I can’t believe it’s only been a month since we visited the south of France. Time takes on a different feel when your country is falling into the depths of authoritarianism, Je pense.
After some time mentally escaping reflecting on the quick week we spent in Marseille and Nice, I’ve found myself repeatedly returning to these moments…
The streets of Marseille – winding, hilly and ever so colorful. Despite Marseille being France’s second largest city, we contained ourselves to the area radiating from the old port, which created a sense of familiarity as I wandered during early morning walks.
Speaking of walking, our walking tour of Marseille, booked as an Airbnb experience, was marvelous. Our guide, Olivier, provided the 3.5 hour tour in English and had a well conceived route which introduced us to the history, culture and geography of the city he called home. The foundational knowledge he provided placed me in an excellent position for my next day visit to the Deportation Memorial.
Our first meander around Marseille’s old port revealed a squat building which we came to learn had been built by the Nazis as a bunker during WWII. Apparently, Hitler didn’t care for this city, which he called the “canker of Europe,” despite never having actually visiting it. The solid brick building functioned as a hospital and medical care facility before being abandoned and then eventually repurposed a half century after the end of the war.
While Olivier, our walking tour guide, had been somewhat dismissive of the memorial, I found it, perhaps because of the deportations occurring in the country where I was born, to be impactful. The museum encompasses three levels with the ground floor relating the stories of individual residents of Marseille who were deported, the middle floor focused upon the history of the city and the top floor featuring a film and other art to tell the story of a dark time in history. My time spent there was deeply moving.
When I travel, I often seek out a vantage spot for sunset and Nice provided an exceptionally beautiful place for this purpose. Castle Hill Park, bordered on the west by Old Nice and on the right by the old port, is a large green space perfect for sunset watching in Nice. We used the stairs on the west side of the park to reach the top and enjoyed the views the entire climb. Should I return, I’d be inclined to bring a light picnic and bottle of rosé to toast sunset.
We were initially disappointed to learn the Matisse Museum would be closed during the time we were in the region, but the Chagall Museum was more than a mere consolation – it was a revelation. Our time devouring the pieces was brief (we arrived near when the museum closes for lunch) but the moments spent absorbing the moody colors and rich images were well spent. Honestly, viewing “Adam and Eve Expelled From Paradise” was soul filling.
DelSo 
Marc Chagall is one of my very favorites. There’s a small chapel in Germany that features some of his stained glass. He pops up in a lot of places throughout Europe. I’d love to see that museum.
My only real familiarity with him comes from the stained glass windows of his that I saw in Chicago. I’ll seek more of his work out for sure. Maybe I’ll even make it to Germany!