Marseille there are opportunities for outdoor activities – sailing, diving and even rock climbing in the rocky bays of the “Mediterranean fjords” are common. There are more than 20 beaches in the vicinity of the city. Marseille International Airport is located 20 km northwest of Marseille.
Nice (France)
Nice is located 30 km from the Italian border on the Mediterranean coast. The city was founded in the 5th century BC, as a center of trade, and only in 1860 began to belong to France.
Millions of tourists from all over the world come to relax in the main resort of France. Nice is called the capital of the French Riviera. The city stretches along the beach of the Angels, it and the sea offer a beautiful view from the famous Promenade des Anglais. It starts right from the airport and is 6 km long. The embankment was built in 1820 by the Englishman Lewis Uzem. Even in winter it is crowded with people.
The center of the city is Place Masséna with a large fountain. The quarter in the old town near the Opera House and the Palace of Justice Square is ideal for walking. There is a flower market and many restaurants. Visit the Cathedral of St. Jacques, the Orthodox Cathedral of St. Nicholas, the museums of Chagall, Matisse and Renoir.
Roman ruins that have survived to this day remind of the distant past of the city. Nice is also known throughout the world for the fact that it hosts an annual jazz festival. You should not go here in July or August due to the intense heat. The best months to visit are May, June, September and October.
The international airport is located 7 km west of the city center.
Perpignan (France)
Perpignan is located in Catalonia, 12 kilometers from the Mediterranean coast. From the 10th century, the city was the capital of the Spanish kingdom of Rusillon, from 1276 to 1344 – the capital of the Kingdom of Mallorca on the continent. Perpignan began to belong to France from 1659.
Close proximity to Spain affected the appearance and culture of Perpignan. Along the narrow streets rise large and massive buildings, built mainly of yellow or red stone. Since the formation of the kingdom of Mallorca, the main attraction of the city is the Royal Palace, which was the residence of the rulers of the state.
The main squares of Perpignan – Verdun and Lodge. The Citadel is located on Verdun Square. It consists of a high wall, behind which there is a front yard and a chapel. On Esplanade Square stands the Church of St. Mary, built in the 16th century. Another historical attraction is Saint-Gene Cathedral. It was built from 1324 to 1509 from river stones. There are also museums in the city. The most popular is the Rigaud Museum. Here are collected the works of the masters of the Catalan and Spanish art schools of the 14th-16th centuries.
The international airport is located 6 km from the city center.
Toulouse (France)
According to Country Calculator, Toulouse is located in the valley of the Garonne River in the south of the Pyrenees. The city was founded even before the conquest of the region by the Romans.
Toulouse is divided into four parts by two streets – a street with numerous shops rue du Languedoc and a small street rue de Metz. Almost all the buildings of the city were built in the Renaissance style.
The Capitole Square with the palace is the center of the public life of the city. The 130-meter palace was built in 1759. There are restaurants and cafes on the square, on Wednesdays there is a large market where various products and things are sold. It is from here that a network of small streets radiates throughout the city, leading to other squares of Toulouse – Wilson Square, St. George’s Square, Trinit Square and St. Etienne Square.
On the banks of the Garonne, along the streets of Grand-Rond and Jardin des Plantes, there are very beautiful parks. Next to the Grand-Rond is the Church of St. Etienne. The building is a mixture of two styles – Romanesque and Gothic. The most popular among tourists, the Basilica Saint-Seren is the largest church in France, built in the Romanesque style. It was erected in 1096.
In the last century, Toulouse has become famous for the fact that the world-famous Airbus was developed here. In 1997, the Museum of Aviation and Space was even opened in the city.
