Toulon, France
May 19 (Monday) - Provence (Toulon), France (9:00-5:00)
Historical center
This part of the town was built in the Middle ages. It is called vieille ville
(English: old town) because of its age or basse ville (English: low town)
because it is the lowest point of the town except the sea). The historical
center is located just north of the harbour. You'll see very small intricate
streets. Specially recommended wide streets are the Algiers and Lafayette
streets (French: Rue d'Alger and Cours Lafayette). These two are bordered by
numerous shops and crowded every Saturday. Other small streets feature only
old-looking buildings.
Visit the harbour and its promenade. The folk of old Provence, the typical
accent of locals, and some wooden boats on the still sea (the folk is better in
smaller town along the coast, however). Numerous souvenir shops, coffee shops
and fish restaurants. Also on the port square, you'll see the statue of the
Spirit of navigation pointing at the sea, locally known as "cul vers ville"for
its buttocks are turned toward the city.For the record it might interest you to
know that the statue was hidden and thought lost, during WWII , until it was
found by chance in a local carpenter's shop who returned it to the authorities.
Tour de l'horloge, a monumental clock a the entry of the naval base (at the west
of the port), formely used to ring at the beginning and at the end of the
working day.
Just between the harbour and the south of Cours Lafeyette, you'll see the Louis
Blanc place with Saint François de Paule church. Built in the XVIIIth Century,
it is of typical baroque style.
Traditional markets of Provence, every morning on Cours Lafayette except on
Mondays. You'll find all local products of the region there. There are also
other smaller markets.
Place Puget, in the historical center, is the ancient center of the town. You'll
find a fountain built in 1780. The sculpture showed three dolphins, now
completely covered by ivy. You'll enjoy staying in the shade of this place, at a
coffee shop, during a hot afternoon.
The Saint Marie de la Seds Cathedral is near Place Puget. Built in the XIth
century, it has never been finished, but widened in 1738. There are numerous
paintings of the XVIIIth Century.
The new town
Also called Haute ville (English: high town) by contrast with basse ville,
because it was built in a higher part of the town. It was located at the north
of the historical center, in the XIXth Century, by the baron Haussmann (who was
later called to build Paris). Numerous buildings and places are in late XIXth
Century style.
Place de la liberté (English: Liberty plaza). This is one of the town's main
square. There's a nice statue in a fountain. In winter, a skating rink is put up
for children and there's a picturesque Christmas market featuring tasting of
several specialties from around France during most of December. However this
sqaure may be noisy due to the main boulevard of the town running just along the
square.
The Opera House, place Victor Hugo, +33 4 94 93 03 76
begin_of_the_skype_highlighting +33 4 94 93 03 76 FREE end_of_the_skype_highlighting,
is 100 m east of the Place de la Liberté.
The railway station is 100 m northwest of the Place de la Liberté, also of XIXth
Century style.
Museums and places of interest
The town features several beaches just south of the Mourillon quarter. They were
set up in the 1950's to develop tourism. More beautiful beaches may be found
elsewhere on the coast. In any location, you should be prepared to crowd on the
beach. The beaches of Toulon are associated to a park with entertainment for
children of all ages. At the east of the town, the Cap Brun and Anse Magaud
beaches are more isolated, far less crowded, but more difficult to reach (need
to climb a little).
Take the cable car (French: téléphérique) to go to the Mont-Faron Hill.
Téléphérique du Mont-Faron, boulevard Amiral Vence (or bus 40, stop at
téléphérique), +33 4 94 92 68 25 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting +33 4 94 92 68
25 FREE end_of_the_skype_highlighting. It gives direct access to the Memorial
Museum of landing in Provence.
Memorial Museum of landing in Provence (French: Musée-Mémorial du débarquement),
top of Mont-Faron, +33 4 94 88 08 09 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting +33 4 94 88
08 09 FREE end_of_the_skype_highlighting.
Mont-Faron zoo (French: Zoo du Mont-Faron), +33 4 94 88 07 89
begin_of_the_skype_highlighting +33 4 94 88 07 89 FREE end_of_the_skype_highlighting.
It is a center for wild beast reproduction.
Bibliothèque municipale et Museum d'histoire
naturelle (English: Municipal Library and Museum), Boulevard de Strasbourg. As a
building, the library is worth seeing. The museum features wild life
collections.
The Navy Museum (French: Musée de la Marine, place Monsergue (at the entrance of
the naval base), +33 4 94 02 02 01 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting +33 4 94 02
02 01 FREE end_of_the_skype_highlighting. Collections relating the naval
history of the town.
The Museum of Tour Royale, pointe de la Mitre, +33 4 94 24 91 00
begin_of_the_skype_highlighting +33 4 94 24 91 00 FREE end_of_the_skype_highlighting.
The Tour Royale, one of the numerous forts of Toulon, was built in 1514 by the
king Louis XII. Later, it was used as a prison, now opened for visits. It also
features a naval exposition.
The Boat-Museum named La Dives, pointe de la Mitre (+33 4 94 02 06 96
begin_of_the_skype_highlighting +33 4 94 02 06 96 FREE end_of_the_skype_highlighting),
opened May to October. Before being a museum, this boat was dedicated to the
transportation of tanks for a landing.
Parks
On the top of the Mont-Faron hill (500 m high), you'll be able to enjoy a
birdseye view of the town . If you drive by car, the road is impressive. If you
ride up by way of the cable car,the feeling is even more impressive. Several
paths allow hikers to walk accross the forest and go to/from the museums, the
zoo, the cable car, etc.
Alexandre the 1st Garden (French: Jardin Alexandre
Ier), at the west of the Municipal Library, garden opened with entertainment for
young children, and a bandstand with casual concerts on Sundays.
Frédéric Mistral Garden (French: Jardin Frédéric
Mistral), cours Frédéric Mistral, garden with collections of exotic species.
Newliwed often choose to go there to have their wedding photographs taken, on
Saturdays afternoon.
Events
Jazz in Toulon, annual music festival.
On July the 14th, Bastille Day is commemorated with a military march on the main
boulevards. During the afternoon, there is usually an aircraft show that will be
best seen from the beach and, at midnight, fireworks.
On August the 15th, fireworks at the Saint Louis fort next to the beaches.
Beaches
Beautiful beaches may be found in the small towns around Toulon. The following
ones seem to be specially recommended.
Les Sablettes in la Seyne sur Mer.
L'Argentière, in the town of La Londe-les-Maures (30
km east of Toulon).
La Capte, near Hyères (15 km east of Toulon). The bottom is of pure sand (no
seaweed) and the depth increases very very slowly.
St Cyr sur Mer some 20kms west of Toulon features a long sandy beach, perfect
for families and kitesurfers. There too the seabed drops rather slowly, enabling
one to reach way out into the water.
Eat
La flambée, pizza restaurant. Nice, intimate, reasonable prices and good food,
building Le Marsouin, 518 bd Bazeilles, +33 4 94 42 12 07
begin_of_the_skype_highlighting +33 4 94 42 12 07 FREE end_of_the_skype_highlighting
Grand café de la rade, +33 4 94 24 87 02 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting +33 4
94 24 87 02 FREE end_of_the_skype_highlighting, on the harbour, facing the
statue of the spirit of navigation. Big coffee shop and restaurant, easy to
find. There are really numerous coffee shops and restaurants on the harbour,
this is only an example.
