Toulon

La Musée De La Marine is the right place for learning about the town’s maritime history: from the lives of galley slaves to the attacks of pirates led by Redbeard – not to mention the young Captain Napoleon Bonaparte who helped to destroy the town after it had been handed over to the English after the Revolution.

There are about 40 different fortifications all around the bay, and the oldest of them dates back to the 16th century. While of them show off their majesty from afar, you can actually visit two of them: Fort Balaguier and La Tour Beaumont.

The blended styles of the Roman Catholic church (Cathédrale Sainte-Marie-de-la-Seds) date back to the 11th century although it could almost be classified as post-modern. As a concentrate of church architecture throughout the centuries, it features a fascinating mixture of styles that wait to be explored.

Le Cours Lafayette represents the Provence in a nutshell, as its market stalls feature scents, tastes and sounds from all over the region. While the offer of produces is already worth the visit, you will also meet friendly people and a wonderful atmosphere.

Stade Mayol is Toulon's stadium and it can hold up to 15,000 people. While it is used for different purposes, it now mainly hosts Rugby games so do have a look whether there are upcoming games for you to catch.

Le Tour Royale, as Royal Tower, is a fort originally built for protecting the port of Toulon in the 16th century. As there is a foot path for you to walk along, you can breathe in that atmosphere while also enjoying the beach and a beautiful view of the harbour.

Here at Rade de Toulon, you can take a boat onto the open sea for viewing Toulon and its harbour from a different perspective. While this is a good way of starting your tour of Toulon, it can also be a great closing – however, make sure that you take a boat where a meal is included.

Located on the marina, this statue embodies The Genie of Navigation. While it was already molded in 1801, it got destroyed during the World War II, restored in the following years, and proudly standing here ever since. While it affectionately got baptized "Cuverville", in memory of an admiral of same name, it also stands for the easy joke of "Cuverville" meaning "bottom towards the city".