Provence series: Cassis, France

Oh, Cassis - my new love! It's been wonderful to spend around 10 days in this little fishing village not far from Marseilles on the shore of Mediterranean Sea this summer. The combination of the nature, outstanding cuisine and local wine, the view, and overall atmosphere of the village is splendid! I promise I will be back!

The place where Cassis sits today was first populated in 500 and 600 BC. Fishing, hunting, and farming were major occupations of the population. Nowadays, it is mostly tourism and wine making. Although the specialty of the Provence region is rosé, Cassis stands out with its unique white wine that I highly recommend to taste with the local sea food dishes.

Here are couple of things I definitely recommend to do while here. First and foremost is visiting all 8 Calanques by boat, by kayak, or on foot. These are small coves lined with steep, dramatic walls of white limestone. I went by boat and saw Calanque de Port-Miou, Calanque de Port-Pin, Calanque d'En-Vau, Calanque de l'Oule, Calanque du Devenson, Calanque de l'Oeil de Verre, Calanque de Sugiton, and Calanque de Morgiou.

After this nice trip and stunning views treat yourself to a local specialty -- Bouillabaisse pared with Cassis's famed white wines. The preparation and serving of bouillabaisse is very specific and is even outlined in something called The Marseilles Bouillabaisse Charter. It must be served with at least four of six designated fish and the fish must be cut up in front of you. I tried it at Chez Gilbert on Quai Baux on the harbor. Oh, and be very hungry before you order it - it is an enormous dish served with boiled potatoes and fish soup!

After a nice meal take a walk in the harbor, turn to narrow streets of older part of Cassis and experience joie de vivre!

Another must-do is to hike or drive Cap Canaille. With stunning views of the Gulf of Cassis, olive trees, calanques, and Cassis's vineyards these are the largest seaside cliffs in France.