Marseille (France) | Palais Longchamp - Day 37

My legs feel great this morning. I head out without performing my routine of daily stretches. An experiment of sorts to assess where I am in my recovery. My purpose is to explore Marseille today. A little over one mile (1.6 km) away from the hostel is the Palais Longchamp. This will be a good test for me. The walk is gradual, uphill, and warm. Along the way, I find reprieve in the shade of the tall buildings that surround me. I surprise myself this morning. My gait is almost back to normal. My speed is improving. A good sign. 

After about 35 min I arrive. I am utterly unprepared for the beauty that is before me. Below is the Palais Longchamp. On either side of the Palais are museums, more on that below.

The Palais Longchamp is a beautiful and massive public works project. The Palais was built following a cholera outbreak in 1865 in Marseille. Due to a water shortage in Marseille, an 85-km (53 mi) aqueduct was constructed to bring fresh water to the city from the Durance River. This is the delivery point. The Palais took around 30 years to complete and is a true homage to water. What makes this Palais so striking is how it balances art with functionality. As I stand there admiring its beauty, I am in awe. In our modern world, functionality always takes precedence over aesthetics. This was built during a time when rulers used projects like this to convey their power to their people. Aesthetics were more important than function. We don't build projects like this anymore. What have we lost along the way?

Looking back to the entrance of the Palais.

On either side of the Palais are two museums. The square building on the left is the Musée des Beaux-Arts (Museum of Fine Arts). While the other museum on the right below is the Musée Histoire Naturelle (Museum of Natural History).

The central fountain is called the Chateau d'Eau (Water Castle).

One of the two hallways that flank the Chateau d'Eau. 

The beautiful ceilings of the hallways.

The backside of the Chateau d'Eau.

Behind the Chateau d'Eau is an inscription on the wall. The left side commemorates the reign of Louis-Phillipe I, who supported the construction of the aqueduct and the Palais in 1847. While the right side pays homage to Napolean III. He ordered the two museums be built in 1869 and named the site the Palais Longchamp.

I passed another stunning landmark this morning, the Port d'Aix. This Arc de Triomphe (Victory Arch) was built to commemorate King Louis XVI in 1784 and the end of the American Revolutionary War. The French were a great ally of the American colonialists. One of the reasons why they defeated the Red Coats.

One of the many narrow streets in Marseille. Le Panier (The Basket) area of Marseille is full of these narrow streets.

At the entrance of the Old Port is Fort Saint-Jean. The fort was built in the 1300s to protect the harbor. Today, most commerce has moved to the north, to New Port, which is better suited for large modern ships.

This photo shows the contrast between the older original buildings in Marseille (left of photo) and the newer sterile concrete ones (middle and right of photo). As you can tell, although they are common throughout the city, I am not a fan of the modern white or beige concrete structures.

This is one of the main squares in Le Panier. What stands out to me is how little greenery is available aside from a few trees. It is all concrete, asphalt, and pavers. Strangely people here seem to be alright with it the lack of green space. What choice do they really have?

Across from the square is the reason why I am here. The Centre de la Vieille Charité (Old Charity Center). La Vieille Charité was built in the 17th century as a Hospice to serve as a workhouse for a growing number of poor people that were cruelly oppressed in Marseille. Nowadays, the site serves as a cultural center and houses two museums. The site is much more spectacular than the picture below and is one of the key landmarks in the Le Panier district of Marseille. I arrived too late in the day to visit the site. I encourage you to follow the link above for additional information and pictures of this great site. 

As I wander back to Old Port, I stop at a restaurant on the north side. I order the Red Mullet. This common fish in the Mediterranean has reddish-orange scales and ranges between 10-17 in (25-45 cm) long. The fish has firm white flesh with a light crustacean flavor. Red mullets eat shellfish and crustaceans. Although it is hard to see below, there are four tiny fish fillets. They are covered in a light tomato olive herb sauce. One of the best dishes I've had since I left Belfast. I LOVE trying new food!

For dessert, my waitress recommends the chestnut creme pie (Tarte en crème de marron (Chestnut creme pie). It arrives with a side of fresh whipped creme. First impressions, this is good! It has a subtle flavor with the consistency of warm pumpkin pie. I tell the waitress I liked her recommendation as I pay the bill. She smiles "My mom made this pie." I tell her it was very delightful! This is a dessert I need to have again.

Towering above the city, on its highest point, south of Old Port is the magnificent Basilica Notre-Dame de la Guard (Our Lady of the Guard). Locally the site is known as La Bon Mère (The Good Mother). It is one of the most visited sites in all of Marseille. I have no plans to visit this site on this trip.

North side of the Old Port where I had dinner. The canopies on the street are outdoor dining areas for local restaurants. Above the 2nd level are flats or apartments.

The scene at Old Port is much more relaxed tonight. The buildings surrounding the rectangular Old Port glow in the sunlight as the daylight hours fade away.

Once I'm back at the hostel, I check my phone and the SNCF train app. Shit! My 930 am train has been canceled. Not the entire trip. Just the final leg. I can still get to Narbonne, France, a 30 min train ride from Carcassone. I spend 30-40 min exploring options. If I stay on this train, I will be stuck in Narbonne for the night with no clear path to Carcassone. I opt to cancel my ticket. There is a direct route to Carcassone tomorrow. The train leaves Marseille at 530 pm. I rebook my train, then notify my Airbnb host that I will be arriving around 830 pm tomorrow night.