GRAND TOUR PART 4

Finally, the ever present Mistral wind takes a breather and lets us set sail for the Vieux Port of Marseille a day later than hoped. Guided in from afar by the Notre-Dame de la Garde basilica perched high on a hill overlooking the city, we are grateful to be cruising once again.

I last visited Marseille over 40 years ago and am pleasantly surprised by the changes. What used to be a dingy commercial port now turns out to be a huge, chic marina in the centre of the city. We are given a berth alongside in front of the old town hall, from where we can explore the city and its countless restaurants without exerting ourselves too heavily. Unfortunately, some things never change as we discover on our last evening in town when my brother-in-law’s wallet is stolen from a zippered pocket. After a rather frustrating visit to the police station and lost property office, we cut our losses and head back to the boat.

The following day, after