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Post by GitteK on Mar 17, 2008 1:42:08 GMT -5
sea urchins, calamares, stuffed sardines and fish soup ?.......... ahemmmm............ but the white wine sounds interesting !! Laidback: I have looked at some internet maps and wondered about the walking trips to les calanques. Can it be done in a relatively "civilized" manner - meaning: no rock climbing or dangerous cliff paths with a 100 meter drop to both sides ? And how far is it ? The town website says: "A partir de Cassis, il est possible d'accéder aux 3 calanques : Port Miou, Port Pin et En Vau." Is this doable in one day ? www.cassis-online.com/cassis-visite-calanques.php
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Post by Anne on Mar 17, 2008 2:56:36 GMT -5
Gitte, it appears that you access Port Miou directly from Cassis : www.calanques13.com/calanque-port-miou.htmlThen from Port Miou another 2 kms walk leads you to Port Pin : www.calanques13.com/calanque-port-pin.htmlAlthough En-Vau seems to be just a little further than Port-miou on a map, access seems to be more difficult : www.calanques13.com/calanque-en-vau.htmlHere are the walking times : www.provence-infos.com/rando.htmSo you should be able to walk from Cassis harbour till En-Vau in 30mns (Cassis->Port Miou) +30mns (Port Miou->Port Pin) + 1 hr (Port Pin-> En Vau) . This doesn't count your splashing + roasting stops of course I read on one website that access to the calanques is only allowed from 6 am till 11 am in the Summer (i.e. until the 15th of Sept) ? This is because of fire hazards . Access is also forbidden when mistral is over 80 kms/hr in the Summer .
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Post by gracejoan on Mar 17, 2008 5:43:56 GMT -5
The coastal villages are nice. Market days in Cassis are Wed. and Fri....It will be busy, and crowded.
If you can take the coastal drive..Ciotat, etc...it is lovely. Then go up to the small village of La Cadiere-d'Azur and to the Hostellerie Berard for lunch..I would call for reservations. Nice spot.
Joan
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Post by luvparee on Mar 17, 2008 13:02:35 GMT -5
Gitte - We LOVED Cassis when we were there for a day. The boat trip was a highlight of our time in Provence and in Paris. The boats will drop you at various little beaches inside the calanques and then pick you up again if that is something you might be interested in. Also, if the sea urchins and the other culinary "delights" of the Med don't light your fire, there's a cafe right on the harbor (on the corner by the cute yellow candy store) that has some fabulous ice cream creations!
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Post by joan1 on Mar 20, 2008 2:46:19 GMT -5
Gittek your trip looks wonderful, I envy you completely,, the hotel looks charming, the town a delight , the scenery wonderful,, you lucky lady! Isn't this board great, I would have never known about this lovely spot,, although I love Cassis in my wine, I never knew there was such a place.
Cigalechanta, do urchins taste like oysters?
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Post by cigalechanta on Mar 20, 2008 18:39:41 GMT -5
no, not at all. much more delicate. Here we see them mostly used in sauces or sushi. They are little tiny pink in their "compartments."
I was excited once to find them in a fish market here(now long gone) and brought them home for my husband to taste but my spouse didn't like them.
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Post by joan1 on Mar 25, 2008 10:19:52 GMT -5
Ah, merci beaucoup.
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Post by ouiparis on May 3, 2008 19:27:20 GMT -5
Nice is one of our stops in September. We were planning on staying for 3-4 nights before heading on up to Paris. No reservations yet, but this thread has me reconsidering our options. Thanks everyone!
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Post by cigalechanta on May 3, 2008 22:48:45 GMT -5
ouiparis, in Nice be sure to try the famous Nice, Socca that is very inexpensive and filling. You can try it at a café or from the street venders
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Post by chicchantal on Jul 7, 2008 12:43:55 GMT -5
Did nobody at all mention Hyeres and Porquerolles? My favourite bit of the whole south coast of France (so far, anyway). I love Cassis too, but it's quite small. With Hyeres you get a five mile sandy peninsula and a whole bunch of islands and everything!
