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Watch a movie at the oldest operating theatre in the world.
La Ciotat is ground zero of cinematic history. It was in this little town in 1895 that pioneer movie-makers, the Lumiere brothers, captured the first footage of a train arriving into the station. The resulting one-minute movie — the rather excitingly titled ‘Arrival of a Train at La Cioatat Station’—was later released at the town’s Eden Theatre in 1889, where the crowd exploded in excitement and terror as the train appeared to barrel down on them from the screen. Some patrons apparently fled the cinema at the sight.
Closed and left to decay for many years, the cinema was restored and reopened in 2013, and you can now take your seat in this glorious velvet and black marble cinema, and settle in for a night at the movies, old-style. Before or after the session, you can have a drink in the courtyard, overlooking the sea.
Go Rock-Climbing
If you’ve spent any time on the yacht around the calanques, you will have seen little ant-like figures balaying and climbing up the rock-face. The Calanques around La Ciotat are considered one of the prime climbing spots along the entire coast, and are an ideal option in winter when the climbing up in the Verdon gets a bit snowy and dangerous.
Have a Winter Wander in the Parc Mugel
Sometimes after all that blue, you just need a bit of green. Get your nature fix and ground yourself with a long meander around the Parc Mugel, 16 acres of Mediterranean and exotic plants leading up to the Bec d l’Aigle cliff and its glorious views.
Get to Know Marseille
Sure, it’s got a reputation for grittiness, and you probably want to keep half an eye on your wallet. But aside from that, Marseilles is extraordinary, and for anyone with even a glimmer of travel thirst, gastronomic curiosity, or historical interest in them, this city will deliver in droves. Settled by the Greeks over 2,600 years ago, the city still has an exotic feel —part French, part African, part all its own.
Get your cultural fill at La Fiche’s moving calendar of open air exhibitions and performances, wander the steep, narrow alleys of the charming Le Panier neighbourhood, and check out the extraordinary MuCEM museum. Stretch your legs along the Corniche Kennedy to admire the wintry sea, and go mad for the antique shops tucked in every alleyway. Then eat, eat, and eat some more — Marseilles is a cultural and culinary melting pot, as the food will tell you with each glorious bite.
Take an overnight trip to Avignon.
Sure, at less than 2 hours away you make the trip in a day, but why would you want to? A night off the boat is always welcome, and even more so when your destination is the splendid ancient city of Avignon. Once the city of the Catholic popes, this golden town is a place to walk the ramparts, explore the papal palace, and cross the famous Saint Benezet Bridge above the River Rhone. Drink your fill of good wine, wander the museums, and shop the boutiques and galleries. You may never want to go back to the boat.
Face the cold and dive into the deeps
Pull on your thick wetsuit and take a winter dive down to the depths of the Calanques National Park, where you’ll discover a world of caves, posidonia meadows, and underwater canyons in the cold, clear water. The waters around La Ciotat and Marseille are also home to shipwrecks and ancient artefacts, as well as rich sea life including dolphins, turtles and wonderful coral-like plants.
Hit the slopes
If it’s going to be cold, you may as well make the most of it! There are numerous ski resorts within 2-3 hours drive of La Ciotat, including the huge La Foux d’Allos, which is connected to the excellent resort of Praloupe, as well as three smaller resorts suited to families: the convivial Chabanon Selonnet, the pretty, well preserved resort of Saint Jean Montclair, and quiet, easy Ancelle (not suitable for advanced skiers or snowboarders.)
Take a walking tour and eat marzipan in Aix-en-Provence
Aix-en-Provence is an elegant, welcoming university town, where you’ll still find the cafes and excellent markets humming with locals in the winter months. The birthplace of artist Cezanne, the city has some exceptional art museums and you can also tour Cezanne’s studio. A walking tour is a splendid way to explore the small city, or you could just head to the Cours Mirabeau, grab a cafe table, and watch the world go by. Don’t forget to sample some calissons, an almondy, orange blossom marzipan treat that Aix-en-Provence is known for.
Take the ferry to the Chateau d’If
This magnificent fortress, the fictional prison in Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo, sits just off Marseilles on the rocky island of Frioul. It served as a jail for over four centuries, with particularly horrific conditions in the lower cells, where inmates stayed alive only an average of nine months.
As you tour the cells and walk the mighty walls on a winter’s day, looking out at the view of the beautiful Provencal coastline from this forbidding, barren island, you can only imagine the prisoners’ state of mind. A moody, fascinating excursion that will have you returning to your cosy superyacht cabin with a whole new appreciation.
Take a Walk on Il Verte Island
If you’re more keen on pretty, green islands, take the tender across from La Ciotat to Il Verte, a small, wooded island which you can circumnavigate on an easy one-hour trail.
Wander the Calanques National Park
Whether you’re ‘blowing out the cobwebs’ on a blowy mistral kinda day, or you’re down to a t-shirt in the Provencal winter sunshine, a winter walk in the Calanques is sure to get your spirits up. Finish up with lunch or a coffee cognac in a cafe in pretty Cassis.
With the nearby cities of Marseilles, Aix-en-Provence and Montpellier providing heaps to do through the winter months, and beautiful Provencal landscapes to explore, there’s always something to do on your days off in La Ciotat.
