First Catch of the Day

Cassis is a fishing village located in the South of France. It is part of the coastline known as the French Riviera or Cote d’Azur. This little area is nothing short of breathtaking. The town, although challenging to reach, is well worth the effort to get there. I only had to be there for ten seconds before I feel in love with this little town that you can walk all over and find something charming at every turn. Most of the streets are narrow and winding.

While finding our way around town, we ran into some cute animals. This dog was really well behaved,

and this cat wasn’t shy.

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But which ever way you walk, just about all streets lead down to the town center where I found a little square that looks like this…..

and another like this.

There are loads of little shops. In the space of an eighth of a mile, I counted four gelaterias, but if you go a few steps further, the marina opens up in all its glory.

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There are scores of boats to occupy the attention, but if this is your first time on the Cote d’Azure, the water is the star.

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The water in Cassis makes you forget about the water in Nice. Nice is nice, but Cassis is spectacular. Hold your breath when you get an eyeful of the sea. I couldn’t believe it when I saw it.

We took a tour boat ride out to see the rock formations, each one more memorable than the last.

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The tour was narrated by this young man, who spoke nothing but French.

It didn’t matter, the beauty of the place needs no language.

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And we were delighted.

The tour ended when the lighthouse with the green top came into sight.

Let me add that Cassis has a commercial side. It abounds with restaurants, but in the true French way, you can own the real estate of a table for the price of a single cup of coffee….or a spritz.

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After such a morning, the only thing left on our to do list was a trip to the beach…and Ashleigh Henry, feeling wonderfully happy, jumped in. She’s waving at you .

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The sun was super hot, and the water was super cold. The rocky beach soaks up the sun, so it is hard and hot on the feet.

These rocks do not concern the bathers. Rather, they are there only to worship the sun and perhaps…

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ponder regional legends. This statue is dedicated to an anchovy fisherman who feel in love with a beautiful, young woman of Cassis. In order to win her love, he had to complete a number of challenging tasks.

The tale has a happy ending with a rendezvous of hearts. Many here in Cassis are happy to rendezvous with this gentleman….also a fisherman.

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Get up early; seek him out on the docks; buy from him, and eat the first catch of the day for your lunch.

Bisous, Bisous, The Unseasoned Traveler