Private Shore Excursion From Toulon to Marseille & Provence Wine Tour

Embark on a vibrant Shore Excursion from Toulon Port of Call to Visit the City of Marseille!

Meet your English speaking local guide

Today, your meeting point will be directly at your ship in Toulon Cruise Port. Meet your English speaking private guide who will go over the itinerary and program of this private full-day provence tour with you.

Then board your premium A/C vehicle and begin to make your way to the town of Marseille. After a short drive composed of breathtaking panoramic views, arrive in the town of Marseille for a panoramic tour followed by a short walking tour. Your private tour will continue towards the Cassis wine region where you will partake in a wine tasting session of Provencal wines.

Panoramic Tour of Marseille

Upon arrival in Marseille, listen to your tour guide who will begin with a panoramic tour of the city including the Old Port of Marseille. Stop and visit the iconic Basilique Notre Dame de la Garde symbol of the town and from where you will enjoy a panoramic view of the Phocéen city as this is the highest point of the Historic city.

Walking Tour in the Historical Town

After the panoramic tour of Marseille, begin your small group walking tour around the port and the Panier district. The Old port of Marseille was completely renovated in 2013 and the district is without a doubt the heart of the City. This is where all the major events of Marseille take place and where the crowds meet when they celebrate their football team’s achievements. In the morning, one should not miss the very lively fish market.

Your guided tour continues in the Panier district is another area that one should not miss when visiting Marseille. This popular neighborhood is topped by the Old Charity and is composed of small but steep streets, crossed by multiple stairways and lined with elevated buildings and their colorful façades. Here, spend time to stroll through the narrow streets and reach Moulin’s square where numerous art galleries, restaurants, cafés and designer boutiques have settled.

Your local guide is flexible, so if you wish to see some other highlights of the City such as the Corniche, the stunning MUCEM museum or the Football stadium then you will need to inform your guide who will adapt the tour to your requirements as long as the timing is not an issue.

Reach the seaside village of Cassis

Well known for its Calanques national park (small limestone inlets) beaches, and beautiful port overlooked by a medieval chateau. Enjoy some free time in the village to have lunch, and stroll around the colorful narrow streets. If time permits, it is possible to take a boat tour to admire the fascinating Calanques.

Cassis was one of the first in the region established as an Appellation d’Origine Protégée (AOP) in 1936. The village is one of the few local appellations comprising a single, tiny commune. While most nearby appellations were originally cultivated by Greek outposts, Cassis is based on Ligurian origins.

Blessed by 3,000 hours of annual sunshine, cool maritime winds and the freshening effects of the Mistral, the wine region is truly a spot set aside for gorgeous Cassis Whites. This is the only region in Provence to produce a majority of white wines, regulated to contain at least 80% Marsanne. This varietal adds beautiful aromatics and finesse, an elegant profile for the refreshing, high-quality white wines of Cassis.

Clairette is also a common component, adding fresh acidity to balance the body of Marsanne. A touch of red wines and a strong showing of rosé wines are also cultivated in Cassis – blends of Cinsault, Grenache, and Mourvèdre. Enjoy visiting a domain with the tasting of local wines.

Arrive in Bandol and taste more wines

After your exploration of Cassis, your shore trip will continue heading to Bandol. If time permits, your driver guide might make a stop in Le Castellet just for the view. The village of Bandol is a popular coastal town and wine growing region in the western part of the Cote d'Azur. Your visit to Bandol will start by a local wine tasting. 

The Bandol vineyard lies in a natural amphitheatre where the vines are planted on terraces over approximately 1,600 hectares. Sheltered by the massif of Sainte Baume to the North culminating at 1,147 metres, the Bandol vineyard descends in terraces towards the sea in a magnificent amphitheatre of wooded hills.

Bold red wines

The expression of the terroir comes together in the range of wines produced in the area: red wines, white wines and rosé wines. Bandol is a resolutely red wine, mainly produced from the Mourvèdre variety, known as the king of the appellation. Mourvèdre is the chief grape variety in the blend (50% to 95%). It is harmoniously combined with Grenache and Cinsault, the former bringing generosity to the wine, the latter giving it refinement.

Elegant white wines of Bandol

To penetrate the secret of Bandol, one must also taste its white wines. The wine-growers take delight in surprising wine lovers with this type of wine, produced in very low quantities. Clairette, Ugni Blanc and Bourboulenc are the base of the varietal mix.

Gourmand rosé wines

Bandol rosés are enchanting. Their roundness and generosity make them different from other rosé wines. Mourvèdre, Grenache and Cinsault combine to give, by direct pressing, a well-structured, refined, pale-coloured wine with delicate salmon hues.

After your tour, you will be driven back to your cruise ship and that will be then end of your Toulon shore excursion and the end of our services.

Our other Shore Excursions from Toulon

We organize a number of shore excursions from Toulon or La Seyne sur Mer to discover Provence but not only. We can pick you up at your Cruise Ship in Marseille Cruise Port, Saint Tropez and in fact in all the major Cruise Ship Terminals of the South of France including the French Riviera. All our day trips are conducted by expert tour guides with impeccable English.