If in Avignon you need to be a skilled driver to get through narrow streets of Old town (where pedestrians have priority by the way), then in Marceille you should be an amateur runner at least. The amount of people running along the coast at evenings is incredible – just look thoroughly to get out of way at a proper moment.

Marceille finally made a pleasant surprise for us (perhaps, scared by my negative reference in previous post :). Searching for a place on a beach to spent night, we met another backpackers. They appeared to be not only backpackers but couchsurfers too. New acquaintances invited us to a beach party where we were kindly taken under care of Kurijn – very nice and friendly guy from Antwerp. This night we spent not on a beach but in his house.

The next day we were leaving hospitable Marseille – and heading to Cote d’Azur!

There were two options to get out of Marseille:

1. The national road to Toulon A50 – we should take metro till the station ‘Perier’, then walk along Avenue de Prado, reach Boulevard V.Delpuech and walk till getting to a huge road crossing where A50 starts.
2. Coastal motorway D559 – to take the bus 48 till its last stop on ‘Chairon Vallon de Redon’, walk from the hospital down the street straight and left till we reach Boulevard de Redon. There we start hitch-hiking (not in direction of Luminy! – the road makes a ‘fork’)

Southern coast of France is amazing so we had no doubts about variant 2.

In couple of minutes we got a lift to Castellet. It was short ride but one of the most picturesque. From Castellet – 7 kilometres to Bagnol, cosy and beautiful place. Very south, very Mediterranean. There we stopped for a swim.

After 20 minutes walk to the exit of the town we caught a car till “apres Toulon” – “after Toulon”. On a road met another hitch-hiker – tired and not very friendly. He was aiming on Cannes. Good luck to him!

We were not so ambitious and in two minutes got a lift to Hyers – a picturesque town with a wide alley full of palms and flowers. We made a long walk through it till the local skatepark. Perhaps, there was no need in such a long promenade, because finally we stopped near “zebra” before a crossroad – we passed several places like that before.

…Mediterranean sea wispers behind. The sun grills, but – thanks to chilling breeze from the sea – we almost don’t feel its ruthless heat. Green hills, the sea turquois near the shore and deep blue far from it, fraus-palms, ocean of flowers (some of them smell increadibly!) and red rocks. We’re relaxing on a rock near the shore in a place Le Lavandou. Before we passed a promenade, created by people along the rock right above the sea.

Output: take the road D559. The most picturesque parts are: Marseille – Castellet and Hyers – Le Lavandou.

Enjoy the ride!

8.07.2011