Marseilles

This is the lovely theatre on the old port that we were booked to perform in. However, this isn't the theatre that we actually performed in. Two weeks before we were due to arrive they found asbestos on stage and had to find alternative venues for all of the companies that were booked to perform. After looking at a few options we ended up performing in the conference centre. It wasn't such a glamorous looking building but the shows fitted in nicely there and we had lovely audiences for the week. 

This is the old port where La Criee is situated.

We also had our hotel changed so that we were within walking distance of the new venue. Along the street between the two there was a market. General clothes and food on one side of the road (which happened on several days) and on the other side of the road a more eclectic market which was only held once. There were lots of plant stalls, and a number of artisans, including this violin maker and an upholsterer.

Saturday was our main day to explore as we had no afternoon performance or rehearsals. Bridget and I started off our day with a take away pastry and a coffee. Then it was a walk up the very steep hill to Notre Dame de la Garde.

You can take the wardrobe mistress out of the theatre.....

Our first glimpse of the cathedral

This is the interior of the cathedral. It was beautifully decorated, with lots of bright painting and gilding.

The cathedral is known by locals as la bonne mere (the good mother) and these ships that are suspended around the church are models of ships that have been protected from shipwrecks or pirates.

In the centre of this picture you can see the football stadium. The conference centre is just to the left of this. And if you were to turn to your left through 180 degrees you would be facing the old port and our original theatre

The Frioul archipelago, home to Chateau d'If where Dumas set the Count of Monte Christo

From the cathedral we walked down the other side of the hill to the old port where we first had a cup of tea and then some lunch.

A statue of a lion biting a man on the bum, and why not?

After Lunch we had a little wander around some of the streets close to the port. There was a children's carnival taking place in the afternoon and the streets were slowly filling up with families and lots of children in fancy dress.

Avoiding the crowds we hopped onto the metro for the short journey back to our hotel to get ready for the evening show.

On Sunday morning I got up for breakfast and then went back to the old port area. This time I was headed to Fort Saint-Jean to have a quick look around before the afternoon show.

As I came out of the metro I could see fishermen landing their small catches which went straight onto stalls for sale. It was very busy, but by the time I walked back to the metro and hour or so later it had all but gone.

Notre Dame de la Garde

The town hall

Notre Dame, above La Criee

Fort St Nicholas, on the opposite side of the port.

Cathedrale de la Major

The old port from the fort

The fort had been restored and planted very cleverly with scented plants and succulents. It was a really nice space to wander around.

I bumped into a number of the boys as I went around the fort. I leant over a wall and spotted Will sunbathing!

This was as close as I got to the cathedral as I'd run out of time and needed to make my way to the theatre.

After the get out Bridget and I went for supper by the old port before joining the rest of the crew for a glass of wine before bed.