Sunday really is an ideal time to visit Toulon as the traffic is lighter, it’s easier to park and the market is in full swing. It’s a good market with the top part North African stalls, leading down to the fruit and veg section, ending in clothes near the harbour.
It’s a very lively scene with lots of local produce – these caulis from Hyeres haven’t had to travel too far!
There are plenty of bakeries and cafés for a snack. Here is the beguiling Egyptian café..
Once down at the quayside, you can embark on a harbour tour which takes about an hour, or take the petit train which has restarted after the winter rest. It does a loop of 45 minutes with a commentary in English and French. Helpfully, you can get off at Les Plages du Mourillon and come back to the harbour on the same ticket, whenever you like. Will try this on our next visit. Also on the list – we discovered an Indian restaurant, always exciting for us Britanniques. We’d been sampling the patisseries on our walk so not this time; instead we pressed on to the nearby Musée de la Marine, a well-laid out and colourful national museum, perfect if you are interested in boats and local history. I’m sure most visitors will come out thankful not to have had to work on a galley.
Alternatively, a short walk away in the 19th century part of town is the Musée d’Art which I described last October: https://aixcentric.com/2016/10/09/time-in-Toulon/ Then, they had an expo called ‘Elles S’Exposent’, showing portraits of women by male artists. Now they have, ‘Elles Exposent’ contemporary (-ish) women artists exhibiting, either their
Sculpture by Camille Claudel on show at Toulon
paintings, or their photography. Loved the photography, very inspiring, and also the small display of photography relating to the bombardment that Toulon suffered in WW2. The exhibition runs until 3rd September. I would provide a link if I could but cant find anything online which may explain why it was empty.
Which is a shame as, at the same time, there is a ground-floor room full of local Provencal art including this lovely painting of the boats in Toulon Harbour in calm weather by local Francois Nardi…
and his depiction of the bay during a Mistral…
Have fun in Toulon!
aixcentric 
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