Toulon - St Tropez

Toulon is a charming city in at the heart of the French Riviera and an important harbour on the Mediterranean coast. Located in the Provence-Alpes-Cote-d'Azur region, the recently restored old town of Toulon is pedestrianised area with narrow streets, small squares and many fountains.

A cruise to Toulon represents an ideal opportunity to sample the celebrated Provencal market which takes place every morning on the Cours Lafayette. The market that features local products, is a food-lovers paradise and a great chance to stock up on some Mediterranean treats.

Outside Toulon itself there are plenty of exciting and interesting things to see and do. Our excursion packages offer the best deals on the key sights in this lovely region.

Come ashore from your luxury MSC cruise and travel with us further afield to Aix-en-Provence, the capital of Provence, characterized by historic monuments, elegant squares, many fountains and home to a renowned international music festival.

Alternatively, the seaside holiday resort of Cassis with its picturesque fishing port, harbour-side cafes and shady streets makes for an idyllic day out: stroll the town and visit the open-air artists’ market and perhaps return to the ship with a Provencal watercolour as a memento of your trip.

The Provence coast is home to many lovely medieval villages and just outside Toulon lies Hyères, an historic town with a medieval quarter whose palm-lined streets and quaint charm offers a taste of picture-postcard France. Finally, Bandol has an interesting literary heritage (popular with Thomas Mann and the French writer Marcel Pagnol) and the excellent sandy beaches here would make this outing fun for children, too.

St Tropez is the French Riviera to a T. A popular holiday destination since the 1950’s, St Tropez is set on the Bay of St Tropez and has long been home to movie stars and a glittering jet-set crowd. Start your day away from the ship with a coffee in one of the innumerable chic cafés and pick up some delicious produce in one of the town’s many colourful markets.

Many major artists such as Matisse and Derain have been attracted to the South of France for its exquisite quality of light. Numerous works by both these artists can be viewed in the Annonciade Museum, lovers of avant-garde art are in for treat as the museums collection is world renowned. Art lovers will also want to see the house on la Rue des Bouchonniers in which Picasso had his studio and where he created many works, including L’Odalisque.