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Post by Becky (Berkeleytravelers) on Jul 7, 2008 13:03:13 GMT -5
Chicchantal - I don't think I've ever heard of either. Please, tell us more!
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Post by GitteK on Jul 7, 2008 13:42:43 GMT -5
I started this thread, and I am embarrassed to admit that I have cancelled my hotel booking in Cassis and dropped the plans. When it came down to business, I realized that I couldn't bring it over my heart to break up my Paris vacation anyway...... Perhaps another time. Remember: there is never any ending to Paris.
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Post by framboiseetrose on Jul 7, 2008 15:14:11 GMT -5
How true, Gitte! I don't know how many trips I have cancelled or planned but never made simply because at the last minute, I tell myself I'd rather go to Paris and stay there! Such a hopeless, Paris-obsessed person I am! This is the look I get from friends and relatives...........
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Post by Darcy on Jul 7, 2008 22:52:22 GMT -5
"I realized that I couldn't bring it over my heart"
Gitte, what a lovely expression, and so appropriate for Paris!
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Post by sistereurope on Jul 8, 2008 7:50:35 GMT -5
Don't be embarrassed or feel bad...I am going to Paris in the fall instead of going to Germany to see my sister and my niece (long story, but due to custody battles my sister can't leave Germany with my niece). I am a BAD sister and aunt...but I simply can't help it!!!!! It's what my soul needs. That just means that my NEXT vist to Paris will just have to include a cheap flight to Hamburg...
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Post by chicchantal on Jul 10, 2008 15:49:47 GMT -5
Becky, here's the Hyeres tourist office. www.hyeres-tourisme.com Hyeres is actually where 'Toulon' airport is, coupla miles east of Toulon. It's my fave place in Provence, except St Remy. I read also it was the first riviera town, don't know if that's true. It's got everything, mediaeval town centre, Roman site, great restos, ruined castle, modernist house (really!), miles of sandy beach, unspoilt islands (full of people sunbathing natch, but no cars). I love it to bits and have been there three times.
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Post by Becky (Berkeleytravelers) on Jul 10, 2008 16:08:50 GMT -5
Chic, this looks great - I don't know that I would like a resort town for long periods, I suppose, but it sure sounds wonderful for a beach break! Thanks for the link.
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Post by chicchantal on Jul 18, 2008 12:33:07 GMT -5
It's kind of hard to explain, but it's so spread out along the peninsula, it's not really like a resort. The town itself is a mile or so (guesstimate) from the nearest beach. Then you go to the beach or beaches and they're all full of French families on holiday. To me it's the antithesis of the Cote d'Azur, because it so concentrated on being laid back. Although there are loads of hotels and restaurants and watersports and things, it's quite posh in its own way, hard to explain. If you get the bus to Le Lavandou along the coast you discover you're in a really sort of traditional seaside place, but Hyeres isn't like that. Apparently the population is quite big, but it's nearly all residential. I love it there more than I can say and I wanted to go for a day this year but couldn't owing to a train strike.
Gitte, make sure when you get to Cassis, you get information from the tourist office about walks along the top of the calanques. There is a lovely and very French cafe at the top by the tennis club and you can walk on from there for some distance to see Port Miou calanque. I believe there are also paths to other calanques but I'm afraid that by the time I'd eaten a lovely fish and had time to digest it I was feeling too lazy to go further.
I'm trying to remember if I recommended the restaurant Bonaparte in the rue Bonaparte in Cassis to you? I was in Cassis for a week two years ago and ate out twice a day and this was the restaurant I like the best. Apologies if I am repeating myself! If you want more advice or info, send me a PM and I'll try to help.
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Post by chicchantal on Jul 18, 2008 12:34:48 GMT -5
Have just realised Gitte's not going to Cassis at all. Mortified! Sorry.
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Post by GitteK on Jul 18, 2008 12:59:53 GMT -5
chicchantal - I will go there some day, that's for sure. Only I realized that breaking up my Paris stay would be stupid. Perhaps next year I will consider combining 2 weeks in Paris and 1 week on Côte d'Azur.
THANK YOU for all your insider tips. I will get back to you, count on that !! It really looks like an adorable town - and I even bought the bathing suit to match.......
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