Creme de Cassis

For a small village, Cassis has an extensive list of "things to do." I remember telling a neighbour, who had stopped in Cassis for lunch while on a tour of the south of France, that we had stayed there for a week. She was amazed that we could find enough to entertain us for that length of time.

As I have said before, we almost always walk. Although walking takes up a lot of time, you do see much more along the way. For our second day in Cassis, we walked to the calanque that we could see from our window. Again the hike was well over a mile, uphill, however, we managed to walk past an old castle, enroute to the summit, and to marvel at the beautiful views it offered of Cassis' beach and lighthouse.

Fortunately, on our way back down, we happened upon a local winery, Clos Sainte Magdeleine. This had to be the winery from heaven, even if it didn't make altar wine :) Its vineyards cascaded from the upper reaches of the majestic calanque, right down to the cliffs that overlooked the Mediterranean. We immediately booked a tour for the next day. We just had to come back for an inside look at this idyllic spot.

There were the shorter walks too, either around the town or out to the lighthouse. There was also time to just sit with a latte at the many cafes which fringed the harbour or savour an ice cream near a sandy beach.

Creme de Cassis of course :)

We loved the contrasts in Cassis - wild hills beside a seaside town, leisurely strolls after vigorous hikes, sophisticated vineyards near farmers markets, young and old, hot and cold, land and sea!!

More to come. Have a great day!!